House of cards
Revolution!
Though the might of Russia had summoned over 12 million men to war (the largest army in World War One), the terrible conditions and continuous costly actions had resulted in over 9 million casualties. This was too much for a nation already in political and financial turmoil and, in February 1917, the people revolted.
Though an initial new parliament replaced the rule of the Tsars, this did not satisfy the people. A harder line was then taken and the October Revolution, that same year, brought the Bolsheviks to power under Lenin. By December, peace terms were being agreed with Germany, and Russia was withdrawing from the war.
The terms gave large swathes of eastern provinces to Germany and ultimately freed their commitments on the Eastern Front. The revolution had tipped the carefully balanced scales of the war in the Central Powers' favour, and now the tide was set for an onrush of fresh German forces to the west.
This most certainly broke the stalemate and prospects were ominous for the Allies. Yet, as Germany stepped up the harshness of its world campaign, a particular element of their tactics was to draw in a formidable foe, dashing any hopes they had of victory.
US recruitment 'production line' processing in 1917. Woodrow Wilson eventually brought modern industrial might and new troops to the war
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America joins the war
America had declared themselves as a neutral nation as early as 1914. President Woodrow Wilson had managed to keep his country out of the European theatre, yet also openly supported the Allies with trade and supplies.
When German submarine activity in the Atlantic tried to close down America's support by torpedoing merchant shipping, Wilson permitted his merchant ships to arm. Tensions increased when Wilson became aware of a German plan to ally with Mexico (the so called Zimmermann Telegram). By April 1917, the American president had no option but to declare war on Germany.
A rush of other late entries into the war followed, in sympathy with America, including most of the South American states. The world conflict was complete.
The crew of a U-boat watch as a merchant ship, sunk by her torpedoes,
goes to the bottom (1917)
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From the assassination of Franz Ferdinand to the declaration by Woodrow Wilson, the world was now fully at war. The industrial might of America – far from the reach of German bombers and artillery – offered the Allies a vast supply of materiel and, equally as important, men. Although 19 months of European conflict remained to be fought, this unrelenting supply made the chances of German success untenable and, on 11 November 1918, Germany signed the Armistice.