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Austria-Hungary Takes Control of Bosnia
- Austria announced the Annexation of Bosnia.
- Many other countries took interests in this event.
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The Triple Alliance is Formed
- Consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
- Germany and Austria-Hungary were also later known as the Central Powers.
- The alliances provided international security because nations did not want to disturb that balance of power.
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The Triple Entente is Formed
- Consisted of France, Britain, and Russia.
- The alliances provided international security because nations did not want to disturb that balance of power.
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Archduke Franz Ferdinand is Assassinated in Sarajevo
- He was heir to the Austrian throne.
- Gavrilo Princip stepped out of the crowd and shot him and his wife.
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Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia
-This took play after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
- It was expected to be a short war.
- It sparked many other countries to declare war also. -
Germany Invaded Belgium
- Followed a strategy known as the Schlieffen plan.
- The Schlieffen Plan : called for a holding action against Russia, driving through Belgium to Paris; and then after France had fallen, the two German armies would defeat Russia.
- Thousands of civilians fled in terror when invaded.
- They were unable to save Belgium.
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A German U-Boat Sinks the Lusitania
- 1198 people die.
- Took place off the coast of Ireland.
- Since some of the people who died were Americans, America immediately turned against Germany and starting siding with the Allies.
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The First Battle of the Somme Begins
- It was the first battle that tanks were used by the British, which was a new weapon that bullets bounced off of.
- It last until mid-November.
- The British had 60,000 on the first day alone, and 1.2 million total.
- This battle used trench warfare : in which armies fought for mere yards of ground.
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The Zimmerman Note is Discovered
- a telegram sent from the German foreign minister to a German ambassador in Mexico.
- It was intercepted by the British.
- Proposed an alliance between Mexico and Germany.
- Promised Germany would back up Mexico if war broke out in the United States.
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The United States Declares War on Germany
- Wilson wanted peace but the following acts lead him to be forced to declare war.
- Germany threatened, and followed through on these threats, to bomb American ships.
- Germany promised Mexico to protect them if war broke out in the U.S.
