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Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife are assassinated. -
The British introduce the tank during the Battle of Somme. The battle results in an estimated one million casualties. -
Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia -
The Ottoman Empire signs a secret alliance with Germany agreeing to enter the war once Germany declares war on Russia. They formally enter the war several months later on October 28, 1914 when they bomb Russian sea ports. Bulgaria joins the Central Powers on October 15, 1915 -
Germany declares war on neutral Belgium and invades Belgium and Luxembourg as part of the Schlieffen Plan. As a result, Britain declares war on Germany -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia -
the united states declares neutrality in the war -
the German army defeats Russia at the battle of tannerberg. -
Germany's invasion of France comes is halted at the first battle of Marne. -
the race to the sea ends when the germans withdraw at the first battle of Ypres. -
an unofficial Christmas truce is declared by german and allied soldiers in the trenches along the western front. -
the germans use poison gas at the second battle of Ypres. -
Armenian genocide begins -
allies begin a nine-month battle for the Turkish peninsula of Gallipoli -
A German U-boat sinks the Lusitania killing 1,198 civilians, including 128 Americans. -
Italy Joins the Allies. -
British nurse, Edith Cavell, is executed by the Germans. -
The Battle of Verdun is fought resulting in an estimated one million casualties. -
woodrow wilson is reelected president of the united states. -
British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman to the German Minister of Mexico. -
The Germans resumed unrestricted submarine warfare. -
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia abdicates. -
President Wilson outlines his Fourteen Points in a speech before Congress. -
The 3rd battle of Ypres, also known as Passchendaele, results in minor gains for the Allies and a total of 700,000 casualties. -
The Balfour Declaration is presented in London. -
President Wilson asks the U.S. Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. -
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk is signed between Russia and Germany. -
Germans on the banks of the Marne near Paris are stopped by American forces at Chateau-Thierry -
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany abdicates. -
Emperor Karl of Austria abdicates. -
At eleven o’clock on this day, the war on the Western Front ends as Germany and the Allies sign an Armistice. -
Germany and Allies sign the Treaty of Versailles. The U.S. Senate later refuses to ratify it. -
The Treaty of Sevres ends the war on the Eastern Front with the Ottoman Empire.