Illustrated Timeline World War 1

By Parvir

  • The assassination.

    The Balkan states of Bosnia and Herzegovina, had been annexed from Turkey and taken into the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This was strongly resented by many Serbs and Croats and a nationalist group, The Black Hand, was formed.

  • Germany declares war on Russia

  • Germany declares war on France.

  • Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia and Serbia declares war on Germany.

  • U.S. President Woodrow Wilson announces the U.S. will remain neutral.

  • The Battle of Tannenberg begins.

  • The First Battle of the Marnebegins. Trench warfare begins as soldiers on both sides dig in.

  • Battle of Ypres begins.

  • December 24 The unofficial Christmas truce is declared.

  • Germany declares a "war zone" around Great Britain, essentially effecting a submarine blockade where even neutral merchant vessels were to be potential targets.

  • The Dardanelles Campaign begins.

  • The British ocean liner RMS Lusitania is sunk by German U-boat, U-20.

  • 22 Apr 1915The Second Battle of Ypres begins. It is during this battle that the Germans first use poison gas.

  • The Battle of Gallipoli begins.

  • 21 Feb 1916 The Battle of Verdun begins. The Battle of Verdun was the longest battle of World War I and was one of the bloodiest.

  • 31 May 1916 The Battle of Jutland, the major naval battle of the war, begins.

  • The Battle of the Somme begins. During the Battle of the Somme, tanks are first introduced into battle.

  • Germany sends the secret Zimmerman Telegram. Telegram is sent to Mexico in an effort to entice Mexico to join the war. The British intercept and decipher the coded message.

  • Russian Tsar Nicholas II abdicates.

  • The United States declares war on Germany. The first turning point.

  • The Battle of Passchendaele begins. (Also known as the Third Battle of Ypres)

  • The armistice agreed upon between the new Russian government and the Central Powers goes into effect.

  • Russia signs the Treaty of Brest Litovsk. It is a peace treaty between Russia and the Central Powers.

  • Germany launches the Spring Offensive.

  • German flying ace, Baron Manfred von Richthofen is shot down. More commonly known as the Red Baron.

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