body { background-color: #333; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; } -->

Declarations of War, 1914-1918

The outbreak of World War I, which was in many ways the worst war in history, certainly up to that time, was accompanied, ironically, with a sense of relief for the peoples of Europe, for the tensions that had been building for decades had become almost unbearable. News of the declarations was greeted in the major capitals with wild celebrations based on the assumption that the war would be swift and decisive, and that their country would be victorious. Because the world had become so economically interdependent, it was clear that the spoils which would eventually go to the victors would be substantial. The peace settlements, which were sure to conclude the conflict, would undoubtedly divide up the wealth of losers; to participate in that division of the spoils, one had to be a player in the conflict. Thus the following list of war declarations, which, although they appear somewhat ludicrous, did have an ultimate purpose.

  July 28 Austria on Serbia

  Aug. 1

Germany on Russia

  Aug. 3

Germany on France

  Aug. 4

Germany on Belgium


Great Britain on Germany

  Aug. 5

Montenegro on Austria

  Aug. 6

Austria on Russia


Serbia on Germany

  Aug. 8

Montenegro on Germany

  Aug. 12

France on Austria

Aug. 12

Great Britain on Austria

  Aug. 23

Japan on Germany

  Aug. 25

Japan on Austria

  Aug. 28

Austria on Belgium

  Nov. 4

Russia on Turkey


Serbia on Turkey

  Nov. 5

Great Britain on Turkey


France on Turkey


  May 23

Italy on Austria

  June 3

San Marino on Austria

  Aug. 21

Italy on Turkey

  Oct. 14

Bulgaria on Serbia

  Oct. 15

Great Britain on Bulgaria


Montenegro on Bulgaria

  Oct. 16

France on Bulgaria

  Oct. 19

Russia on Bulgaria


Italy on Bulgaria


  March 9

Germany on Portugal

  March 15

Austria on Portugal

  Aug. 27

Romania on Austria

  Aug. 28

Italy on Germany


Germany on Romania

  Aug. 30

Turkey on Romania

  Sept. 1

Bulgaria on Romania


  April 6

United States on Germany

  April 7

Panama on Germany


Cuba on Germany

  April 13

Bolivia severs relations with Germany

  April 23

Turkey severs relations with U.S.

  June 27

Greece on Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, and Turkey

  July 22

Siam on Germany and Austria

  Aug. 4

Liberia on Germany

  Aug. 14

China on Germany and Austria

  Oct. 6

Peru severs relations with Germany

  Oct. 7

Uruguay severs relations with Germany

  Oct. 26

Brazil on Germany

  Dec. 7

U.S. on Austria

  Dec. 8

Ecuador severs relations with Germany

  Dec. 10

Panama on Austria

  Dec. 16

Cuba on Austria


  April 23

Guatemala on Germany

  May 8

Nicaragua on Germany and Austria

  May 23

Costa Rica on Germany

  July 12

Haiti on Germany

  July 19

Honduras on Germany

Return to World War I Background