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Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo, Serbia.
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Austria-hungary declares war on Serbia because Serbia refused to do what Austria-Hungary demanded of them.
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Russia, after declaring war on Austria-Hungary, mobilized their armed forces.
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Russia, which had agreed to protect Serbia, prepared for war. Germany was forced to protect its ally,Austria-Hungary, so Germany declared war on Russia.
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Germany knew that France was an ally of Russia, so they declared war on France, too.
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Geermany invaded Belgium as part of a plan to sweep across eastern and northern France.
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Germany violated a treaty, which guaranteed Belgium's neutrality, and that prompted Britain to declare war on Germany.
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Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia because Britain declared war on Germany.
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Both France and Britain declare war on Austria-Hungary because Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia.
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Japan,a rival of Germany in Asia, joined the Allies.
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The British and the French managed to stop the Germans from invading Paris, France. It also boosted French morale.
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The Central Powers join the war--Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire.
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The first German U-boats start to attack ships, even if they aren't war ships.
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Poison gas was first used by the Germans, and it could seriously injure or kill anyone who breathed it.
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On May 7, 1915, a German U-boat torpedoed the Lusitania, a British passenger ship, off the coast of Ireland. More than 1,000 people died, including 128 U.S. citizens.
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Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary, entering the war, and joining the Allies.
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The Allies started using armored tanks, which could drive through barbed wire and could be used to fire on the enemy at close range. Soon the Germans began using tanks as well.
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The Germans offensive was the Battle of Verdun. At first the Germans made small gains, but these were lost when the French counterattacked.
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The British and French launched their offensive in July, the Battle of the Somme. The Allies only gained about 7 miles.
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Germany began to produce U-boats(a.k.a. submarines). The U-boats prevented any supplies from reaching Great Britain.
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In late February, Arthur Zimmermann sent a telegram to Mexico with an offer to the Mexican government: We shall make war together and together amke peace....And it is understood that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.
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Zimmermann's telegram was published by the newspapers, and the German action angered the Americans.
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The Russian people overthrew their government and replaced it with a temporary government that promised free elections.
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President Wilson stood before a special session of Congress to ask for a declaration of war against Germany.
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Most members of Congress agreed that if the U.S. wished to remain a great world of power it must defend its rights. Congress passed the declaration of war on Germany and President Wilson signed it.
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Congress passed the Selective Service Act which established a military draft. This draft had the support of most of the American public.
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The American troops turned the tide of the war. They greatly helped Great Britain by having convoys of destroyers escorted merchant ships across the Atlantic. They also helped the British find and destroy German subs.
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Russia ended the fighting between itself and Germany, and surrendered.
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Wilson outlined his plan for the Fourteen Points. Several of the points concerned the adjustment of boundaries in Europe and the creation of new nations.
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Vladimir Lenin signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany, surrendering Poland, The Ukraine, and other territory to the Germans.
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Russia surrenders to Germany and withdraws from the war. Russia's withdrawal enabled The Germans to move hundreds of thousands of troops from the Eastern Front to the Western Front in France.
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The Germans hammered at Allied lines, pushing them back within 40 miles of Paris. It looked as if Germany might win the war.
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General John J. Pershing led the American Expeditionary Force, the American troops in Europe. The French gave Pershing and his troops a tremendous welcome.
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More than one million American troops joined the Allies in the Battle of the Argonne forest. Many lives were lost from machine gun fire from the Germans.
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The German government appealed to Wilson for an armistice. Wilson agreed under certain conditions. Germany would have to accept his plan for peace and promise not to renew hostilities. All German troops must leave Belgium and France. Finally, Wilson would only deal with civilian leaders, not with the military.
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The armistice began on November 11, 1918. Germany agreed to withdraw all land forces west of the Rhine river, withdraw its fleet to the Baltic Sea, and surrender huge amounts of equipment.
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With the signing of the armistice, the Great War ended.
