Source: Europe in 1914, Wikipedia
By the summer of 1914, there were two opposing alliances that were at war in Europe. The Central Powers (also known as the Triple Alliance) were made up of the German Empire, The Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Ottoman Empire. The opposing alliance, Allied Powers (also called Triple Entente) was made up of the Great Britain, France, and the Russian Empire.
The summer of 1914 heated up with several major battles:
Source: Battle of Frontiers, Wikipedia
This map depicts the Battle of the Frontiers where 27,000 French soldiers were killed in one day as they advanced toward German borders.
Another important battle, The Battle of Tannenberg, saw a huge German victory on the Eastern Front against Russia. The photo below shows Russian soldiers who were taken prisoner by the Germans at the end of the battle.
Source: Russian prisoners Tannenberg, Wikimedia
The beginning of an important method of warfare emerged in 1914. Soldiers began digging trenches where soldiers lived and fought. This photo shows French soldiers living in the trenches.
Source: French Trench Battle, Wikipedia
Answer the following question in your notes.