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Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand Assassinated
Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian Empire, was killed along with his wife during a drive while visiting Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia. This event is generally accepted by historians as being the immediate cause of the First World War, though tensions had been previously building. -
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. The political objective of the assassination was to break off Austria-Hungary's South Slav provinces so they could be combined into a Yugoslavia. The assassination led directly to the First World War when Austria-Hungary subsequently issued an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia. -
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, occurred on 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo when they were mortally wounded by Gavrilo Princip. Princip was one of a group of six assassins (five Serbs and one Bosniak) coordinated by Danilo Ilić, a Bosnian Serb and a member of the Black Hand secret society. -
German's Promise Support for the Austrians
Kaiser William II of Germany promises German support for their Austrian allies against Serbia. -
War Declaration
One month to the day after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were killed by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, effectively beginning the First World War.O -
Austria Declares War of Serbia
Because the assassination was commited by Serbs, Austria declares war on Serbia. -
Germany Declares War on Russia
Germany declares war on the Russians, who are compeled to defend Serbia. -
World War Spread
Germany declares war on Russia. France and Belgium begin full mobilization. August 3, 1914 - Germany declares war on France, and invades neutral Belgium. Britain then sends an ultimatum, rejected by the Germans, to withdraw from Belgium. -
The Scheifflin Plan
The Germans declared war on France and implemented their invasion of Belgium, part of their Scheifflen Plan. The Plan was intended to bring about a swift victory for Germany in the event of a two-front war. It concentrated on exploiting the differences in the amount of time neighboring countries would need to prepare for war. The Belgium army was swept aside easily enough, however, the French held off the German forces. With the failure of the Schleiffen Plan, trench warfare ensued. -
Britain Declares War on Germany
Britain joins its French and Russian allies. -
Britain vs Germany
Great Britain declares war on Germany. The declaration is binding on all Dominions within the British Empire including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. -
Battle of Mulhouse
Was the opening attack of World War I by the French Army against Germany. The battle was part of a French attempt to recover the province of Alsace, which France had ceded to the new German Empire following defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871. The French occupied Mulhouse on 8 August and were then forced out by German counter-attacks on 10 August. -
The Battle of the Marne
The Battle of the Marne was fought during September of 1914. Casualties were high on both sides. The French lost about 250,000 soldiers, as did the Germans. The BEF lost about 13,000 men as well. This battle signifies the beginning of full-blown trench warfare, which would dominate the front throughout the rest of the war. The French managed to save Paris, however, and Germany's Schleiffen Plan had failed. -
Turkey Enters the War on Germany's Side
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First Zeppelin Raid on Britain
Zepplins were a relatively new technology. The models built in 1914 had five machine guns and could carry 4,400 lbs. of bombs. Their maximum speed was 136 kph and they could reach a height of 4,250 metres. this particular raid took place over the east coast of England. Yarmouth and King's Lynn were both bombed. -
Allied Troops Land in Gallipoli
The campaign at the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey was a joint British and French attempt to capture Istanbul and secure a sea route to Russia. The British and French forces failed at the expense of many casualties on both sides. -
Lusitania Sinks
A German U-Boat torpedoes the British passenger liner Lusitania off the Irish coast. It sinks in 18 minutes, drowning 1,201 persons, including 128 Americans. President Woodrow Wilson subsequently sends four diplomatic protests to Germany. -
Lusitania Down
Lusitania is torpedoed without warning by a German submarine off the south coast of Ireland. Within 20 minutes, the vessel sank into the Celtic Sea. Of 1,959 passengers and crew, 1,198 people were drowned, including 128 Americans. The attack aroused considerable indignation in the United States, but Germany defended the action, noting that it had issued warnings of its intent to attack all ships, neutral or otherwise, that entered the war zone around Britain. -
Nissen hut
Captain Peter Norman Nissen completed the prototype Nissen hut, which became a standard military structure for barracks or supplies for many military bases. -
US enters World War 1
The United States formally declared war against Germany and entered the conflict in Europe. Fighting since the summer of 1914, Britain, France, and Russia welcomed news that American troops and supplies would be directed toward the Allied war effort. Under the command of Major General John J. Pershing, over two million U.S. troops served in France during the war. -
French Army Mutinies
The French Third Army faced mutinying soldiers in the 5th, 9th, 158th, and 1st Cavalry Divisions. -
The Luftstreitkräfte
German Air Force) combined four fighter squadrons) to form Jagdgeschwader 1, the first German (fighter wing). Manfred von Richthofen was promoted to commanding officer of the unit. -
Fourteen Points
The Fourteen Points speech of President Woodrow Wilson was an address delivered before a joint meeting of Congress on January 8, 1918, during which Wilson outlined his vision for a stable, long-lasting peace in Europe, the Americas and the rest of the world following World War I. -
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918 between the new Bolshevik government of Russia and the Central Powers (German Empire, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire), that ended Russia's participation in World War I. -
A Fateful Ending
Troops of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division capture the village of Cantigny from the Germans and hold it. The American Expeditionary Force (AEF) is commanded by General John Pershing who is determined to maintain all-American fighting units, rather than parcel out American troops to the British and French armies. By now, 650,000 American soldiers have arrived in France, with the number growing by 10,000 per day. -
Armistice
The armistice that ended fighting on land, sea and air in World War I between the Allies and their opponent, Germany. Previous armistices had been agreed with Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire and the AustroHungarian Empire. Also known as the Armistice of Compiègne from the place where it was signed at 5:45 a.m. by the French Marshal Foch,[1] it came into force at 11:00 a.m. Paris time on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a defeat for Germany, although not formally a surrender. -
Polish vs Soviet
The Polish-Soviet War begins. -
Treaty of Versailles
Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, officially ending its involvement in World War I. ... Germany and the Allied Powers had signed an armistice on Nov. 11, 1918. -
League of Nations
On January 10, 1920, the League of Nations formally comes into being when the Covenant of the League of Nations, ratified by 42 nations in 1919, takes effect. -
US Rejection
The United States Senate rejected for the second time the Treaty of Versailles, by a vote of 49-35, falling seven votes short of a two-thirds majority needed for approval. -
Turkey vs Greece
Battle of Sakaray Valley begins between Turkey & Greece
