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Archduke Franz Ferdinand, prince to the Austria-Hungary throne, is assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian named Gavrilo Princip.
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The advancing German army is stopped before Paris by the British and French at the First Battle of the Marne. The Germans dig in and four years of trench warfare begins.
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The Ottoman Empire declares war on the Allies.
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The Germans begin to use submarines against Allied merchant ships around the island of Britain.
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The Allies attack the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Gallipoli. This campaign will last over eight months and will end as a victory for the Ottomans and the retreat of the Allies.
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The Lusitania, a luxury British passenger ship, is sunk by a German submarine. 1,195 civilians were killed. This act sparks international outrage and contributes to the United States joining the war against Germany.
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The Battle of Verdun begins between France and Germany. This battle will last until December of 1916 and will finally result in a French victory.
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The largest naval battle of the war, the Battle of Jutland, is fought between Britain and Germany in the North Sea.
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The British intercept the Zimmerman Telegram in which Germany tries to convince Mexico to join the war. This will result in the United States declaring war on Germany.
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President Woodrow Wilson issues his "Fourteen Points" for peace and an end to the war.