The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I, composed of Germany,
Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria. This alignment originated in the alliance
of Germany and Austria-Hungary, and fought against the Allied Powers that had formed
around the Triple Entente. The Central Powers regarded the assassination of Austro-Hungarian
Archduke Francis Ferdinand by several militants as being an act supported by the Kingdom of
Serbia, and given an unwillingness of Serbia to fully comply with Austro-Hungarian demands
for a full investigation of Serbian complicity in the assassination, war between Austria-Hungary
and Serbia was justified. This resulted in war with Russia, which opposed Austro-Hungarian
intervention and supported Serbia, and ignited several alliance systems to bring the major
European powers into a major war.
Member states The Central Powers consisted of the German
Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the beginning of the war. The Ottoman Empire
joined the Central Powers later in 1914. In 1915, the Kingdom of Bulgaria joined the alliance.
The name "Central Powers" is derived from the location of these countries; all four
were located between the Russian Empire in the east and France and the United Kingdom
in the west. Finland, Azerbaijan, and Lithuania joined them in 1918 before the war ended and
after the Russian Empire collapsed.
The Central Powers were composed of the following nations:
Austria–Hungary: entered the war on 28 July 1914
Germany: 1 August 1914 Ottoman Empire: secretly 2 August 1914;
openly 29 October 1914 Bulgaria: 14 October 1915
Combatants Germany
War Justifications
In early July 1914, in the aftermath of the assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke
Francis Ferdinand and the immediate likelihood of war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia,
Kaiser Wilhelm II and the German government informed the Austro-Hungarian government that
Germany would uphold its alliance with Austria-Hungary and defend it from possible Russia intervention
if a war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia took place. When Russia enacted a general
mobilization, Germany viewed the act as provocative. The Russian government promised Germany that
its general mobilization did not mean preparation for war with Germany but was a reaction to
the events between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. The German government regarded the Russian
promise of no war with Germany to be nonsense in light of its general mobilization, and
Germany in turn mobilized for war. On August 1, Germany sent an ultimatum to Russia stating
that since both Germany and Russia were in a state of military mobilization, an effective
state of war existed between the two countries. Later that day, France, an ally of Russia,
declared a state of general mobilization, In August 1914, Germany waged war on Russia,
the German government justified military action against Russia as necessary because of Russian
aggression as demonstrated by the mobilization of the Russian army that had resulted in Germany
mobilizing in response. After Germany declared war on Russia, France
with its alliance with Russia prepared a general mobilization in expectation of war. On 3 August
1914, Germany responded to this action by declaring war on France. Germany facing a
two-front war enacted what was known as the Schlieffen Plan, that involved German armed
forces needing to move through Belgium and swing south into France and towards the French
capital of Paris. This plan was hoped to quickly gain victory against the French and allow
German forces to concentrate on the Eastern Front. Belgium was a neutral country and would
not accept German forces crossing its territory. Germany disregarded Belgian neutrality and
invaded the country to launch an offensive towards Paris. This caused Great Britain to
declare war against the German Empire, as the action violated the Treaty of London that
both nations signed in 1839 guaranteeing Belgian neutrality and defense of the kingdom if a
nation reneged. Subsequently several states declared war on
Germany, including: Japan declaring war on Germany in late August 1914; Italy declaring
war on Austria-Hungary in 1915 and Germany on August 27, 1916; the United States declaring
war on Germany on April 6, 1917 and Greece declaring war on Germany in July 1917.
Colonies and Dependencies In Europe
Upon its founding in 1871, the German Empire controlled Alsace-Lorraine as an "imperial
territory", that was incorporated from France after the Franco-Prussian War, and was held
within Germany's sovereign territory. In Africa
Germany held multiple African colonies at the time of World War I. All of Germany's
African colonies were invaded and occupied by Allied forces during the war.
Cameroon, German East Africa, and German Southwest Africa were German colonies in Africa. Togoland
was a German protectorate in Africa. In Asia
German New Guinea was a German protectorate in the Pacific. It was occupied by Australian
forces in 1914. The Kiautschou Bay concession was a German
dependency in East Asia leased from China in 1898. It was occupied by Japanese forces
following the Siege of Tsingtao. Austria-Hungary
War Justifications Austria-Hungary regarded the assassination
of Arch Duke Francis Ferdinand as being orchestrated with the assistance of Serbia. The country
viewed the assassination as setting a dangerous precedent of encouraging the country's South
Slav population to rebel and threaten to tear apart the multinational country. Austria-Hungary
formally sent an ultimatum to Serbia demanding a full-scale investigation of Serbian government
complicity in the assassination, and complete compliance by Serbia in agreeing to the terms
demanded by Austria-Hungary. Serbia submitted to accept most of the demands, however Austria-Hungary
viewed this as insufficient and used this lack of full compliance to justify military
intervention. These demands have been viewed as a diplomatic cover for what was going to
be an inevitable Austro-Hungarian declaration of war on Serbia.
Austria-Hungary had been warned by Russia that the Russian government would not tolerate
Austria-Hungary crushing Serbia. However with Germany supporting Austria-Hungary's actions,
the Austro-Hungarian government hoped that Russia would not intervene and that the conflict
with Serbia would be a regional conflict. Austria-Hungary's invasion of Serbia resulted
in Russia declaring war on the country and Germany in turn declared war on Russia, setting
off the beginning of the clash of alliances that resulted in the World War.
Territory Austria-Hungary was internally divided into
two states with their own governments, joined in communion through the Habsburg throne.
Austrian Cisleithania contained various duchies and principalities but also the Kingdom of
Bohemia, the Kingdom of Dalmatia, the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria. Hungarian Transleithania
comprised the Kingdom of Hungary and the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. In Bosnia and Herzegovina
sovereign authority was shared by both Austria and Hungary.
Ottoman Empire
War justifications The Ottoman Empire joined the war on the side
of the Central Powers in November 1914. The Ottoman Empire had gained strong economic
connections with Germany through the Berlin-to-Baghdad railway project that was still incomplete
at the time. The Ottoman Empire made a formal alliance with Germany signed on 2 August 1914.
The alliance treaty expected that the Ottoman Empire would become involved in the conflict
in a short amount of time. However, for the first several months of the war the Ottoman
Empire maintained neutrality though it allowed a German naval squadron to enter and stay
near the strait of Bosphorus. Ottoman officials informed the German government that the country
needed time to prepare for conflict. Germany provided financial aid and weapons shipments
to the Ottoman Empire After pressure escalated from the German government
demanding that the Ottoman Empire fulfill its treaty obligations, or else Germany would
expel the country from the alliance and terminate economic and military assistance, the Ottoman
government entered the war with the recently acquired cruisers from Germany, the Yavuz
Sultan Selim and the Midilli launching a naval raid on the Russian port of Odessa, thus engaging
in a military action in accordance with its alliance obligations with Germany. Russia
and the Triple Entente declared war on the Ottoman Empire.
Bulgaria
War Justifications
Bulgaria was still resentful after its defeat in July 1913 at the hands of Serbia, Greece,
Romania and the Ottoman Empire. It signed a treaty of defensive alliance with the Ottoman
Empire on 19 August 1914. It was the last country to join the Central Powers, which
Bulgaria did in October 1915 by declaring war on Serbia. It invaded Serbia in conjunction
with German and Austro-Hungarian forces. Bulgaria held irredentist aims on the region of Vardar
Macedonia held by Serbia. Declarations of War
Minor co-belligerent state combatants Dervish State
The Dervish State was a rebel Somali state seeking independence of Somali territories.
Dervish forces fought against Italian and British forces in Italian Somaliland and British
Somaliland during World War I in the Somaliland Campaign. The Dervish State received support
from Germany and the Ottoman Empire. Sultanate of Darfur
The Sultanate of Darfur forces fought against British forces in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan during
World War I in the Anglo-Egyptian Darfur Expedition. Client states
During 1917 and 1918, the Finns under Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim and Lithuanian nationalists
fought Russia for a common cause. With the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics's aggression
of late 1917, the government of Ukraine sought military protection first from the Central
Powers and later from the armed forces of the Entente.
The Ottoman Empire also had its own allies in Azerbaijan and the Northern Caucasus. The
three nations fought alongside each other under the Army of Islam in the Battle of Baku.
German client states Belarus
The Belarusian People's Republic was a client state of Germany created in 1918.
Courland and Semigallia The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was a
client state of Germany created in 1918. Don
The Don Republic was closely associated with the German Empire and fought against the Bolsheviks.
Finland The Kingdom of Finland was a client state
of Germany created in 1918 Georgia
In 1918, the Democratic Republic of Georgia, facing Bolshevik revolution and opposition
from the Georgian Mensheviks and nationalists, was occupied by the German Empire, which expelled
the Bolsheviks and supported the Mensheviks. Lithuania
The Kingdom of Lithuania was a client state of Germany created in 1918.
Northern Caucasus The Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus
was associated with the Central Powers. Poland
The Kingdom of Poland was a client state of Germany created in 1916. This government was
recognized by the emperors of Germany and Austria-Hungary in November 1916, and it adopted
a constitution in 1917. The decision to create a state of Poland was taken by Germany in
order to attempt to legitimize its military occupation amongst the Polish inhabitants,
following upon German propaganda sent to Polish inhabitants in 1915 that German soldiers were
arriving as liberators to free Poland from subjugation by Russia.
The state was utilized by the German government alongside punitive threats to induce Polish
landowners living in the German-occupied Baltic territories to move to the state and sell
their Baltic property to Germans in exchange for moving to Poland, and efforts were made
to induce similar emigration of Poles from Prussia to the state.
South Africa In opposition to the Union of South Africa,
which had joined the war, Boer rebels founded the South African Republic in 1914 and engaged
in the Maritz Rebellion. Germany assisted the rebels, and the rebels operated in and
out of the German colony of German South-West Africa. The rebels were defeated by British
imperial forces. Ukraine
The Ukrainian State was a client state of Germany led by Pavlo Skoropadskyi, who overthrew
the government of the Ukrainian People's Republic. United Baltic Duchy
The United Baltic Duchy was a proposed client state of Germany created in 1918
Ottoman client states Azerbaijan
In 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, facing Bolshevik revolution and opposition
from the Muslim Musavat Party, was then occupied by the Ottoman Empire, which expelled the
Bolsheviks while supporting the Musavat Party. The Ottoman Empire maintained a presence in
Azerbaijan until the end of the war in November 1918.
Jabal Shammar Jabal Shammar was an Arab state in the Middle
East that was closely associated with the Ottoman Empire.
Non-state combatants
Other movements supported the efforts of the Central Powers for their own reasons, such
as the Irish Nationalists who launched the Easter Rising in Dublin in April 1916; they
referred to their "gallant allies in Europe". In 1914, Józef Piłsudski was permitted by
Germany and Austria-Hungary to form independent Polish legions. Piłsudski wanted his legions
to help the Central Powers defeat Russia and then side with France and the UK and win the
war with them.
Armistice and treaties Bulgaria signed an armistice with the Allies
on 29 September 1918, following a successful Allied advance in Macedonia. The Ottoman Empire
followed suit on 30 October 1918 in the face of British and Arab gains in Palestine and
Syria. Austria and Hungary concluded ceasefires separately during the first week of November
following the disintegration of the Habsburg Empire and the Italian offensive at Vittorio
Veneto; Germany signed the armistice ending the war on the morning of 11 November 1918
after the Hundred Days Offensive, and a succession of advances by New Zealand, Australian, Canadian,
Belgian, British, French and US forces in north-eastern France and Belgium. There was
no unified treaty ending the war; the Central Powers were dealt with in separate treaties.
Leaders
Austria-Hungary Franz Josef I: Emperor of Austria-Hungary
Karl I: Emperor of Austria-Hungary Count Leopold Berchtold: Austrian Foreign
Minister István Tisza: Prime Minister of Hungary
Archduke Friedrich: Supreme Commander of the Austro-Hungarian Army
Conrad von Hötzendorf: Chief of the Austro-Hungarian General Staff
Arthur Arz von Straußenburg: Chief of the Austro-Hungarian General Staff
Svetozar Boroević: Austro-Hungarian field marshal regarded as one of the finest defensive
strategists of the war. Anton Haus: Commander-in-Chief of the Austro-Hungarian
Navy Maximilian Njegovan: Commander-in-Chief of
the Austro-Hungarian Navy Miklós Horthy: Commander-in-Chief of the
Austro-Hungarian Navy German Empire
Wilhelm II: German Emperor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg: Chancellor
of the German Empire Arthur Zimmermann: German foreign minister
Helmuth von Moltke: Chief of the German General Staff
Erich von Falkenhayn: Chief of the German General Staff
Paul von Hindenburg: Chief of the German General Staff
Alfred von Tirpitz: Admiral in the German Navy
Reinhard Scheer: Commander of the Imperial High Seas Fleet
Erich Ludendorff: Quartermaster general of the German Army
Leopold of Bavaria: Supreme Commander East Max Hoffmann: Chief of Staff in the East
Wilhelm Souchon: German Naval Advisor to the Ottoman Empire
Otto Liman von Sanders: German Army Advisor to the Ottoman Empire
Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck: German Army Commander of East Africa Campaign
Hermann von François: Germany Army General Georg von der Marwitz: Prussian cavalry general
in the German armies Ottoman Empire
Mehmed V: Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Mehmed VI: Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Said Halim Pasha: Ottoman Grand Vizier Enver Pasha: Commander-in-Chief of the Ottoman
Army Fritz Bronsart von Schellendorf: Chief of
the Ottoman General Staff Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: Commander of the Second
Army Djemal Pasha: Commander of the 4th Army in
Syria, Minister of the Navy Fevzi Çakmak: Commander of 7th Army in Palestine,
II. Caucasian Corps Bulgaria
Ferdinand I: Tsar of Bulgaria Vasil Radoslavov: Prime Minister of Bulgaria
Nikola Zhekov: Commander-in-Chief of the Bulgarian Army
Georgi Todorov: commander of the 2nd Army, deputy Commander-in-Chief
Konstantin Zhostov: Chief of the Bulgarian General Staff
Vladimir Vazov: Bulgarian Lieutenant General Jabal Shammar
Saʿūd I bin ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz: Amir of Jabal Shammar
Dervish State Mohammed Abdullah Hassan: Sayyid of the Dervish
Sultanate of Darfur Ali Dinar: Sultan of Darfur
Azerbaijan Fatali Khan Khoyski: Prime Minister of Azerbaijan
from May 28, 1918 to April 14, 1919 Nasib Yusifbeyli: Prime Minister of Azerbaijan
from April 14, 1919 to April 1, 1920 Samad bey Mehmandarov: Azerbaijani General
of the Artillery in the Azerbaijani and Russian armies, as well as Minister of France of the
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic Ali-Agha Shikhlinski: Artillery general of
Azerbaijan See also
Triple Entente Participants in World War I
Axis powers Treaty of Versailles
References