World War 1 By perfectlypyro Jun 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo. Mar 28, 1915 The Falaba becomes the first passenger ship sunk by German U-boat Apr 22, 1915 Second Battle of Ypres: first use of poison gas (Germans) May 7, 1915 The Lusitania is sunk by German U-Boat; 128 American civilians perish. Feb 21, 1916 Battle of Verdun begins (longest battle of the war) Mar 24, 1916 The Sussex is sunk by German U-Boat; results in the issue of the Sussex Pledge Jul 1, 1916 Battle of the Somme begins; first use of tanks in combat by British (huge failure) Nov 7, 1916 U.S. President Woodrow Wilson wins reelection Dec 18, 1916 Battle of Verdun ends Feb 1, 1917 Germany revokes the Sussex pledge and resumes unrestricted submarine warfare Feb 3, 1917 U.S. breaks off diplomatic relations with Germany Mar 1, 1917 The Zimmermann telegram is published in U.S. newspapers Mar 2, 1917 Tsar Nicolas II abdicates the Russian throne during Russian Revolution Apr 6, 1917 U.S. declares war on Germany Jun 15, 1917 Congress passes the Espionage Act Jul 21, 1917 Third Battle of Ypres begins; by its end, over 250,000 are dead Aug 14, 1917 U.S. declares war on Austria-Hungary Nov 2, 1917 Battle of Cambrai begins; first British offensive designed around use of the tank Jan 8, 1918 President Wilson makes the “Fourteen Points” speech to Congress Mar 13, 1918 Russia and Germany sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, removing Russia from the war Jul 16, 1918 Tsar Nicholas II and his family are murdered by the Bolsheviks Nov 9, 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany abdicates the throne Nov 11, 1918 Armistice day—fighting ceases at 11 am; over 8.5 million soldiers are dead Apr 19, 1919 Peace negotiations begin in Paris Jun 28, 1919 The Treaty of Versailles is signed Aug 24, 1921 U.S. signs separate peace treaty with Austria Aug 25, 1921 U.S. signs separate peace treaty with Germany Aug 29, 1921 U.S. signs separate peace treaty with Hungary
