World War I was a global conflict that lasted from 1914 to 1918. It was fought between the Allied Powers and the Central Powers. Four major battles of World War I were the Battle of the Marne, the Battle of Ypres, the Battle of Verdun, and the Battle of the Somme. The Battle of the Marne was fought in September 1914 near the Marne River in France. It was a decisive victory for the Allies, which stopped the German advance into France. The Battle of Ypres was fought in April 1915 in Belgium. It was a costly battle for both sides, with heavy casualties on both sides. The Battle of Verdun was fought in 1916 in northeastern France. It was one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the war, with over 700, 000 casualties. The Battle of the Somme was fought in July 1916 in northern France. It was one of the largest battles of the war, with over 1 million casualties.