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Allies
By 1907 there were two major defense alliances in Europe. The Triple Entente, later known as the Allies, consisted of France, Britain and Russia. The Triple Alliance consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. -
Central Powers
The Middle Eastern lands controlled by the Trunks- were later known as the central powers. The alliances provided a measure of international security because nations were reluctant to disturb the balance of power. As it turned out, spark set off a major conflict. -
1914 Assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
In June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrain throne, visited the Bosnian capital Sarajevo. As the royal entourage drove through the city, Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip stepped from the crowd and shot the Archduke and his wife Sophie. Pricip was a member of the Black Hand, an organization propmoting Serbian nationalism. The assassinations tougched off a diplomatic crissis. On July 28, Austria- Hungary declared what was expected to be a short war against Serbia. -
Schlieffen Plan
On August 3, 1914, Germany invaded Belgium, following a strategy known as the Schlieffen Plan. This plan called for a holding action against Russia,combined with a quick drive through Belgium to Paris; after France had fallen, the two Gernam armies would defeat Russia. In Brussels, the Belgian capital, an American war correspondent described the first major refugee crisis of the 20th century. -
Sinking of French passanger liner Sussex
The sussex sank, and anout 80 passengers, including Americans,were killed or injured. Once again the United States warned that it would break off diplomatic relations unless Germany changed its tactics. -
Sinking of British liner Lusitaria
A u-boat sank the British liner Lusitania off the southern coast of Ireland. Of the 1198 persons lost, 128 were Americans. The Germans defended their action on the grounds that the liner carried ammunition. Despite Germany's explanation, Americans became outraged with Germany because of the loss of life. American public opinion turned against Germany and the Central Powers. -
Sinking of British liner Arabic
A U-boat sank another British liner, the Arabic, drowning two Americans. Again the United States protested, and this time Germany agreed not to sink any more passenger ships. -
Battle of the Somme
During the First Battle of the Somme-which began on July 1 1916, and lasted until mid- November -the Brisish siffered 60,000 casualties the first day alone. Final casualties totaled about 10.2 million, yet only about seven miles of ground changed hands. This bloody trench warfare, in which armies fought for mere yards of ground, continued for over three years. -
Convoy System
German U-boat attacks on Merchant ships in the Atlantic were a serious threat to the Allied war effort. American Vice admiral William S. Sims convinced the British to try the convoy system, in which a heavy gaurd of destroyers escorted merchant ships back and fourth across the Atlantic in groups. By fall of 1917, shipping losses had been cut in half. -
Zimmernann note
First was the Zimmermann note, a telegram from the German foreign minister to the German ambassador in Mexico that was intercepted by British agents. The telegram proposed an alliance between Mexico and Germany and promised that if war with the United States broke out, Germany would support Mexico in "recovering lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona" -
Selective Service Act of 1917
To meet the governments need for more fighting power, Congress passed the Selective Service Act in May 1917. The act required men to register with the government in order to be randomly selected for military service. By the end of 1918, 24 million men had register under the act. Of this number, almost almost 3 million wer called up. About 2 million troops reached Europe before the truce was signed, and three-fourths of them saw actual combat. -
War Industries Board
The War Industries Board (WIB) was a United States government agency established on July 28, 1917, during World War I, to coordinate the purchase of war supplies. The organization encouraged companies to use mass-production techniques to increase efficiency and urged them to eliminate waste by standardizing products. -
Cease-fire and armistice
The eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, in the eleventh month of 1918, Germany agreed to a cease-fire and sigend the armistice, or truce, that ended the war -
Second Battle of Marne
On this day in 1918, near the Marne River in the Champagne region of France, the Germans begin what would be their final offensive push of World War I. Dubbed the Second Battle of the Marne, the conflict ended several days later in a major victory for the Allies. -
National War Labor Board
The National War Labor Board (NWLB) was a United States federal agency created in two different incarnations, the first by President Woodrow Wilson from 1918–19 during World War I and the second by President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1942–45 during World War II. -
Austria-Hungary surrenders to the Allies
Austria-Hungary surrenders to the Allies.That same day German sailors mutined againts government authority. The mutiny spread quickly. Everywhere in Germany, groups of soldiers and workers organized revolutionary council. -
Establishments of the German Republic
Socialist leaders in the capital, Berlin, established a German Republic . The kaiser gave up the throne
