World War I By lesliedowney Jun 28, 1914 Archduke Francis Ferdinand Assassinated Jul 28, 1914 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia Aug 1, 1914 Germany declares war on Russia Aug 4, 1914 Great Britain declares war on Germany Sep 5, 1915 Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria eliminate Serbia from the war Dec 5, 1916 Rasputin Assassinated Mar 1, 1917 Strikes broke out in Petrograd Mar 15, 1917 Nicholas II steps down