The First Great War (FGW) was a global war centered mostly in Europe, along with the Second Mexican-American War on the North American continent, which began on the 4th of August 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. It was predominantly called the Great War or the World War from its occurrence until the start of Second Great War (World War II) in 1938, and the First Great War or World War I thereafter. It involved all the world's great powers, which were assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies, based on the Triple Entente of the United States, France and Russia, (with the United Kingdom entering the war as an independent actor) and the Central Powers (originally the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Mexico; (but, as Austria–Hungary had taken the offensive against