Allies of World War I

Quick Facts: Who was Allies of World War I?

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Allies of World War I

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International military coalition opposing the Central Powers in World War I.

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Origins & Early Life

The Allies or the Entente (UK: , US: on-TONT) was an international military coalition of countries led by the French Republic, the United Kingdom, the Russian Empire, the United States, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Empire of Japan against the Central Powers of the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and the Tsardom of Bulgaria in World War I (1914–1918). By the end of the first decade of the 20th century, the major European powers were divided between the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance. The Triple Entente was made up of the United Kingdom, France, and Russia. The Triple Alliance was originally composed of Germany, Austria–Hungary, and Italy, but Italy remained neutral in 1914. As the war progressed, each coalition added new members.

Career & Major Achievements

Japan joined the Entente in 1914 and, despite proclaiming its neutrality at the beginning of the war, Italy also joined the Entente in 1915. The term "Allies" became more widely used than "Entente", although the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and Italy were also referred to as the Quadruple Entente and, together with Japan, as the Quintuple Entente. The five British Dominions (the Commonwealth of Australia, the Dominion of Canada, the Dominion of New Zealand, the Dominion of Newfoundland, and the Union of South Africa) all fought alongside the British. The colonies of Allied countries, such as the American Philippines, Belgian Congo, British India, French Algeria, and Japanese Korea, were also used as a source of manpower by the colonial powers. The United States joined near the end of the war in 1917 (the same year in which Russia withdrew from the conflict) as an "associated power" rather than an official ally.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Primary reasons for why the United States joined the war include the unrestricted submarine warfare waged by Germany in the Atlantic, the revelation of the Zimmermann telegram, and strong economic and political ties with the Allies. Other "associated members" of the Allies included Serbia, Belgium, Montenegro, Asir, Nejd and Hasa, Portugal, Romania, Hejaz, Panama, Cuba, Greece, China, Siam, Brazil, Armenia, Luxembourg, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Haiti, Liberia, and Honduras. The treaties signed at the Paris Peace Conference recognised the British Empire, France, Italy, Japan, and the United States as "the Principal Allied and Associated Powers"; France, the UK, Italy, and the US were also referred as the "Big Four" top powers of the war. When the war began in 1914, the Central Powers were opposed by the Triple Entente, formed in 1907 when the agreement between the United Kingdom and Russia complemented existing agreements between the three powers. Fighting commenced when Austria invaded Serbia on 28 July 1914, in response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Emperor Franz Joseph I; this brought Serbia's ally Montenegro into the war on 9 August and it attacked the Austrian naval base at Cattaro, modern Kotor.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1914: 1914 Milestone — The Allies or the Entente (UK: , US: on-TONT) was an international military coalition of countries led by the French Republic, the United Kingdom, the Russian Empire, the United States, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Empire of Japan against the Central Powers of the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and the Tsardom of Bulgaria in World War I (1914–1918).
2. 1917: 1917 Milestone — The United States joined near the end of the war in 1917 (the same year in which Russia withdrew from the conflict) as an "associated power" rather than an official ally.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Allies of World War I

True or False: “The United States was an official founding member of the Allied powers at the start of World War I.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The United States joined near the end of the war in 1917 as an 'associated power' rather than an official ally.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdul-Karim Qasim — Historical peer (Born in 1914) (1914): Iraqi military officer who led the country as Prime Minister from 1958 to 1963.
• Adolph Green — Historical peer (Born in 1914) (1914): American lyricist and playwright known for his long-running, witty partnership with Betty Comden.
• Abdul Hamid II — Historical peer (Died in 1918) (1918): Last effective Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, navigating decline and constitutional upheaval.
• Abraham Pais — Historical peer (Born in 1918) (1918): Pioneering physicist and acclaimed science historian of modern physics.
• A. A. K. Niazi — Historical peer (Born in 1915) (1915): Pakistani general who commanded Eastern Command during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
• Abba Eban — Historical peer (Born in 1915) (1915): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• Abdullah al-Sallal — Historical peer (Born in 1917) (1917): Yemeni military officer and revolutionary who led the North Yemeni Revolution of 1962.
• Adolf von Baeyer — Historical peer (Died in 1917) (1917): Pioneering German chemist known for indigo synthesis and IUPAC nomenclature.
• A. D. Hope — Historical peer (Born in 1907) (1907): Australian poet and essayist celebrated for his satirical wit and academic career.
• Abraham Joshua Heschel — Historical peer (Born in 1907) (1907): Leading 20th-century American rabbi, theologian, and philosopher.

Frequently Asked Questions about Allies of World War I