Imfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala, njengoko uyazi, walwa phakathi kwamagqabantshintshi amabini. Kwelinye icala yayingama-Allies – iBritane, iFrance neRussia (kamva yangena e-US); Kwaye kwelinye icala yayingamagunya aphambili – iJamani, eOstriya – iHungary kunye ne-Ottoman Turkey. Xa imfazwe yaqala ngo-Agasti ka-1914, oorhulumente abaninzi bacinga ukuba kuya kuba ngaphezulu kweKrisimesi. Yathatha ngaphezulu kweminyaka emine.
Imfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala yayiyimfazwe njengangaphambili. Umlo ubandakanya izizwe ezikhokelayo zehlabathi ezazixhoma amandla amakhulu kumzi-mveliso wemodyuli yokwenza intshabalalo enkulu kwiintshaba zabo.
Le mfazwe yayiyimfazwe yokuqala yemizi mveliso yanamhlanje. Ibone ukusetyenziswa kwemipu yomatshini, iitanki, iindiza, izixhobo zekhemikhali, njl. Njl. Zonke ezi zinto zazinokukhulisa iimveliso zeshishini elikhulu elikhulu. Ukulwa nemfazwe, izigidi zamajoni kwakufuneka ziqeshiwe emhlabeni wonke kwaye zafudukela kwi-ofisi yangaphambili kwiinqanawa ezinkulu kunye noololiwe. Isikali sokufa kunye nokutshabalalisa-izigidi ezisi-8 kwezigidi ezifileyo kunye nezigidi ezingama-20 ezimenzakeleyo-zazingathandekiyo ngaphambi kobudala bemizi-mveliso, ngaphandle kokusetyenziswa kweengalo zemveliso.
Uninzi lwabantu ababulewe kwaye lwalungamazityebhulubu ngamadoda asebenzela. Oku kufela kunye nokulimala kunciphisa umsebenzi onamandla anokwaziwa eYurophu. Ngaphantsi kwamanani ambalwa kusapho, umvuzo wasekhaya unqabile emva kwemfazwe.
Ngexesha lemfazwe, amashishini ahlengahlengiswa kwakhona ukuba avelise iimpahla ezinxulumene nemfazwe. Ibutho lonke lalisekwa kwakhona kwimfazwe – njengokuba amadoda aye edabini, abafazi bangena ekuqhubeni imisebenzi eyadlulayo kuphela.
Imfazwe ikhokelele ekuqokeleleni i-qwakhi yekhonkco loqoqosho phakathi kwamandla oqoqosho lwehlabathi abelwela ngoku ukubahlawula. Ke iBritane ibolekwe imali enkulu kwiibhanki kunye noluntu lwaseMelika. Yiyo ke loo nto imfazwe yaguqula i-US ukuba ibe lityala langaphandle kwibonise imboleko yamazwe aphesheya. Ngamanye amagama, kwisiphelo semfazwe, i-US kunye nabemi bayo babenezilwanyana zaphesheya kunoorhulumente bamanye amazwe kunabemi basemzini kunye nabemi abanikwe i-US. Language: Xhosa