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Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie are shot in a car by a member of the Black Hand, a Serbian terrorist group. -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
The Austrian government blamed Serbia for the assassination of Franz Ferdinand so they declared war on them. -
Germany declares war on Russia
Germany declared war on Russia. -
Battle of Tannenburg
The Russian army marched into Prussia. However, because of the differences in railway gauge between Russia and Prussia it was difficult for the Russians to get supplies through to their men. The Germans, on the other hand, used their railway system to surround the Russian Second army at Tannenberg before it's commander could realise what was happening. The ensuing battle was a heavy defeat for the Russians with thousands of men killed and 125,000 taken prisoner. Although the Germans won the batt -
Japan declares war on Germany
Japan declared war on Germany through her alliance with Great Britain, signed in 1902 -
Germany invades belgium
Germany invades belgium to outflank the French army. -
Battle of Masurian Lakes
Having defeated the Russian Second army, the Germans turned their attention to the Russian First army at Masurian Lakes. Although the Germans were unable to defeat the army completely, over 100,000 Russians were taken prisoner. -
First battle of the Marne
resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The battle effectively ended the month-long German offensive that opened the war and had reached the outskirts of Paris. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania had many American passengers aboard when it sunk, which angered the US. They forced Germany to change their U- boat campaign. -
Battle of Verdun
The Germans mounted an attack on the French at Verdun designed to 'bleed the French dry'. Although the fighting continued for nine months, the battle was inconclusive. Casualties were enormous on both sides with the Germans losing 430,000 men and the French 540,000. -
The Battle of Jutland
This was the only truly large-scale naval battle of the war. -
Battle of Somme
The battle consisted of an offensive by the British and French armies against the German Army. -
Woodrow Wilson is re-elected as president
Woodrow Wilson is re-elected with campaign slogan "He kept us out of the war" -
US declares war on Germany
The United States of America declared war on Germany in response to the sinking, by German U boats, of US ships. -
USSR withdraws from war
Russia decided to withdraw from the war because of shortage of supplies and food and the trouble of their own country. -
German Spring offensive of 1918
A massive German attack on the Western front in attempt to end the world war. -
Battle of Amiens
The british General, Haig, ordered the attack of the german sector at Amiens. -
World War 1 ends
At 11 am the Armistice is signed and the fighting ends.World War 1 is over
