The alliance operated on the belief that a short, decisive campaign would secure dominance, a miscalculation that would lead to years of stagnation and attrition. The subsequent Hundred Days Offensive demonstrated the dwindling morale and resources of the Central Powers, leading to a rapid collapse on multiple fronts.
Russia's Exit and the Path to Brest-Litovsk with the Axis Powers
Expansion of the Alliance The Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria The entry of the Ottoman Empire in November 1914 transformed the conflict into a truly global war. Germany's infamous Schlieffen Plan exemplified this aggressive strategy, aiming to knock France out of the war quickly before turning to face the slower-mobilizing Russian army.
Coordination between the German high command and the Austro-Hungarian general staff was often fraught with friction, as German strategic dominance sometimes bred resentment. Bulgaria joined the axis in 1915, motivated by the promise of regaining territories lost in the Second Balkan War, specifically Thrace and parts of Macedonia.
Russian Revolution and the Path to the Brest-Litovsk Treaty Under Axis Pressure
This coalition, bound by treaties of mutual defense and shared strategic interests, fundamentally reshaped the landscape of global conflict. Strategic Objectives and the Outbreak of War The primary strategic goal of the axis powers was to neutralize the perceived threat from France and Russia, while simultaneously expanding their own territorial influence.
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