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Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is Assassinated
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip (see photo), a Serbian who was supplied with weapons by the Serbian terrorist organization the Black Hand.
It was this event that set off a chain of events that lead to the start of World War I.
Interesting facts- Franz Ferdinand was great friends with the German Kaiser Wilhelm
-A bomb was also thrown at the car Franz Ferdinand was touring the city in, but it rolled off the car. -
Austria Declares War on Serbia
The assassination of Franz Ferdinand gave Austria-Hungary an acceptable reason to declare war on Serbia, which was officially declared exactly a month after the assassination. -
Germany Declares War on Russia
Germany honoured her alliance with Austria-Hungary by declaring war on Russia, a known ally of Serbia. Interesting fact- the rulers of Russia and Germany at the time, Czar Nicholas II (Russia) and Kaiser Wilhelm II (Germany) were cousins. -
Germany Declares War on France
France and Russia were allies, so Germany declared war first on Russia and then on France two days later. -
Britain Enters the War
On August 3rd 1914, the British foreign secretary sent an ultimatum to Germany and demanded that they withdraw from neutral Belgium. This request was refused by Germany, and so Britain entered the war by declaring war on Germany on August 4th, 1914. Why?- Great Britain wanted to keep Belgian ports out of the hands of major powers who could possibly invade Britain. -
Japan Honours Allegiance to Great Britain and Declares War on Germany
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Battle of Tannenberg
Fought between the Russian and German Empires in what is now northeastern Poland, the Battle of Tannenberg resulted in German victory over Russia. This was predominantly due to the fact that although the Russians had a significantly higher number of soldiers, the Germans were more experienced and better supplied.
The battle started on the 26th of August 1914, and ended four days later.
(See photo of Russian prisoners after the Battle of Tannenberg) -
First Battle of the Marne
Ending on September 12th, 1914, the First Battle of the Marne resulted in German possession of parts of industrial northeast France, but also in French victory over Germany.
(See image of soldiers in the First Battle of the Marne) -
First Battle of Ypres
Ending on November 22nd, 1914, the First Battle of Ypres was fought between British, French, and Belgian troops and German troops. It resulted in the Allies (Britain, French, and Belgium) defeating Germany.
(See image of soldiers in the First Battle of Ypres) -
Turkey Enters the War
Turkey offered naval support to Germany by bombing Russian Blac k Sea ports, which resulted in Russia's declaration of war on Turkey four days later. France and Britain followed suit two days afterwards.
(See photo of Russian Black Sea Fleet battleship) -
Unofficial Christmas Truce
Throughout the week leading up to Christmas, German and English soldiers began exchanging seasonal greetings and singing Christmas carols, and put aside their weapons for a short period of time in honour of Christmas. *I find this to be the most interesting event occurring in World War I, as it places true hope in humanity. Even in the middle of a war, surrounded by death and hate, these soldiers were able to make some "good" out of their situation. -
First Zeppelins in England
Britain suffers from an air attack from two German zeppelins dropping bombs on Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn on the eastern coast of England.
Interesting Fact- Zeppelins were rigid-framed airships filled with helium or hydrogen used by the Germans in a bombing mission against Britain. (See photo of a Zeppelin in the air) -
Germany Declares a "War Zone" Around Great Britain
By declaring a "war zone" around Great Britain, Germany brought submarines into the war and enabled neutral, innocent merchant vessels to become potential targets. -
The Dardanelles Campaign Begins
Russia asked for help from Britain and France to defend themselves from Turkey. The British navy responded by attacking Turkish forts in the Dardenelles.
(See geographic location of the Dardenelles in photo) -
Second Battle of Ypres
Lasting until May 15th, 1915, the Second Battle of Ypres marked Canada's first, large entrance into World War I. It was during this battle that the Germans first employed the usage of chlorine gas against their foes.
Interesting Fact- The famous poem "In Flanders Fields" was written just after the Second Battle of Ypres.
(See image of a representation of what the Second Battle of Ypres would have appeared like) -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The British ocean liner "RMS Lusitania" ferried goods and people across the Atlantic Ocean. German U-boat U-20 launched a torpedo at the Lusitania, successfully sinking it within 18 minutes, killing 1,198 people. 128 of these people were American citizens, and this fact enraged the (then neutral) United States.
Interesting Fact- Germany believed that the Lusitania was used to transport war materials, and in 2008 their theory was proved correct by divers exploring the wreck of the Lusitania. -
Italy Declares War on Austria-Hungary
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Bulgaria Declares War on Serbia
In the two days following this declaration, both the United Kingdom and France declared war on Bulgaria. -
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The Battle of Verdun
Fought between French and German forces, the Battle of Verdun was the longest battle in World War One, and possibly the bloodiest. It resulted in over 700,000 casualties. Officially, the battle is said to be "in favour" of the French, but due to the immense amount of deaths suffered it can be perhaps said that neither sides won this battle. -
The Battle of Jutland
The only large-scale naval battle fought in World War I, the Battle of Jutland was fought between Germany and Great Britain, and resulted in Britain's strategic planning causing Germany's withdrawal. -
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The Battle of the Somme
The French were suffering severe losses at the time due to the Battle of Verdun, so the Allied High Command attacked the Germans to the north of Verdun. The five month long battle saw the death of 420,000 British soldiers (60,000 on the first day), 200,000 French soldiers and 500,000 German soldiers all for a total land gain of just 25 miles.Tanks were first introduced to the War in this battle. -
Germany's Secret Message
Germany sent the secret Zimmerman Telegram to Mexico in an attempt to involve Mexico in the war. The British intercept it and decipher the coded message.
(See photo of the telegram) -
Russian Revolution
World War I turned out to prove disastrous to Russia,Tsar Nicholas, and his family. The Russian people errupted into open revolt, and forced Tsar Nicholas II to abdicate
Also, people in St. Petersburg demonstrated against the Tsarina because she was of German decent.
(See photo of Tsar Nicholas II) -
The United States Declares War on Germany
Originally, the United States declared neutrality in the war, although it played a large role in providing the Allies with weaponry. When the Lusitania was sunk, it sparked fury in America, but not fully war. However, when the Zimmermann Telegram inviting Mexico to join the fight was intercepted, the U.S. saw it as a cause for war, and therefore declared war on Germany in mid-1917.
(See photo of the famous American "Uncle Sam" recruitment poster) -
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Battle of Passchendaele
Also known as the Third Battle of Ypres, the Battle of Passchendaele was fought between the Allies (British, Australian, and Canadian troops) and Germany, and occurred in a very muddy location. Canadian soldiers were said to have "performed exceptionally," and eventually succeeded in securing victory. -
The Bolsheviks Overthrow the Russian Government
The Bolsheviks were generally viewed as an extremist group and had very little support when they began serious efforts in April 1917. However, by October, the Bolsheviks’ popular base was much larger; though still a minority within the country as a whole, they had built up a large support network, and overthrew the Russian government in 1917. The Bolsheviks were led by communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin.
(See photo of Vladimir Lenin) -
The Armistice Agreed Upon by Russia and the Central Powers Goes Into Effect
The new Russian government signed an Armistice with Germany. The treaty demanded that Russia surrender Poland, the Ukraine and other regions. They also had to cease all Socialist propaganda directed at Germany, among several other conditions.
(See image of the nations' meeting) -
Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/woodrow_wilson1.htm >The Fourteen Points can be accessed here
United States President Woodrow Wilson made this public statement outlining why World War I was being fought for a moral cause.
(see photo of Woodrow Wilson) -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed between Russia and the Central Powers, headed by Germany, marking Russia's exit from World War I.
(See photo of The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, at Brest-Litovsk (now Brest, Belarus) between Russia (the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic) and the Central Powers, headed by Germany, marking Russia's exit from World War I.
(See photo of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk) -
The Battle of the Lys
German forces proved successful in capturing Ypres, and used tear gas on British troops. However, although the Germans gained some territory through this battle, the overall losses were very difficult to cope with, as they suffered120,000 casualties.
(See photo of soldiers in the trenches during the Battle of the Lys) -
Second Battle of Marne
The Second Battle of Marne is often referred to as the "turning point" in World War I, as it marks the beginning of the German army's collapse. It ended on August 6th of the same year, and caused the loss of 168,000 German soldiers, along with many losses to the Allies.
It was this battle that began Germany's last offensive push in World War I.
(See image representing how the Second Battle of Marne appeared) -
The Battle of Amiens
The Battle of Amiens lasted three days, and consisted of a series of offensive attacks launched against Germany by the Allies. This resulted in heavy casualties on the German's behalf, and the collapse of the German army became closer.
(See photo of the Battle of Amiens) -
Fifth Battle of Ypres
Lasting four days, the fifth and last Battle of Ypres resulted in the Allied advancement to the west, pushing the German Army further away from Ypres and all the destruction. -
Mutiny Began to Appear in German Forces
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Kaiser Wilhelm II Abdicates
(See photo of Kaiser Wilhelm II) -
The End
At 11 am, the armistice was signed by Germany bringing the war to an end.
(See photo of a news article released shortly after the armistice) -
Treaty of Versailles
Essentially, the Treaty of Versailles brought World War I to an official end. Although the armistice brought the fighting to an end, this treaty was what brought about "peace." (See image of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles)
