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The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
While Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were in Bosnia, overseeing military operations, their driver unintentionally drove past Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist, who shot and killed Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie. Ferdinand was perceived as a threat to Serbian independence, leading to the attack. This assassination proved to be a history-altering event, as it led Germany to declare war on Serbia to support Austria-Hungary. -
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The Christmas Truce
On Christmas Eve, at 10 p.m., an undeniably memorable event called The Christmas Truce began. On the Western Front, British soldiers noticed carols from the German side. With hesitation, British soldiers joined and were greeted with words of kindness, making history for the first time ¨No Mans Land¨ was used to communicate warmth and not bullets. A few days after the harmonious truce, violence returned to the Western Front. -
The Battle of Ypres/ The First Effective Use of Gas Warfare
During the Battle of Ypres, Germany debuted their new form of weapon, gas warfare. The gas made history as the first effective use of poisonous gas in war. The chlorine gas severely irritated the lungs and caused choking that would lead to the demise of anyone who didn´t have a filtration system. The Allied powers had not yet obtained the technology of a gas mask, so they used linen masks soaked in water and ¨repirators¨ made from lint and tape as a substitute. -
A German U-Boat Sank the Lusitania
The Germans declared the waters around the British Isles a war zone. A German U-boat then sank Lusitania, a British-owned ship containing 128 Americans, totaling 1,195 casualties. Germany sank the Lusitania because they identified it as a weapon-carrying ship. This event led the U.S. to issue a warning stating that if the Germans sank any more ships containing Americans, they would then join the war. The Germans agreed to these conditions to keep the U.S. out of combat. -
The British Cracked the Zimmerman Telegraph
The Zimmermann telegraph, sent by Germany to Mexico, was decoded by British deciphers. This telegraph offered U.S. territory to Mexico in exchange for an alliance if the U.S. were to join the war, which Mexico declined. Of course, Britain eventually released the decoded telegram to President Wilson, and it spread rapidly through the American press. Inevitably, the contents of the telegram led the U.S. to war, hoping to keep its country safe from unknowing harm. -
The First Recorded Case of the Spanish Influenza
The barracks where soldiers stayed were heftily overcrowded, which led to the opportunity of fast spread disease. The most well-known and deadly disease was the Spanish Influenza. The first case was recorded in Fort Riley, Kansas; it spread like wildfire and had no mercy for the lives of the soldiers. Soon after the first case, 522 men were admitted to the camp hospital, and it would later lead to the death of about 50 million people worldwide. -
The First U.S. Draft of World War 1
The U.S. began drafting, and draft evaders were being searched for. The drafting was very detrimental to the social aspect of the war, as many people believed it to be unjust to be held to the expectation of fighting. Not only did drafting start riots and protests, but some drafted men escaped to Canada to flee from the obligations of joining the warfare. While on the other hand, many men took great pride in serving their country and were eager to be viewed as a protective force. -
Woodrow Wilson Created the Espionage Act
Woodrow Wilson worried not everyone in the U.S. was being loyal to the integrity of their country´s secrets. Due to these presumptions, he decided to pass the Espionage Act. This act deterred U.S. citizens from disclosing sensitive information to those who may use it against the U.S. If someone were to violate this law, they could be faced with a fine of up to $10,000 or up to 20 years in prison. -
Woodrow Wilson Created His Peace Plan
Wilson articulated a speech containing his plans for a peaceful postwar environment. He insisted on creating the League of Nations, an international organization focused on resolving worldwide altercations. Wilson was not successful in his attempts to persuade the Senate to form the league, and when he suffered a debilitating stroke, the Senate declined his ideas. The U.S. was not a part of the League of Nations, but many other countries participated to soothe conflicts throughout 1920-1930. -
Captain Bill Decided to Release a Soldier
Captain E. M. Bill was a prideful leader of a group of soldiers during World War I. He explained most of the group was eager and excited to learn new skills. However, when his troop was in Fort Schuyler, there was one exception, and when he decided to discharge that soldier, he said there was relief in the soldier's eyes. Since Captain Bill took great dignity in leading the men, he was disappointed in how poorly that soldier pursued his duty. -
Captain Bill Caught the Spanish Influenza
On the way to France from the United States, Bill suffered one of the most terrifying life experiences. When on the ship, he had caught the Spanish Influenza. He was saddened to have to take time off from his responsibilities, but he had gotten over the illness relatively quickly. Along with Bill, many other men stationed with him caught the Spanish Influenza. -
Captain Bill Censored Mail
While in France, Bill was censoring mail and noticed his soldiers had great faith in the integrity of the men censoring mail. He found many “red hot” love letters. However, specified censoring is treated strictly as a business matter in which censors only look for sensitive details that could harm the troop´s safety if in the hands of the wrong person. Along with the soldiers´ mail, he had to censor his mail, so he was meticulous about what he included in his writing. -
Captain Bill Became Saddened by His Physical Inactivity in the War
Bill saw the news mentioning the war was soon to end. He described how he was upset by the possibility of being unable to fight. Bill felt others would think he took a trip to France funded by the government out of leisure and not war due to his physical inactivity in the war. Along with these assumptions, he feared people would view him as a slacker and not a true protecting force of the country. -
Captain Bill Wanted to Surprise His Troop with a Special Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving was nearing, and Bill wanted his soldiers to have a special dinner. He was looking to purchase a turkey different from the usual beef they had been feasting on. However, obtaining a turkey with the high poultry prices in France was unlikely. Along with the turkey, they were due to move into new barracks soon, making for a pleasant dining place, hopefully in time for Thanksgiving. -
The Treaty of Versailles was Signed
In Paris, France, the Treaty of Versailles was signed at the Palace of Versailles. The significance of this signing is of great value, as it forced the Central Powers to take the blame for starting World War I. The Treaty of Versailles was dreadful for the Central Powers, as it meant they had a reduction in militaries, a loss in territories, and had to pay reparation costs to the Allied Powers. After the treaty was officially signed, World War I was declared over.