An armed force in the form of the Baltische Landeswehr was created in November 1918, just before the surrender of Germany, which would participate in the Russian Civil War in the Baltics. Finland Finland had existed as an autonomous Grand Duchy of Russia since 1809, and the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917 gave it its independence.
Great Power Diplomacy: 1814–1914 (1991), comprehensive survey Schmitt, Bernadotte E.
(1927) From Bismarck to the World War: A History of German Foreign Policy 1870–1914 (1927) online. Clark, Christopher.
The Central Powers' origin was the alliance of Germany and Austria-Hungary in 1879.
Togoland was a German protectorate in Africa. Asia The Kiautschou Bay concession was a German dependency in East Asia leased from China in 1898.
Austrian Foreign Policy, 1908–18 (1923) pp 68–128. Rich, Norman.
Bulgaria held claims on the region of Vardar Macedonia then held by Serbia following the Balkan Wars of 1912–1913 and (from the Bulgarian point of view), the costly Treaty of Bucharest (1913).
Dervish forces fought against Italian and British forces in Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland during the Somaliland Campaign. === Senussi Order === The Senussi Order was a Muslim political-religious tariqa (Sufi order) and clan in Libya, previously under Ottoman control, which had been lost to Italy in 1912.
Russia and the Triple Entente declared war on the Ottoman Empire. === Bulgaria === ==== War justifications ==== Bulgaria was still resentful after its defeat in July 1913 at the hands of Serbia, Greece and Romania.
The Ottoman Empire joined later in 1914, followed by the Kingdom of Bulgaria in 1915.
Later that day, France, an ally of Russia, declared a state of general mobilization. In August 1914, Germany waged war on Russia, citing Russian aggression as demonstrated by the mobilization of the Russian army, which had resulted in Germany mobilizing in response. After Germany declared war on Russia, France, with its alliance with Russia, prepared a general mobilization in expectation of war.
On 3 August 1914, Germany responded to this action by declaring war on France.
It was occupied by Australian forces in 1914. German Samoa was a German protectorate following the Tripartite Convention.
It was occupied by the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1914. === Austria-Hungary === ==== War justifications ==== Austria-Hungary regarded the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand as being orchestrated with the assistance of Serbia.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, sovereign authority was shared by both Austria and Hungary. === Ottoman Empire === ==== War justifications ==== The Ottoman Empire joined the war on the side of the Central Powers in November 1914.
The Ottoman Empire made a formal alliance with Germany signed on 2 August 1914.
It signed a treaty of defensive alliance with the Ottoman Empire on 19 August 1914.
As a condition of entering WW1 on the side of the Central Powers, Bulgaria was granted the right to reclaim that territory. ==== Declarations of war ==== == Co-belligerents == === South African Republic === In opposition to offensive operations by Union of South Africa, which had joined the war, Boer army officers of what is now known as the Maritz Rebellion "refounded" the South African Republic in September 1914.
In 1914, Józef Piłsudski was permitted by Germany and Austria-Hungary to form independent Polish legions.
The Ottoman Road to War in 1914: The Ottoman Empire and the First World War (2010). Brandenburg, Erich.
The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 (2013) Craig, Gordon A.
Decisions for War, 1914–1917 (2004), scholarly essays on Serbia, Austria-Hungary, Germany, Russia, France, Britain, Japan, Ottoman Empire, Italy, the United States, Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece. Herweg, Holger H.
The First World War: Germany and Austria-Hungary 1914–1918 (2009). Herweg, Holger H., and Neil Heyman.
Germany and the Central Powers in the World War, 1914– 1918 (1963) online Jarausch, Konrad Hugo.
The coming of the war, 1914 (2 vol 1930) comprehensive history online vol 1; online vol 2, esp vol 2 ch 20 pp 334–382 Strachan, Hew.
The Ottoman Empire joined later in 1914, followed by the Kingdom of Bulgaria in 1915.
It was the last country to join the Central Powers, which Bulgaria did in October 1915 by declaring war on Serbia.
The rebels were all defeated or captured by South African government forces by 4 February 1915. === Somali Dervish movement === The Dervish movement was a rebel Somali movement that had existed since before World War I.
The Dervish movement was supported by the Ottoman Empire and Germany, and also briefly by the Ethiopian Empire from 1915 to 1916.
In 1915, they were courted by the Ottoman Empire and Germany, and Grand Senussi Ahmed Sharif as-Senussi declared jihad and attacked the Italians in Libya and British controlled Egypt in the Senussi Campaign. === Sultanate of Darfur === In 1915 the Sultanate of Darfur renounced allegiance to the Sudan government and aligned with the Ottomans.
The decision to create a Polish State was taken by Germany in order to attempt to legitimize its military occupation amongst the Polish inhabitants, following upon German propaganda sent to Polish inhabitants in 1915 that German soldiers were arriving as liberators to free Poland from subjugation by Russia.
Still, during the war, they cooperated with one or more Central Powers members on a level that makes their neutrality disputable. === Ethiopia === The Ethiopian Empire was officially neutral throughout World War I but widely suspected of sympathy for the Central Powers between 1915 and 1916.
Under Iyasu's directions, Ethiopia probably supplied weapons to the Muslim Dervish rebels during the Somaliland Campaign of 1915 to 1916, indirectly helping the Central Powers' cause. Fearing the rising influence of Iyasu and the Ottoman Empire, the Christian nobles of Ethiopia conspired against Iyasu over 1915.
The Dervish movement was supported by the Ottoman Empire and Germany, and also briefly by the Ethiopian Empire from 1915 to 1916.
The Anglo-Egyptian Darfur Expedition preemptively in March 1916 to prevent an attack on Sudan and took control of the Sultanate by November 1916. == Client states == During 1917 and 1918, the Finns under Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim and Lithuanian nationalists fought Russia for a common cause.
The three nations fought alongside each other under the Army of Islam in the Battle of Baku. === German client states === Poland The Kingdom of Poland was a client state of Germany proclaimed in 1916 and established on 14 January 1917.
This government was recognized by the emperors of Germany and Austria-Hungary in November 1916, and it adopted a constitution in 1917.
Still, during the war, they cooperated with one or more Central Powers members on a level that makes their neutrality disputable. === Ethiopia === The Ethiopian Empire was officially neutral throughout World War I but widely suspected of sympathy for the Central Powers between 1915 and 1916.
Under Iyasu's directions, Ethiopia probably supplied weapons to the Muslim Dervish rebels during the Somaliland Campaign of 1915 to 1916, indirectly helping the Central Powers' cause. Fearing the rising influence of Iyasu and the Ottoman Empire, the Christian nobles of Ethiopia conspired against Iyasu over 1915.
Iyasu was first excommunicated by the Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarch and eventually deposed in a coup d'état on 27 September 1916.
A less pro-Ottoman regent, Ras Tafari Makonnen, was installed on the throne. == Non-state combatants == Other movements supported the efforts of the Central Powers for their own reasons, such as the radical Irish Nationalists who launched the Easter Rising in Dublin in April 1916; they referred to their "gallant allies in Europe".
However, most Irish Nationalists supported the British and allied war effort up until 1916, when the Irish political landscape was changing.
The Anglo-Egyptian Darfur Expedition preemptively in March 1916 to prevent an attack on Sudan and took control of the Sultanate by November 1916. == Client states == During 1917 and 1918, the Finns under Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim and Lithuanian nationalists fought Russia for a common cause.
With the Bolshevik attack of late 1917, the General Secretariat of Ukraine sought military protection first from the Central Powers and later from the armed forces of the Entente. The Ottoman Empire also had its own allies in Azerbaijan and the Northern Caucasus.
The three nations fought alongside each other under the Army of Islam in the Battle of Baku. === German client states === Poland The Kingdom of Poland was a client state of Germany proclaimed in 1916 and established on 14 January 1917.
This government was recognized by the emperors of Germany and Austria-Hungary in November 1916, and it adopted a constitution in 1917.
An armed force in the form of the Baltische Landeswehr was created in November 1918, just before the surrender of Germany, which would participate in the Russian Civil War in the Baltics. Finland Finland had existed as an autonomous Grand Duchy of Russia since 1809, and the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917 gave it its independence.
The Anglo-Egyptian Darfur Expedition preemptively in March 1916 to prevent an attack on Sudan and took control of the Sultanate by November 1916. == Client states == During 1917 and 1918, the Finns under Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim and Lithuanian nationalists fought Russia for a common cause.
An armed force in the form of the Baltische Landeswehr was created in November 1918, just before the surrender of Germany, which would participate in the Russian Civil War in the Baltics. Finland Finland had existed as an autonomous Grand Duchy of Russia since 1809, and the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917 gave it its independence.
Following the end of the Finnish Civil War, in which Germany supported the "White" against the Soviet-backed labour movement, in May 1918, there were moves to create a Kingdom of Finland.
A German prince was elected, but the Armistice intervened. Crimea The Crimean Regional Government was a client state of Germany created on 25 June 1918. Georgia The Democratic Republic of Georgia declared independence in 1918 which then led to border conflicts between the newly formed republic and Ottoman Empire.
This time period of Georgian-German friendship was known as German Caucasus expedition. === Ottoman client states === Jabal Shammar Jabal Shammar was an Arab state in the Middle East that was closely associated with the Ottoman Empire. Azerbaijan In 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, facing Bolshevik revolution and opposition from the Muslim Musavat Party, was then occupied by the Ottoman Empire, which expelled the Bolsheviks while supporting the Musavat Party.
The Ottoman Empire maintained a presence in Azerbaijan until the end of the war in November 1918. Northern Caucasus The Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus was associated with the Central Powers. == Controversial cases == States listed in this section were not officially members of the Central Powers.
Piłsudski wanted his legions to help the Central Powers defeat Russia and then side with France and the UK and win the war with them. == Armistice and treaties == Bulgaria signed an armistice with the Allies on 29 September 1918, following a successful Allied advance in Macedonia.
The Ottoman Empire followed suit on 30 October 1918 in the face of British and Arab gains in Palestine and Syria.
Austria and Hungary concluded ceasefires separately during the first week of November following the disintegration of the Habsburg Empire and the Italian offensive at Vittorio Veneto; Germany signed the armistice ending the war on the morning of 11 November 1918 after the Hundred Days Offensive, and a succession of advances by New Zealand, Australian, Canadian, Belgian, British, French and US forces in north-eastern France and Belgium.
Germany and the Central Powers in the World War, 1914– 1918 (1963) online Jarausch, Konrad Hugo.
The coming of the war, 1914 (2 vol 1930) comprehensive history online vol 1; online vol 2, esp vol 2 ch 20 pp 334–382 Strachan, Hew.
Folly and malice: the Habsburg empire, the Balkans and the start of World War One (London: Shepheard–Walwyn, 2017).
All text is taken from Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License .
Page generated on 2021-08-05