The first world war, or Great War, came on almost by accident - in the sense that no one truly intended it. But the nationalistic boast which the Europeans lived by in their contest with each other pointed almost inevitably to such a test of wills and destinies. It had been going on since the late 1800s in the scramble for colonies in Africa and Asia. Now with that playing field fully exploited, it was inevitable that the Europeans should test their energies on eachother within Europe itself.

At the dawn of the century, Europe (and practically the rest of the world) was ruled by five major powers: the United Kingdom, France, the German Empire, Russia and the Habsburg Empire. The Ottomon Empire used to rule the entire Near East. However, the empire lost most of its territories in the east, and Austria-Hungary took over its influence on the Balcan.

The first world war started when the Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo by Bosnian nationalists. Servia refused to extradite the archduke's murderer, and therefore Austria-Hungary declared war on Servia, with Germany's support. Russia, Servia's closest ally, declared war on Austria-Hungary and Germany, and Russia where therein supported by France. Britain was involved in the war when Germany violated Belgium's neutrality to invade France from the north. The Ottomon Empire, as Germany's ally, supported the central powers. Italy, though an ally of Germany and Austria, declared war on both in 1915.

The United States jumped into the war in late 1917 and provided just enough weight to break a gruesome three-year stalemate - so that the war mercifully came to an end in 1918. President Wilson tried to give victory some lofty moral qualities, but few people bought the idea, either in Europe or in America. All Wilson's fine rhetoric at the peace conferences could not dismiss the deep cynicism that had come to replace the westerners' usual optimism.

In 1919, a peace treaty was signed in the French city of Versailles, known as the Treaty of Versailles, which was to ensure peace for further generations.

The Habsburg and Ottoman Empires fell apart after the war, and the German and Russian monarchs were removed from power. Germany became a republic, and Russia a socialist state after the Bolsheviks took over control of the country during the Russian Revolution of 1917.