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Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on the streets of Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip.
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Austria-Hungary sent a letter to Serbia with harsh demands. When Serbia refused, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
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Germany begins to mobilize their forces.
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Germany declares war on Russia because of Europe's system of alliances.
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Germany inveded Belgium as part of their plan to get to Paris.
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Britain declared war on Germany because Germany invaded Belgium. Britain and Belgium had an alliance, therefore Britain had to declare war on Germany.
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With all of the alliiances, Austria-Hungary had to declare war on Russia.
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France and Britin declared war on Austria-Hungary because Austria-Hungary and Germany were allies.
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Japan decides to join sides with the Allies.
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The Germans are going to invade Paris. Britain and France are trying to stop the Germans from invading Paris.
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The Battle of Marne ends. The Germans got with in 15 miles of Paris, then the French and British stopped the Germans at the Marne River.
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The Ottoman Empire decides to join the Central Powers.
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Gemany announced that they will sink all ships entering or leaving British ports. After Germany announced this President Woodrow Wilson warned that America would hold Germany responsible for any American lives lost in the German U-boat attacks.
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The Germans were the first to use poison gas. Poison gas could kill or seriously injure anyone who breathed it in. Since countries started using poison gas the soldiers had to wear gas masks.
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A German U-boat torpedoed a British passanger ship the Lusitania. The Lusitania sank in about 15 minutes. The captain of the ship W.T Turner said that he tried to steer the ship away from the torpedo, but he was unable to turn in time.
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Italy decides to join sides with the Allies.
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The battle starts because both sides attemped to break the deadlock of trench warfare.
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The Battle of Somme started during the Battle of Verdun. The battle started because the British and French launched their own offensive in northern France.
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The first armored tank was used by the British in the Battle of Somme.
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During the Battle of Somme the number of deaths were high. The Allies gained about 7 miles in the Battle of Somme.
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The Battle of Verdun ends. This battle was one of the longest and bloodiest battles in the war. During this battle more than 750,000 French and German soldiers died.
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The US intercepted a telegram from the German foreigh minister, Arthur Zimmermann. Zimmermann sent the telegram to Mexico but the US intercepted the telegram. The telegram made an offer with Mexico to make peace, and Germany would help Mexico get their lost land back.
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Newspapers published the Zimmermann telegram and Americans were angry with the Germans when they say the telegram.
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On the night of April 2, 1917 President Woodrow Wilson stood before Congress. President Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany.
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Congress did not want to enter war at first, but decided that the US wants to remain a great world power we must defend our rights. Congress passed the declaration of war, and President Wilson signed it on April 6, 1917.
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Congress passed the Selective Service Act, establishing a military draft. Men from 21-30 had to register for the war. Later the age was changed to 18-45. 24 million men registered, and about 3 million were called to serve, and 2 million joined voluntarily.
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The first US troops reach France, but the troops are not ready to fight in World War 1.
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The Bolsheviks, a group of communists overthrow the Russian government. The Bolsheviks were led by Vladimir Lenin, and they want to end Russia's participation in the war.
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Russia signs an armistice with Germany to make peace and end fighting.
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Woodrow Wilson meets with Prime Minister David Lloyd George of Great Britain, Premier Georges Clemenceau of France, and Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando of Italy. The Fourteen Points adjusted boundaries and the creation of new new nations. The points also let the people decide how they should be governed.
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Russia and Germany signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and Russia surrendered Poland, Ukraine, and other territory to the Germans. Now Germany could move many troops from the Eastern Front, to the Western Front in France.
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Germany and Ausrtia-Hungary launched powerful offensives against the Allies.
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Germany and Austria-Hungary have been fighting the Allies. Germany and Austria-Hungary have pushed the Allies back within 40 miles of Paris. It lookes as if Germany might win the war.
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The American Expeditionary Force led by John J. Pershing reaches full strength in Europe.
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The Battle of the Argonne Forest begins and more than 1 million US troops joined the Allies. The battle took place west of Verdun. The soldiers traveled through froests, rain, mud, barbed wire, and fire from German machine guns.
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Germany asked President Woodrow Wilson for an armistice to make peace and end the war.
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The battle ends and many lives were lost. The Allies pushed the Germans back and broke through the enemy lines. Germany now faced an invasion of their own country.
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The armistice between Germany and US begins and World War 1 ends.
