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Black Hand was Founded
The Black Hand was also called Ujedinjenje ili Smrt (Union or Death). Most members were in the Serbian army. Their goal was to create a Greater Serbia, using violence if necessary. They were well-known for political murders. In 1914, Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijevic, or Apis, a major player in the Black hand decided it was time to kill Archduke Ferdinand. He had three men trained for the job, including Gavrilo Princip, who succeeded on June 28 in Sarajevo. -
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria Assassinated
Franz Ferdinand was born December 18, 1863. He was heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne before his assassination in 1914 by Gavrilo Princip. Princip killed both Archduke Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, on June 28 in Sarajevo which is the capital of the Austro-Hungarian province of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Princip was 19, a member of Young Bosnia and was believed to be in a group of assassins organized by Black Hand. -
Period: to
World War I
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Austria-Hungary Declared War on Serbia
Austria-Hungary gave Serbia an ultimatum in response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Serbia only agreed to eight out of ten of the terms given by Austria-Hungary and so Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. In 1914, the budget for military aviation was approximately 1/25th the amount spent by France. Austria-Hungary entered the war with only forty-eight first-line aircraft. -
German Empire begins to Mobilise
Germany expected a quick conflict and were fast to declare war against France. -
French Mobilization was Ordered
France, still upset about the German invasion during the Franco-Prussian war, mobilized their troops. -
United Kingdom Declares War on Germany
On August 4, 1914, the United Kingdom declared war on Germany, after an "unsatisfactory reply" to the British ultimatum that Belgium be kept neutral. -
The Septemberprogramm was drafted
The Septemberprogramm, or September Program, was written by Matthias Erzberger and was a plan for Germany's involvement in the war. The September Program was never put into effect. -
Germany Agrees to a Cease Fire
Germany agrees to a cease fire after signing an armistice with the Allies. This meant an ending of hostilities on the Western Front. This went into effect the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918. This was declared Armistice Day, or Remembrance Day, however, after World War II, it became known as Veterans Day. -
Treaty of Versailles was Signed
The Treaty of Versailles ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. Though Germany had agreed to a cease fire six months prior the signed of the Treaty of Versailles, this treaty forced Germany to state that they had caused the war.
