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Archduke Ferdinand Assassinated
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife are shot to death by a Bosnian Serb nationalist during a visit to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo. The killings sparked a chain of events that led to the beginning of World War I by early August. -
Germany gives Austria-Hungary blank check assurance
In Berlin, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany pledges his country’s unconditional support for whatever action Austria-Hungary chooses to take in its conflict with Serbia, a long-running rivalry revived by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife by a Serbian nationalist during a visit to Bosnia. -
World War I begins
On this day, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, following the Assanation of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and the tenuous peace between Europe’s great powers collapsed. Within a week, Russia, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Serbia had lined up against Austria-Hungary and Germany, and World War I had begun. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
Less than a year after World War I started in Europe, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the RMS Lusitania, a British ocean liner en route from New York to Liverpool, England. More than 1,100 of the passengers onboard perished, including more than 120 Americans. Even though it would be 2 years before the U.S. would join WWI, the sinking of the Lusitania played a significant role in turning public opinion against Germany, both in the United States and abroad. -
Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare
German U-boat submarine becomes a threat again, as Germany returns to the policy of unrestricted submarine warfare it had previously suspended in response to pressure from the United States and other neutral countries. -
Zimmerman Telegram
A message from Arthur Zimmermann, the German foreign secretary, to the German ambassador to Mexico proposing a Mexican-German alliance in the case of war between the United States and Germany, is published on the front pages of newspapers across America. -
America enters World War I
Following the sinking of the Great Britian ship of the Lusitania, and two days after the U.S. Senate voted 82 to 6 to declare war against Germany, by a vote of 373 to 50, the U.S. House of Representatives endorses the declaration, and America formally enters World War I. -
The Treaty of Versailles
World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. Negotiated among the Allied powers with little participation by Germany, its 15 parts and 440 articles reassigned German boundaries and assigned liability for reparations. After strict enforcement for five years, the French assented to the modification of important provisions. -
Formation of the Nazi Party (Imperialism)
The National Socialist German Workers’ Party, or Nazi Party, grew into a mass movement and ruled Germany through totalitarian means from 1933 to 1945. -
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The Dawes Plan and The Young Plan
Both the Dawes and Young Plans helped various countries to lighten their economic debts, starting with the United States. In the Dawes Plan money was cycled through Germany and France to eventually be paid back to the United States. The Young Plan was designed to cut down the amount of Germany's war reparations through a scale model. -
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The Great Depression
Following the stock market crash of October 1929, the Great Depression began. This sent Wall Street into a panic and wiped out millions of investors. Over the next several years, consumer spending and investment dropped, causing steep declines in industrial output and rising levels of unemployment as failing companies laid off workers. -
Hitler Elected Chancellor
President Paul von Hindenburg names Adolf Hitler, leader or fÜhrer of the National Socialist German Workers Party (or Nazi Party), as chancellor of Germany. -
Effects of World War I
United States Total Deaths: 117,465
German Empire Total Deaths: 2,462,897
Many Americans came to regret participation in World War I. Even before the end of the War, this attitude began to appear. Critics popularized the charge that America was dragged into the War by British propaganda, greedy bankers, and international arms merchants. The following countries were created: Finland, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland, Hungary, Latvia, and Lithuania, after the Treaty of Versailles. -
Militarism in WWI
Militarism is a philosophy or system that places great importance on military power. Militarism was a significant force in several European nations in the years prior to World War I. Militarism affected more than policy; it also shaped culture, the media and public opinion. -
Alliances during WWI
The alliance system was a network of treaties, agreements, and ententes that were negotiated and signed prior to 1914. National tensions and rivalries have made alliances a common feature of European politics. The Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy) formed the basis of the Central Powers, the dominant alliance in central Europe. Britain, France and Russia overcame their historical conflicts to form a three way entente. -
Nationalism in Europe during WWI
Nationalism was prevalent in early 20th century Europe and was a significant cause of World War I. Most pre-war Europeans believed in the cultural, economic and military supremacy of their nation. The pages of newspapers were often packed with nationalist rhetoric and inflammatory stories or rumours about rival nations.
