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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Because the assassin was a Serbian, Austria decided to use the murders as an excuse to punish Serbia. An angry Kaiser Wilhelm II urged Austria to be aggressive, and he offered Germany’s unconditional support. In effect this gave Austria license to do what it wanted with Serbia. -
War was declared
On July 23, Austria presented Serbia with an ultimatum. An ultimatum is a list of demands that if not met, will lead to serious consequences.On July 28, Austria rejected Serbia’s the ultimatum and declared war. -
The Schlieffen Plan
A military plan named after its designer, General Alfred Graf von Schlieffen. Under the Schlieffen Plan, a large part of the German army would race west, to defeat France, and then return to fight Russia in the east. -
First battle of the Marne
On September 5, the Allies attacked the Germans northeast of Paris, in the valley of the Marne River. Every available soldier was hurled into the struggle. When reinforcements were needed, more than 600 taxicabs rushed soldiers from Paris to the front. After four days of fighting, the German generals gave the order to retreat. -
Battle of Limanowa
Russia fared somewhat better against the Austrians. Russian forces defeated the Austrians twice in September 1914, driving them deep into Austria. Not until December of that year did the Austrian army manage to turn the fight back. In a 17-day battle near Limanowa, Austria defeated the Russians and drove them eastward. Two weeks later, the Austrian army pushed the Russians out of Austria-Hungary. -
Gallipoli campaign
The effort to take the Dardanelles strait began in February 1915. British, Australian, New Zealand, and French troops made repeated assaults on the Gallipoli Peninsula on the western side of the strait. Turkish troops defended the region. In December, the Allies gave up the campaign and began to evacuate. -
Battle of Verdun
Combatants suffer devastating losses at battles of Verdun and the Somme. -
Battle of Delville Wood
If the Germans held the southern part of the wood they could use it as a base to fire on any British attack east towards Ginchy. This was an important British target, as it would improve the connection between the British Fourth Army and the French to the south east. Haig was also concerned that the Germans could use the woods as a base for a counterattack south west along Caterpillar Valley, which was being used by the British artillery. -
Unrestricted submarine warfare
War was shifted to the high seas in 1917. In January 1917,
the Germans announced that their submarines would sink without warning any ship in the waters around Britain. -
United States entered the war
On April 2, 1917, President Wilson asked Congress to declare war. The United States entered the war on the side of the Allies. -
Revolution shakes Russia
In November 1917, Communist leader Vladimir Ilyich Lenin seized power. Lenin insisted on ending his country’s involvement in the war. One of his first acts was to offer Germany a truce. -
Second battle of the Marne
The result of this battle was Central Powers had crumbled. First the Bulgarians and then the Ottoman Turks surrendered. -
Armistice Day
The armistice, an agreement made by opposing sides in a war to stop fighting for a certain time, was signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany. -
The Treaty of Versailles
This peace treaty was signed between Germany and the Allied powers was signed on June 28, 1919.