world war 1

  • francis ferdinand is assissinated

    Archduke Francis Ferdinand heir to the Austria-Hungary throne and his wife are assassinated by a Serbian Nationalist in Sarejevo
  • Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia

  • russia begins to mobilize forces and Austria-hungary invades serbia

  • germany declares war on russia, start of world war 1

  • germany declares war on france

  • Germany declares war on neutral Belgium, britian declares war on germany and the U.S. states neutrality

  • The Battle of the Frontiers begins

  • First Battle of the Marne begins

  • First Battle of the Masurian Lakes begins

  • First Battle of the Marne ends in a French Victory

  • Russia loses the First Battle of Masurian Lakes

  • Turkey enters the war on the side of the Central Powers

  • Battle of the Falkland Islands between British and German Naval units.

  • An unofficial Christmas truce is declared by soldiers along the Western Front

  • Germany declares a submarine blockade of Great Britain

  • American citizen die as the British liner Falaba, becomes the first passenger ship to be sunk by U-boats.

  • Britain announces a blockade of all German ports

  • The British liner Lusitania is sunk by a U-Boat with the loss of 1,198 civilians, including 128 American lives, creating a diplomatic crisis

  • Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary

  • The Washington Post carries story that General Staff are planning to send a force of 1 million soldiers overseas

  • The Germans end their offensive against the Russians

  • Germany renounces submarine policy

  • Battle of Jutland begins between British and German naval forces

  • Having been the biggest naval battle in history, the battle of Jutland ends without a clear victor

  • Romania enters the war on the Allies side

  • Tanks introduced for the first time on the Somme battlefield by the British

  • German leaders decide to launch unrestricted U-boat warfare

  • "Peace without Victory." speech is made by President Wilson

  • Zimmermann Telegram is released to press by US State Department. The Armed Ship Bill is passed by Congress.

  • United States comes out of neutrality and declares war on Germany

  • The first U.S. troops begin arriving in France. These are men of the U.S. 1st Division

  • 7 Greece enters the war on the side of the Allies

  • The United States declares war on Austro-Hungary

  • U.S. forces (28th Regiment of 1st Division) are victorious in their first major action, Battle of Cantigny

  • Armistice day as fighting ceases at 11am - World War I ends