WW1 Timeline

  • 1870 - 1871

    The war between France And Prussia Ended with a humiliating defeat for France.
  • 1878

    The annexation of the provinces that were occupied by the Dual Monarchy was bitterly opposed by Serbia that was closely related to the provinces both ethically and geographically.
  • 1888

    With the accession of Wilhelm II to the German throne the German foreign policy became more bellicose.
  • 1892

    That way Wilhelm II helped create an alliance between France and Russia that became the basis for the future Triple Entente.
  • The Birth of Kiffin Yates Rockwell

    Kiffin Yates Rockwell was born in Newport, Tennessee, the son of James Chester Rockwell and Loula Ayres.
  • Wright Brothers

    The Wright Brother Flew their Air Craft.
  • 1904-1905

    Russo-Japanese rivalry over Manchuria and Korea reached its height with the Russo-Japanese War.
  • 1907

    Britain also entered into an alliance with Russia that was already in alliance with France. This formed the Triple Entente which in turn became the core of the Allies during World War I.
  • 1909

    Serbia was supported by the Tsarist government and the crisis persisted.
  • 1911 and 1912

    The Italo-Turkish War that took place betwee did not pose any major threat to peace in Europe. But the Turkish defeat revealed the weakness of the Ottoman army and disagreement between the European powers about the so-called Eastern Questions - the fate of the decaying Ottoman Empire.
  • Kriffin and he school years 1911-1914

    After completing his preparatory schooling at the Orange Street School in Asheville, he enrolled at the Virginia Military Institute in 1908 and subsequently attended Washington & Lee University where his brother, Paul, was also a student.
    Kiffin left college in 1911 and worked for an advertising agency in Atlanta until 1914.
  • 1912

    Serbia, Greece, Montenegro and Bulgaria formed the Balkan League, a military alliance against the Ottoman Empire.
  • 1914

    The leading light in support of the tank was Lieutenant-Colonel Ernest Swinton. In 1914, he had proposed the development of a new type of fighting vehicle.
  • 1914

    Austria-Hungary presented an ultimatum to Serbia. Vienna, however, intentionally imposed impossible demands to Serbia in order to be able to declare war on its neighbor for ‘orchestrating’ the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria.
  • 1914

    A group of conspirators from the revolutionary movement called Mlada Bosna (‘Young Bosnia’) carried out the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian heir presumptive, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife while they were visiting Sarajevo.
  • Austria Hungary

    Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
  • Ottoman

    Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and Germany sign a secret treaty of alliance.
  • Germany and France

    Germany declares war on France.
  • Germany and Beligum

    Germany invades Belgium, leading Britain to declare war on Germany.
  • Austria - Hungary and Russia

    Austria Invades Russia
  • No fighting vehicles

    The Germans, British, Austrians, Russians and French all had armoured fighting vehicles that could fight on ‘normal’ terrain.
  • September 1915

    Rockwell was accepted by the Service Aeronautique, began flight training in September 1915 and in April became one of the founding pilots in the squadron initially known as the Escadrille Americaine.
  • End of 1915

    One supporter of the prospective new weapon was Winston Churchill. His name was not held in high esteem because of the Gallipoli fiasco.
  • Agreement

    Swinton needed an example of the machine that he believed would alter warfare on the Western Front. They made an agreement regarding what the new weapon should be.
  • September 23, 1916

    His final combat, when his Nieuport was downed by the gunner in a German Albatross observation plane.