World War One

By 5marshallrc

  • Austria declare war on Serbia

    Austria declare war on Serbia after Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian Anarchist.
  • Period: to

    World War One

  • Germany declared war on Russia

  • Germany declared war on France

  • Britain declared war on Germany

  • Defence of the Realm Act

    DORA was introduced, allowing British government the power to acquire any factroy, industry or area of land in the UK.

  • BEF started retreat from Mons. Germany invaded France.

  • War Propaganda Bureau

    Soon after the outbreak of WWI, the War Propaganda Bureau was set up by David Lloyd George with Charles Masterman as head. Famous writers as well as artists were selected to create leaflets, draw emotive pictures etc to make an impact on the British public and keep morale high. The WPB's publications contained many exaggerations and often pure fabrications about the enemy's activities.

  • Battle of the Marne started

  • First Battle of Ypres

  • Trench warfare began to dominate Western front

    By Christmas 1914, it became clear the war had become one of stalemate-neither side was going to achieve a quick victory.

  • Second Battle of Ypres

    Poison gas was used for the first time by the Germans in this battle; chlorine and mustard gas would later be used by both sides during the war.

  • Conscription introduced in Britain

  • Start of the Battle of Verdun

  • Battle of Jutland

    Both sides claimed victory: Britain lost more ships and men, but Germany failed to remove blockade.

  • Battle of the Somme

    Infantry attack began at 7.30 am and 2 huge mines were placed under German lines. 27 divisions (750 000) men went over the top against 16 German divisions. Although the French made quick gains, the British were weighed down by their heavy packs; consequently the Germans had time to set up machine guns. Furthermore, as the enemy's barbed wire was undamaged in many places, British troops funneled through the gaps.
    There were around 57000 casualties on the first day.
  • Period: to

    First Battle of the Somme

    Generally regarded as disaster: the troops weren't prepared for the situation, so it was chaos.
    The battle showed this would be a long war of attrition.

  • Battle of the Somme

    Village of Pozieres captured

  • First use of tanks en masse at the Somme

  • Battle of the Somme-end

    Some successes
    Main objectives achieved: saved Verdun and killed as many Germans as possible. Furthermore, as some of Germany's best troops were killed or injured, their position was compromised in 1918 towards the end of the war. However...
    Only 14km land was gained at cost of around 600 000 casualties (British army 420 000 and French 200 000; the Germans had 500 000). Haig gained title of 'The Butcher of the Somme'; confidence in leaders damaged and British attitudes to war changed.

  • Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare campaign began

    So effective at destroying British ships that at one stage Britain was reduced to six weeks' supply of grain.

  • USA declared war on Germany

    Germans drew up plans for a quick victory, as they knew the USA would take time to recruit and train an army.

  • Third Battle at Ypres

  • Ludendorff offensive began

    German troops advanced rapidly; soon moved forward 65km along a 130km front.

  • Second Battle of Marne

    The start of the collapse of the German army.

  • Allied commander General Foch began counter-attack on German troops

    With help from American troops, the Allies were able to reverse the German advance.

  • Allies counterattacked along Western front

    The Allies reached a series of defenses built by the Germans which were known as the HIndenburg Line, by late September. By October the Germans were in full retreat.

  • German army in full retreat; Ludendorff asked for truce

  • Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated

  • Armistice signed; end of war