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Triple alliance is formed
The Triple Alliance was the military alliance between Germany, Austria–Hungary, and Italy, (as opposing the Triple Entente which consisted of an alliance between Britain, France and Russia), that lasted from 1882 until the war ended in 1914 -
Germany joins Russia in an alliance
When the Three Emperors’ League between Austria, Germany, and Russia expired in 1887, a new agreement with Russia was considered necessary. The result was the Secret Reinsurance Treaty between Germany and Russia -
Wilhelm II allows alliance with Russia to expire
Kaiser Wilhelm II allows alliance with Russia to expire. in 1890. Russia responds by forming a defensive military alliance with France two years later. If Germany started a war with either country, it would be enemies to both. Germany would have to fight a two-front war. -
change of foreign policy
Bismarck’s foreign policy required a very competent successor to ensure that Germany could maintain its treaties and continue to isolate France. Instead Wilhelm II’s nationalistic and expansionist foreign policy destroyed the fragile situation which Bismarck had worked so hard to achieve. German foreign policy under Wilhelm II was influenced by the same militaristic and nationalistic sentiments that brought about the unification of Germany in 1871. -
defensive military alliance
Russia forms a defensive military alliance with France -
Entente
Britain forms an entente (alliance) with France -
Tripe Entente is formed
Britain and France make another entente with Russia forming the triple entente -
Assassination
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie visit Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. The pair was shot as they rode through the streets of Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, nineteen year old Serbian and member of the Black Hands. The Black Hands were a secret society committed to ridding Bosnia of the Austrian rule. -
Austrian Ultimatum
In February of 1915, the Allies launched the Gallipoli Campaign.It was a failure and eventully prompted Bulgaria to join the Central Powers in September. The Allies abandoned attempts to land in the Balkans. -
Austria declares war
the Germans intensified submarine warfare that they had started in the beginning of the war. In May, a German U-boat sunk the British passenger ship Lusitania. -
Germany declares war on russia
Russia expected Germany to join sides with the Austrians, so the Russians began mobilizing and sending troops to Germany's borders as well as the Austrian borders. This caused Germany to declare war on Russia. -
German counterattack
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 -
germany declares war on france
When the Russians came to the defense of the Serbs, the Germans had no choice but to go to war to defend their Austrian allies. Their strategy for war against Russia was the Schefffein Plan which called for an initial attack against France, Russia's ally. So even though Germany had no dispute with France at the time, it still declared war against France. -
Britain declares war on Germany
Germany did not withdraw from Belgium and Britain declared war on Germany. -
First battle of the marne
By early September, German forces had swept through and Paris. The allies regrouped and attacked Germany in the valley of the Marne Piver. After four days of fighting, German generals gave the gave the order to surrender. This battle is known as The Battle of the Marne, and was the first battle on the western front. This is also considered the most important event of World War I. -
Ottoman Empire joins Central Powers
The Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria both join the Central Powers in order to gain territories that they had lost. -
Battle of Limanowa
The Battle of Limanowa took place from December 1 and December 13, 1914, between the Austro-Hungarian Army and the Russian Army near the town of Limanowa -
Gallipoli campaign
A joint British and French operation was mounted to capture the Ottoman capital of Istanbul and secure a sea route to Russia. The attempt failed, with heavy casualties on both sides. The campaign was considered one of the greatest victories of the Turks and was reflected on as a major failure by the Allies -
Italy joins Entente
In February of 1915, the Allies launched the Gallipoli Campaign.It was a failure and eventully prompted Bulgaria to join the Central Powers in September. The Allies abandoned attempts to land in the Balkans. -
Germany sinks U.S.S. Lusitania
The Germans intensified submarine warfare that they had started in the beginning of the war. In May, a German U-boat sunk the British passenger ship Lusitania. The attack killed a total of 1,198 people dead, including 128 U.S. citizens. -
Battle of the Somme
Germans attack the Allies at Verdun -
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare Policy Announced
Germans announce their policy of unrestricted submarine warfare -
Zimmerman Note
U.S. intercepts the zimmerman note from Germany telling mexico that if they allied with germany they would help mexico get back some of the land that the US had taken from them. -
US declares war on Germany
Woodrow Wilson asks Congress to declare war on germany -
Russia ends involvement in WW1
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin ends russias involvement in WWI due to their own countries problems -
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk brought about the end of the war between Russia and Germany in 1918. The German were reminded of the harshness of Brest-Litovsk when they complained about the severity of the Treaty of Versailles signed in June 1919 -
Second Battle of the Marne
the Second Battle of the Marne developed into a significant Allied victory. After it became clear that the Germans had not only failed in their aim to win the war in this offensive, but had in fact lost ground, a number of German commanders, including Crown Prince Wilhelm, believed the war was lost -
Wilhelm II steps down
Kaiser Wilhelm II stepped down from power, Germany declared itself a republic
