Region

Europe

Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916): Dividing the Ottoman Middle East

Britain and France secretly agreed spheres of control in the Arab Middle East; the plan was later revised but shaped the post-war mandates.

1916 · 6 min read

The rising was defeated within six days, but the executions of its leaders transformed Irish opinion in favour of independence.

April 1916 · 6 min read

Major Russian victory over Austria-Hungary, but huge losses on both sides and no decisive breakthrough.

1916 · 7 min read

Tactically inconclusive with heavier British losses, but Britain kept control of the North Sea and the German fleet stayed largely in port.

1916 · 6 min read

The Allies advanced about 10 km at a cost of over a million casualties on both sides; no breakthrough was achieved.

1916 · 8 min read

French defensive victory; Germany failed to take Verdun, and both armies suffered around 700,000 casualties combined.

1916 · 8 min read

Shipping losses soared in early 1917, but the convoy system contained the threat, and the campaign helped bring the United States into the war.

1917 · 4 min read

Bolshevik victory; the Soviet state survived and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was formed in December 1922.

1917-1922 · 6 min read

Inconclusive: a deep British break-in on 20 November was largely reversed by the German counter-attack of 30 November.

November-December 1917 · 6 min read

Britain publicly backed a Jewish national home in Palestine; the pledge was later written into the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine.

2 November 1917 · 6 min read

Decisive Austro-German victory; the Italian army retreated about 100 km to the Piave, where the line was stabilised.

October-November 1917 · 6 min read

Canadian Corps victory; the ridge was taken within four days and held for the rest of the war.

April 1917 · 6 min read