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Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assassinated
The heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife Sophie were on a state visit to Sarajevo in Bosnia, there they were assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a 19 year old student and supporter of the Serb nationalist Black Hand Gang, and this was what sparked WW1. -
The Schlieffen Plan
Many years before WW1 began, Field Marshal von Schlieffen created a plan to defeat France in only six weeks, and then quickly move east to attack Russia. As the plan suggested, Germany invaded Belgium, but later chose not to take Paris. Instead they decided to conquer east of the capital. There they came across the French at the Battle of Marne which stopped the German advance. -
All themajor countries in Europe at war
Six weeks after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, all the major countries in Europe were at war. Austria declared war on Serbia, German allies helped Austria.Russia helped Serbia, and because they were bound by treaty, France followed Russia. -
Battle of Tannenburg
The German Eighth Army had won one of the most astounding battles in history. The Battle of Tannenberg took place in close to Allenstein. It was Russias greatest defeat of WW1, and left them shell shocked until spring 1915. Russia lost over 250000 men and were pushed completely out of Germany. -
Battle of Marne
During the Battle of the Marne both the French and the Germans lost about 250,000 soldiers. This battle was what failed the Schliefflen Plan, as the Germans met the French, and the French dominated them, saving Paris. -
Battle of Masurian Lakes
The Battle of Masurian Lakes was the second defeat for the Russian Army by the Germans in. By the end the Germans lost 40,000 men, and the Russian First Army lost 125,000. The Russians were no longer a threat to Germany. -
First Zepplin Raid on Britain
London and some of Britain underwent Zepplin raids. Zepplins were airships filled with hydrogen gas to make them float, the Germans used them to drop bombs. The damage was minor but it was a shock for Britain to know they were no longer protected from war by being an island. -
Allied Troops land in Gallipoli
The most famous campain for Austrlians in WW1 was fought in Gallipoli. There was absolutley no gain, but a massive defeat. The troops were sent there because the British government wanted to control the Cardanelles Strait, it was also designed o relieve the pressure on the Russian troops who were fighting the Turks elsewhere. 8142 Austrlian lives were lost in the battles for Gallipoli. -
Sinking of the Lustiania
Thew Germans severely disprupted British trade by sinking merchant ships using U-boats. Off the coast of Ireland, a German U-boat destroyed the Lustiania, a British passenger ships. Although it was a British ship, and more than a thousand people drowned, 128 of the victims were American citizens. The Americans were then brought into the war, after US President Woodrow Wilson tried so hard to keep the USA out. -
Conscription Introduced in Britain
The stream of volunteers in Britain was begining to dry up. So they introduced conscription, the forced enlistment and military service of men. -
Battle of Verdun
Verdun was a French fortress and town 206 kms west of Paris. This was where the greatest artillery bombing ever seen accured. The Germans believed the French would defend Verdun with everything they had because it was a strategic strong hold as it was on the road to Paris. After a catastrophic 700,000 casulties to both sides, the Germans failed to take. -
Battle of the Somme
This was the single most catastrophic day in British military history, with 60,000 soldiers dead or wounded. The British plan was to bomb the Germans and wipe them out, but the Germans had seen them coming and hid in the deep trenches, when the British began their attack, the Germans were waiting for them and wiped them out. -
David Loyd George becomes Prime Minister of Britain
David Lloyd George was the first Welsh Prime Minister of Britain. He would lead the country to victory during WW1, but he also insisted on Germany's humiliation after the war had finished, which would somewhat lead to WW2 -
The February Revolution
The February Revolution was the first of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. This revolution seemed to break out unexpectedly, without any real leadership or recognized preparation. Russia had been suffering from several economic and social problems, along with massive loss of life, which were compounded by the impact of WW1. Strikes broke out across Russia against Czar Nicholas II. -
The Third Battle of Ypres
The Allies plan was to weaken the strong forces of Germany and break through to attack their boat bases on the coast of Belgium. The battle lasted until 6th of November. There was heavy rain in August and October which made it harder for both sides, and the battle was nicknamed the Battle of the Mud. The Allies tanks bogged down in the waterlogged soil of Flanders; Germans introduced mustard gas which interfered with the Allied artillery. In the end, -
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed by the Russians and the German Empire, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey. It marked Russia's final withdrawal from WW1. -
Russian Royal Executed
Czar Nicholas II, his wife, son and four daughters were all executed by the Bolsheviks after being imprisoned following his abdications. The Romanov dynasty officially and tragically ended. -
The Second Battle of Marne
A massive vitory for the Allies against Germany but a major loss of life.The Germans launched their final drive towards Paris; the French held back the Germanswith the help of America and Britain. The Allies continuedto fire at the Germans until they were back to where they started. -
Germany Signs Armisctice With Allies
The Germans signed an agreement with the Allies, which officially ended WW1. As the Allie troops expanded, Germany was declining. The First World War left nine million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded, with Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France, and Great Britain each losing nearly a million or more lives. In addition, at least five million civilians died from disease, starvation, or exposure. It is on this day, every year, that we re -
The Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was the peace treaty that was created as a result of the six-month-long Paris Peace Conference which put an official end to World War I. Seeing as Germany had started the war, Germany was made to accept full responsibility of it. They could not rebuild their armed forces, and had to give up all their weapons. This almost guarenteed a Second Worl War with Germany.