-
Francis Ferdinand assassinated at Sarajevo
The victims, Archduke Franz Ferdinand - heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife Sophie, were in the Bosnian city in conjunction with Austrian troop exercises nearby. The couple was returning from an official visit to City Hall. The assassin, 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip burned with the fire of Slavic nationalism. He envisioned the death of the Archduke as the key that would unlock the shackles binding his people to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. -
Austria declared war on Serbia
Threatened by Serbian ambition in the tumultuous Balkans region of Europe, Austria-Hungary determined that the proper response to the assassinations was to prepare for a possible military invasion of Serbia. After securing the unconditional support of its powerful ally, Germany, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with a rigid ultimatum on July 23, 1914, demanding, among other things, that all anti-Austrian propaganda within Serbia be suppressed, and that Austria-Hungary be allowed to conduct its o -
Germany declared war on Russia
the German Emperor had undertaken, in concert with Great Britain, the part of mediator between the Cabinets of Vienna and St. Petersburg; but Russia, without waiting for any result, proceeded to a general mobilisation of her forces both on land and sea. In consequence of this threatening step, which was not justified by any military proceedings on the part of Germany, -
Germany declared war on France and invaded Belgium.
two days after declaring war on Russia, Germany declares war on France, moving ahead with a long-held strategy, conceived by the former chief of staff of the German army, Alfred von Schlieffen, for a two-front war against France and Russia. Hours later, France makes its own declaration of war against Germany, readying its troops to move into the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, which it had forfeited to Germany in the settlement that ended the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. -
Britain declared war on Germany
Great Britain had no current alliances with Belgium , the main reason for the declaration of war can be found in the previous decade's "naval race". Germany had competed with the royal navy for the most powerful navy , and this had turned great britain against germany. When germany invaded belgium , great britain feared naval bases being created even closer to britains shores , and regarded this as a major threat to britains survival -
Turkey entered the war on Germany’s side.
They joined Germany for a number of reasons. They wanted to get back at the Balkans for their defeat in the Balkan Wars. They were also huge enemies of Russia, and Britain was kind of bothering them, with the want for oil. So they joined Germany. -
USA declared war on Germany
On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. On April 6, Congress granted the request and the United States was formally at war with Germany. Several key events leading up to this act included the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, and the Zimmerman Telegram sent to Mexico by Germany in January 1917. The resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare by Germany on February 1, 1917 was the key event that turned the American public from neutral g -
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed between Russia and Germany.
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. Lenin had ordered that the Bolshevik representatives should get a quick treaty from the Germans to bring about an end to the war so that the Bolsheviks could concentrate on the work they needed to do in Russia itself. -
Germany started an offensive in Flanders
There were compelling arguments for a major German attack in the north where British and Belgian forces were tightly constricted in the cramped zone between Ypres and the coast. Even a short advance here would put important objectives within German reach, threaten British communications with the Channel Ports and enable enemy long-range guns to bombard a wealth of targets in the crowded base areas. -
Turkey made peace
Turkey made peace with the Allies. -
Austria made peace
Austria made peace with the Allies. -
The Treaty of Versailles was signed by the Germans.
On June 28, 1919, Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, officially ending its involvement in World War I. The treaty subjected Germany to a number of harsh penalties and restrictions that many historians believe contributed to the rise of Adolf Hitler. Germany and the Allied Powers had signed an armistice on Nov. 11, 1918. Two months later, the Allied Powers met at the Paris Peace Conference to begin what became a four-month process of drafting the terms of Germany’s surrender.