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On this day, the Archduke of Austria-Hungary was shot by Gavrilo Prinicip. This event is often considered the spark of World War 1, which would grow because of entangling alliances.
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After the assassination of the Archduke, Franz Ferdinand, Austria-Hungary gives Serbia an unfair ultimatum. When Serbia doesn't accept, Austria-Hungary declares war on July 28th, 1914.
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Russia had an alliance with Serbia and mobilized for war in reaction to Austria's declaration of War on Serbia.
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On August 1st, 1914, Germany declares war on Russia
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On August 4th, 1914, Britain declared war on Germany due to German refusal to remove troops from neutral Belgium.
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France joins the war on August 12th, 1914, due to being bound by treaty to defend Russia who was at war with Austria-Hungary.
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On May 7th, 1915, a German U-Boat torpedoed and sunk the Lusitania while it was headed to Britain, causing a large reaction from America and causing Germany to temporarily halt their unlimited submarine warfare policy.
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Woodrow Wilson was in office from 1913-1921 avoiding foreign affairs as much as possible until 1917 after being re-elected he made the decision to declare war on Germany.
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The Zimmerman Telegram was an encrypted telegram from Germany to Mexico to make a military alliance. The telegram was intercepted by the U.S., infuriating the U.S. and adding reason to join the war.
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On April 2nd, 1917, Woodrow asks Congress for declaration of war on Germany saying "The world must be made safe for democracy.” Wilson's main reason for the declaration of war was Germany continuing to submarine bomb passenger and merchant ships.
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Four days later, on April 6th, 1917, Congress votes overwhelmingly in favor of war against Germany.
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The Espionage Act; an act that was made to prevent interference of the U.S. Military and prevent the help U.S. enemies., was passed by Congress on June 15th, 1917, 5 months after the Zimmerman Note was intercepted.
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Spanish Influenza is be believed to have effected more than a third of the world’s population and killed more people than WW1, taking somewhere between 20 and 40 million lives.
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Germany asked the allies for an armistice, or an agreement to stop fighting all together rather than surrender, as they knew they could no longer win WW1
