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Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assassinated!
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife, Sophie, are shot dead in Sarajevo, Serbia, by Black-Hand member Gavrilo Princip. -
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The First World War
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The First World War Begins
The First World War, instigated by Austria-Hungary and Serbia, begins. Due to secret treaties between nations, Europe is plunged into war. The two sides are the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire), and the Allied Powers (England, France, Russia). -
The Schlieffen Plan
The Schlieffen Plan, designed by Alfred von Schlieffen, was the only war plan Germany had for the Western Front for France. The ultimate goal was to take France out quickly and wheel back to face Russia. -
First Battle of Tannenberg
The Battle of Tannenberg was lauched by the Russians against the Germans near the town of Tannenberg. This incursion caught the Germans by surprise, ignorant to the speed at which Russian forces could mobilize. Tannenberg ultimately spelled doom for the Schlieffen Plan in the West. -
First Battle of the Marne
The German advance is halted on the Western Front at the Marne River in France by French and British forces. This battle begins the long, bloody struggle of trench warfare. -
First Battle of Masurian Lakes
The First Battle of Masurian Lakes was fought between Russian and German forces. Russian mobilization time caught the Germans off guard, which led to the confrontation in eastern Germany. With soldiers pulled from the Western Front, Germany attained a victory against Russian troops. -
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders, was fought between Germany and France, England and Belgium. This battle was ultimately a stalemate and attempts by both armies to capture a foothold ended up scarring the land and achieving nothing. -
Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes
The Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes in the East consisted of the Russians and the Germans fighting each other. In 1915, the Germans were already planning on a way to knock Russia out of the war, and with this victory, they were one step closer. -
Second Battle of Ypres
The Second Battle of Ypres marked the first time poison gas was used in warfare. While up for debate on who used them first, both the Allies and the Germans used chemical weapons against each other. Use of poison gas struck fear into soldiers' hearts, and chemical warfare became the norm for the duration of the war from this point on. -
Gallipoli Campaign
The Gallipoli Campaign was fought between British and French forces against German and Ottoman forces. English soldiers landed on the Gallipoli Penninsula, hoping to capture Ottoman territory quickly. What was initially thought as an easy victory took nearly a year to end (began on 25 April 1915), and the British and French lost, destroying their battlefield credibility. -
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was the only significant naval battle of the First World War. The British Grand Fleet engaged the German High Seas Fleet in an area between Norway and Denmark. The significance of this battle is that it weaked Germany's fleet so much that it was no longer a threat to the Allies. It cemented Britain as the naval power of WWI. In addition, it resulted in Germany turning to U-Boats as a way to engage on the high seas. -
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme was fought between British and German forces. This battle was fought to alleviate pressure on France at the Battle of Verdun. Like many battles, it was trench warfare and the outcome was inconclusive. The battle took place from 1 July 1916 to 18 November 1916. -
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was fought between Germany and France for 10 months at the French village of Verdun. The battle was the epitome of WWI combat -- creeping barrages, trench warfare, gas. This was a battle of attrition, with each side attemtping to wear the other out eventually. An iconic battle from Wold War I. -
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution changed the face of the world with the adoption of Communism as a form of government. Under Vladimir Lenin, the Bolshevik party forced Tsar Nicholas II to abdicate and began suing for peace with Germany. What started off as peaceful demonstrations quickly turned into a widespread civil war that took Russia out of WWI. A significant turning point in the war. The Revolution ended around 8 November, 1917. -
United States Enters the War
On 6 April 1917, President Woodrow Wilson gains Congressional approval for a declaration of war against Germany. This poster was developed for recruitment into the U.S. Army. -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed between Russia and Germany, removing Russia from the First World War. Due to revolution, Vladimir Lenin authorized any means to secure peace, although he hated giving up territory. The treaty gave Germany territory from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea. -
Second Battle of the Marne
The Second Battle of the Marne was the beginning of the end for the Germans. As the Germans lauched their spring offensive in 1918, a combined counterattack consisting of French, American, and British soldiers demolished the right flank. The Germans were forced to retreat back behind the Marne River, and the Allies continued their relentless advance. -
Second Battle of the Somme
The Second Battle of the Somme was launched in 1918 as a means to not only recapture territory the Germans had held for nearly four years, but to chase them back into Germany. This battle was the beginning of the end for German forces. This battle was one that the United States participated in. -
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was fought primarily between American and French forces against the Germans. The final major offensive of the war, it proved to Europe that America was a capable military power. This offensive was fought until Armistice Day, on 11 November 1918. -
The First World War Ends
The First World War, after four years of bloody struggle, ends with the chiming of bells. The end of the war became known as "Armistice Day," in Europe, and eventually "Veteran's Day," in the United States. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles, the infamous treaty, was forced upon Germany by the Allies about seven months after the Armistice was signed. In this treaty, Germany was blamed for starting the war, as well as being forced to repay war damages via Article 231. The treaty also created the League of Nations and changed most of the world, territorially and politically. Often credited as a beginning of the Second World War.
