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Seventy nations gathered on this day with ambassadors of many uncrowned countries
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President Woodrow Wilson, who would serve as commander in chief during World War 1, officially becomes President for the first of two terms.
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On this day, the Arch Duke of Austria-Hungary was shot by Garrilo Princip. This event is often considered the spark for World War 1, which would grow because of entangling alliances.
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Germany invades France with results in chaos and leads to the downfall of France.
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In an attempt to defend the country and save their name the Britain declared war on Germany
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A Christmas truce occurs between German and British soldiers in the trenches of northern France. All shooting stops as the soldiers exit their trenches, exchange gifts, sing carols and engage in a soccer game. This is the only Christmas truce of the war, as Allied commanders subsequently forbid fraternization with orders to shoot any violators.
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A German boat sunk the British luxury liner, the Lusitania. 1,198 people lost their lives, including 128 Americans. Its sinking caused outrage for both in Britain and in the US and led, ultimately, to the USA declaring war against Germany
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In the early morning of March 9, 1916, several hundred Mexican guerrillas under the command of Francisco “Pancho” Villa cross the U.S.-Mexican border and attack the small border town of Columbus, New Mexico. Seventeen Americans were killed in the raid, and the center of town was burned.
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Woodrow Wilson became the first Democratic president since Andrew Jackson to be elected to two consecutive terms of office when he defeated Hughes in the 1916 Presidential Election. Hughes, the Republican candidate, was defeated by nearly 600,000 votes in the popular vote.
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The Zimmermann Telegram was a secret diplomatic communication issued from the German Foreign Office that proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico in case the United States entered World War I against Germany, Mexico would not lose.
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The United States severs diplomatic ties with Germany after a U-Boat sinks the American grain ship Housatonic. Seven more American ships are sunk in February and March as the Germans sink 500 ships in just sixty days
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The Battle of the Somme, fought in northern France, was one of the bloodiest battles of World War One. For five months the British and French armies fought the Germans in this brutal battle.
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On this day President Woodrow Wilson asks Congress to send U.S. troops into war against Germany in World War I. Four days later, Congress obliged and declared war on Germany.
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Congress granted the request and the United States was formally at war with Germany.
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The Selective Service Act is passed by the U.S. Congress, authorizing a draft. The small U.S. Army, presently consisting of 145,000 men, will be enlarged to 4,000,000 via the draft.
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The first American troops land in France.
