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Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
On this date Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sofie, were assassinated as thier motorcage travled travled through Sarajevo.
Members of the Black Hand claimed responsibility. -
The Somme Offensive
The Battle of the Somme was a major offensive in the late summer to ealry fall of 1914-19-16. The British began the attack by bombarding the Germans with 1,000,000 shells for a week. In the fisrt day alone, the british suffereed 60,000 casualties. The end result was the Germans retreating to the Hindenbugh Line in 1917. -
Aurts-Hungary vs. Serbia
At 11:10am Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia via telegraph. -
Germany Invades Belgium
Germany invaded Belgiunm, instead of goning through the haevily defended Franco-German Border. -
The Battle of Tannenberg
This battle was between the Russian First and second armies, and the German 8th army. After a week of fighting, the Germans almost completely evicerated the Russian Second army. THe remaining German and Russian armies continued to fight. The Russians ended up losing. -
The First Battle of the Marne. 5-12
The German arimes had pushed the Allies back for the fisrt month of the war. They pushed them all the way back to the Marne River. There, the Allies made a stand, and forced the Germand to retreat. -
Cristmas Armistice
Both sides declare an unofficial cease-fire for Christmas. They gather around in No-Mans-Land to play soccer, trade stories, and food, and have a good time. Thier superiors weren't too happy with this. The next day, they went back to killing each other. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The oceanliner Lusitania departed on her maden voyage. Near Ireland, she was torpedoed by U-20, and sunk 18 minutes later.
58% of the people on board were killed. -
The Battle of Verdun
The Germans initiate Operation "Gericht-or Judgement" They attack by bombarding the city's fortress. Fort Douaumon was utterly destroyed by the 1,000,000 German heavy shells fired in the 10 hour bombardment. The French ended with a victory, due to the fact that the German plan to capture the city had failed. -
The Battle of Jutland
This was the largest naval battle of the war, and the only clash of the Battleships. The Germans, haevily out numbered and out gunned, inflicted the most damage on the British. The British lost around 3x as many men as the Germans and 14 ships to the German's 11. -
British Tanks?
At the first battle of the Somme ,the British use their new weapon,
"The Land Battleship", or tank as we call them today. -
U-boat warfare begins again.
Germany announces that it will resume un-restricted submarine warfare. Meaning that any German U-boat will attack any ship, weather peaceful or not. -
USSR withdraws from war
In Feburary 1917, Russia was beginning to withdrawl from the eastern front. By late March, 1917, Russia and Germany were making peace, and Germany finally began to move troops west. -
The US declares War
Reluctant to declare war, the US, tried to mantain it's neutrality.
But, on April 2, 1917, the US declared war on Germany. -
America Arrives.
The U.S First Division, the oldest and most expirenced division in the U.S army, arrives in France to lend aid to the war effort in Europe. -
German Spring offensive of 1918
The German offensive of 1918 was a plan to regain lands taken earlier in the war. By late April, the Germans, lacking logistical planning, coherent strategy, and energy, were on the retreat. They eventually, would be forced back over thier own lines, and the Empire would crumble later that November. -
Germany is on America's Doorstep.
A german U-boat appeared in U.S. waters for the very first time.
Scary isn't it? -
World War 1 Ends
Faced with a British blockade, and stiff resistence from the wetern front, the germand agree to armistice talks in early November. Eventually, peace is signed and the "Great War" comes to an end.
