19151920

1915–1920 refers to a period that encompasses the latter years of World War I and the immediate aftermath as empires dissolved and a new international order began to take shape. It is defined by military conflict, political upheaval, and rapid diplomatic efforts to redraw borders and rebuild economies after a global war.

The years 1915 to 1917 saw the war broaden from a European conflict into a world war, with major campaigns across multiple fronts. The Gallipoli campaign and battles on the Western and Eastern Fronts highlighted the war’s scale and devastation. 1917 marked pivotal turning points: the United States entered the war, and the Russian Revolution led to a new political alignment on the Eastern Front. The year 1918 brought an armistice that ended fighting, followed by a devastating influenza pandemic that affected populations worldwide.

In 1919 and 1920, diplomacy dominated the agenda as the victorious Allies sought to formalize peace. The Paris Peace Conference produced treaties that redrew national borders and established new political entities, most famously the Treaty of Versailles with Germany in 1919. Other postwar settlements addressed different successor states and territorial adjustments. The period also saw the creation of the League of Nations in 1920 as an international forum intended to prevent future conflicts. Social and political movements intensified during these years, including arguments over self-determination, national independence, and expanding suffrage in several countries.

The 1915–1920 interval thus bridged the end of a global war and the birth of a new international framework, while also leaving enduring legacies in geopolitics, economics, and society.