World War 1

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Jun 28, 1914

Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg was shot dead in Sarajevo, by Gavrilo Princip.

Germanys Blockade

Feb 4, 1915

Germany declares a submarine blockade on Great Britain. Any ship approaching England is considered a legitimate target.

Draft

Jul 21, 1915

President Wilson sends notes to Secretary of War Garrison and Secretary of Navy Daniels directing them to draft a defense program.

President Wilson's Campaign

Jan 27, 1916

President Wilson launches a nationwide whistle-stop campaign to generate support for Preparedness and the Continental Army with three speeches in New York.

Start of Battle of Somme

Jul 1, 1916

Start of the Battle of the Somme, with the British military suffering its greatest number of casualties in a single day, 60,000.

U-boats Launched

Jan 9, 1917

German leaders decide to launch unrestricted U-boat warfare.

Fourteen Points Speech

Jan 8, 1918

President Woodrow Wilson delivers his fourteen points speech to the U.S. Congress.

Second Battle of the Marne

Jul 15, 1918

The final phase of great German Spring push, the Second Battle of the Marne, begins. This was to be the last major German offensive on the Western Front.

Treaty of Versailles

Jun 28, 1919

Five years after the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian Nationalist in Sarejevo, the Treaty of Versailles is signed between the Allies and Germany in Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, officially ending the Great War. The treaty was very harsh on Germany forcing her to accept full responsibility for the the war and pay reparations, give up territories and reduce the army size to just 100,000 men.

Collapse

Sep 25, 1919

President Woodrow Wilson's campaign for the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations ends as he collapses during whistle-stop tour of the country.