-
Period: to
Conflict in the Balkans
The Balkan Wars were a series of two conflicts that were fought in the Balkan Peninsula. In the first war, the mighty Ottoman Empire was defeated by the combined forces of Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Montenegro. The Balkan Wars were successful in depriving the Ottoman Empire of its territory in Europe. -
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
The assassination, which took place in Sarajevo, Bosnia on June 28, 1914, was the spark that led to World War One. (Greenspan, 2018) Nineteen-year-old Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian, went up to the Archduke's car where he then shot the Archduke and wife Sophie, killing them. Princip was a Serbian Nationalist and he was jailed for his actions. -
The Great War Begins
After the assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia and that kicked off a chain reaction. Austria's allies came to its defense and Serbia's allies did the same. In a matter of weeks, the whole of Europe was at war with each other. -
Period: to
Weaponry of the Great War
WWI revolutionized warfare. New technology had made this war the bloodiest of the time. When you add in new weaponry with outdated tactics, that is a combination for bloodshed. The standard rifleman of WWI was armed with a bolt-action rifle. In the early years if the war, soldiers were not equipped with gas masks and the effects of toxic gas were devastating. A new weapon that was introduced was the machine-gun. The Maxim Gun was a soldier's worst fear as they "went over the top." -
Period: to
Conditions in the Trenches
As the war grew to a stalemate, an infantryman in WWI would need to get used to the conditions of the trenches. They were ditches dug in the dirt to "bunker" down and for protection. The trenches were dug a little higher than head level so one could stand up without getting pegged. When it rained, the trenches would fill with mud. Rats were everywhere in the trenches. Disease ran rampant as well. One was called trench foot, which was caused by soggy feet, which is why socks were sent from home. -
The Christmas Truce of 1914
On the days nearing Christmas, troops on both sides along the western front began singing Christmas carols. On Christmas Eve, the Germans started singing "Silent Night" and the British joined in. The following day, men from both sides came out of their trenches to celebrate in an unofficial cease fire. The truce did not happen everywhere as some officers did not allow it. This gesture showed that even in war, humanity still remained. The Christmas Truce of 1914 was truly special. -
The Gallipoli Offensive
(History.com Editors, 2019) Combined forces from the Triple Entente began landing on the Gallipoli Penninsula at Cape Helles. The main goal of the invasion was to capture the Ottoman capital of Constantinople, modern-day Istanbul. This turned out to be a disaster for the allies as they suffered 200,000 casualties during the nine-month campaign. -
The Sinking of The Lusitania
On the morning of May the 7th, the British ocean liner, the Lusitania, was torpedoed by a german u-boat off the southern coast of Ireland. The mighty ship disappeared beneath the waves in just under 18 minutes, taking 1,200 lives and 128 U.S citizens with it. Though the vessel was a passenger ship, some say that it was carrying supplies for the war effort, justifying the attack. The sinking of the Lusitania, though, would eventually lead to the United States' official involvement in the war. -
Period: to
The Battle of Verdun
For over ten months, French and German forces would fight in the French countryside over the small town of Verdun and it's surrounding areas. Casualties for the engagement would near 700,000. French villages would be completely wiped out by the war. The battle of Verdun would end up being one of the major battles in this global conflict. -
Period: to
The Somme
The first battle of the Somme was devised as a way to draw german attention away from Verdun. This is when the British Army suffered it's bloodiest day suffering nearly 200,000 casualties The Somme campaign had ground to a halt four and a half months later and losses for both sides would equal nearly 1,000,000. -
The Zimmerman Note
(Andrews, 2018) The U.S soon learned of a proposed alliance in negotiation between Germany and Mexico. The note was for an alliance to be formed and for Mexico to invade the U.S and if successful, they would gain territory that had been lost due to the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo and through U.S purchases. This, of course, made the U.S very agitated that they were being drawn into armed conflict when they were not yet officially involved. -
The Russian Revolution & Russia's Exit from the War
The Bolsheviks led by leader Vladimir Lenin overthrew Tsar Nicholas II who he gave up the throne to the revolutionaries in the Russian capital of St. Petersburg. Russia, with an overthrown government, had to pull out of the war. Russia withdrew all of its soldiers and aid to the war effort. -
The U.S Declares War
U.S President Woodrow Wilson addressed Congress regarding, "Germany’s practice of unrestricted submarine warfare" and the "Zimmerman Note." These were reasons for why Wilson abandoned his policy of neutrality and America's isolationism. As a result, a state of war was declared against the country of Germany and the rest is history. -
Period: to
The Battle of Belleau Wood
The Battle of Belleau Wood, which took place in France during the German spring offensive near the Marne River, was fought to drive the Germans back farther east. The German Army at the time was danger close to the allied defensive lines near the cities of Amiens and Paris. The effectiveness of the United States' marines would prove decisive in the Battle of Belleau Wood, which was an Allied victory. -
Chateau-Thierry
This was one of the first engagements that the American Expeditionary Force took part in. Under the command of General John J. Pershing, this battle was part of the Second Battle of the Marne. This was in response to the Kaiserschlacht, a German offensive in the spring of 1918. The battle saw the German army being pushed back across the Marne River. -
Period: to
The Meuse–Argonne offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was a major component of the final allied offensive of the war, which stretched across the entirety of the Hindenburg Line, Germany's final line of defense on the Western Front. One battle fought in the offensive was the Battle of the Argonne Forest. The Battle was commanded by U.S commander John J. Pershing. The battle would prove to be a decisive blow to the German military and granted the allied army momentum. -
Sgt. Alvin York
Born in 1887 in a log cabin near the Tennessee-Kentucky border, York was drafted into the U.S Army. York enlisted in the 82nd Infantry Division and in May 1918 arrived in France for active duty on the Western Front. During the Meuse-Argonne offensive of 1918, York and his battalion took fire from the top of a nearby hill. With York in charge, he and 17 other men charged up the hill. York took 132 Germans prisoner. For his actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor and the rank of sergeant. -
The Armistice
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, an armistice was signed between the two sides, signaling the end of the fighting. With the German military in shambles and crippled beyond repair, Germany's ability to wage war waned as it's defensive line awaited destruction. -
The Treaty of Versailles
The treaty, signed in the French city of Versailles, officially signified the end of the conflict and the conclusion to "The Great War." Guided by Wilson's "Fourteen Points", the treaty called for Germany to take full responsibility for the war and that it's debts be repaid to the victors. The Treaty angered many in Germany as they felt they weren't solely responsible. The Treaty of Versailles would end up being a cause of World War II as Adolf Hitler blamed it for Germany's situation. -
The League of Nations
The League of Nations, which was devised by Woodrow Wilson in his "Fourteen Points", was the first worldwide organization created to maintain peace. Though Woodrow Wilson was a major proponent of the League, the U.S did not fully commit because of isolationists in Congress. The meeting, held in Paris, was held six days after the Treaty of Versailles was signed and it was when the "Covenant of the League of Nations" came into force.
