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On June 28, 1914 Archduke Ferdinand and his wife are assassinated by Bosnian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip.
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Austria-Hungary, convinced that Serbia was responsible for the assassination, declares war on their "little enemy" Serbia.
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Germany, allianced with Austria-Hungary, declares war on Russia who is allianced with Serbia.
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When Germany declared war on Russia, it also declared war on Great Britain and France who were allianced with Russia. These alliances caused them to enter the war.
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To protect American investments, Wilson declared that the United States of America was to be a neutral country.
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American suffragists march down the streets of New York rallying for peace. Later in 1915 a group of social reformers created the American Union Against Militarism.
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At the end of the year 1914 the Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers.
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In the spring of 1915 Italy joins the war on the side of the Allies,
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A German U-boat spots the passenger ship, Lusitania, and fires a torpedo. This hits and the Lusitania sinks kiling 128 american citizens. Tis outraged the American public.
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In October of 1915 Bulgaria joins the side of the Central Powers
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After Bulgaria joined in 1915, Romania sided with the allies the following year.
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In the Battle of Somme the British lost more than 20,000 men in one day of combat due to modern warfare.
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In the Presidential Election of 1916 Wilson runs again promising to keep the U.S. out of the War. He wins the election with a narrow victory.
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A German U-boat torpedoes the French passenger steamship, Sussex. The attack killed/injured 80 passengers. The U.S. crreated the Sussex Pledge which told Germnay that they had to warn ships before attacking.
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In 1917 Great Britain intercepts a German telegram to Mexico. They gave it to the U.S. This telegram said that if Mexico joined the Central Powers and attcked the U.S. Germany would take back some fo the land for Mexico that was currently part of America.
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Germany again tests Wilson's patience saying that they were ending the Sussex Pledge. They then continued submarine warfare the folowing day.
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The United States ends all diplomatic relations with Germany after they broke the Sussex Pledge. Later Wilson asks Congress for permission to arm all American merchant ships.
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In March 1917, Czar Nicholas II was forced to give up his throne. The Monarchy was replaced by a republican government system.
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German U-boats sink three U.S. ships, (City of Memphis, Illinois, and Vigilancia) Wilson's patience runs out and the Cabinet vote for war.
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The Congress draws up a war resolution and President Wilson signs it. America joins the war on the side of the Allies.
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Congress passes the Selective Service Act.This will draft men between the ages of 21-30 years old. By November of 1918 24 million men had registered for the draft. Only 3 million were chosen to serve.
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American troops, led by General Pershing, arrive in France
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Vladmir Lenin, leader of the Bolsheviks, violently overthrow the Russian republic.
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The war had not yet ended, yet Wilson urged for peace. He created a plan known as the 14 points.
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Russia signs a treaty with Germany. This allows Germany to not have to fight a two-front war. Now it could focus solely on the Western Front.
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For the first time since 1914 Germany breaks through the trences and they quickly advance into Allied territory. They make it 50 miles away from Paris.
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The Battle of Amiens was when the Allies stopped the German advance in the north and they also recaptured some of the land Germany had taken from them.
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The Battle fo St. Mihiel was the first major military effort on the behalf of America. The fianl Allied assualt, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, broke down the last of Germany's strongholds.
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An armisitce was signed on November 11 and all guns fell silent.
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There was an international peace conference in Paris at the beginning of the year 1919. Wilson went in looking for peace. He would soon find out that other nations wanted not peace, but punishment.
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The Treaty was presented to germany who at first refused. When at risk of French invasion they agreed. This treaty stated that Germany dhould pay $33 billion in reparations adn make their military much smaller.
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Congress voted a disregard to the Treaty of Versialles and the war was declared as officially over. Wilson vetoed and another resoloution was passed on June 2.