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Archduke Franz Ferdinand is Assassinated (EU)
A group of poor, young Bosnians began a plot to assassinate the archduke of Austria-Hungary. On the listed date, Ferdinand was scheduled to make a visit to Bosnia, and the revolution group was aware of that. There was already an attempt to assassinate the archduke before, but when one of the group's members, Gavrilo Princip, came upon the archduke after their car returned to the same route as in the first assassination attempt, he killed the archduke and his wife. -
Germany Attacks/Declares War on France (EU)
After declaring war on Russia, Germany officially declares on France, which imposes a threat to Belgium and its neutrality. Germany does invade Belgium, and moves through France while doing so, thus causing the involvement of Great Britain. -
Britain Declares War on Germany (EU)
After Great Britain gives Germany an ultimatum in response to the invasion of Belgium, due to a treaty between the two countries to support one another if one of them is attacked. Since Germany rejects the ultimatum, Britain declares war on them. -
Woodrow Wilson Declares US Neutrality (US)
While France, Russia, and Great Britain had gone to war with Germany, president Woodrow Wilson declared that the U.S. would claim neutrality. The decision appeased most Americans at the time. -
Christmas Truce of 1914 (EU)
As proposed by Pope Benedict XV on the listed date, troops should be able to celebrate Christmas together. The Christmas Truce was officially rejected, but the troops took it upon themselves and began ceasefires, and the German and British soldiers left their trenches to dance and sing holiday songs. -
Armenian Genocide (EU)
The Armenian Genocide was the mass murder of thousands and millions of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire (Turkey). The murders began on the listed date and ended in the early 1920s. The perpetrators used telegrams to communicate to one another and with Germany. Armenians were killed, but also deported and forcibly removed from the country as well. -
Sinking of the Lusitania (US)
Because the U.S. provided more shipping to Britain than Germany, it caused tension between the two countries. Germany began sinking and attacking American ships, until they announced unrestricted submarine warfare around Britain in 1915 before torpedoing the Lusitania. The sinking of the Lusitania caused outrage between the Allies and America, as well. -
US Chases Pancho Villa (US)
After Villa attacked U.S. nationals and their property, Wilson launched the search for the capture of Pancho Villa. But when the troops stationed in Mexico were unable to find or capture Villa, the expedition was declared a failure and embarrassment of the U.S. -
Sussex Pledge (US)
The Sussex Pledge basically said that before sinking or attacking any ship, Germany had to give fair warning. This lasted up until February of 1917. -
Battle of the Somme (EU)
This was one of the battles between France and Britain against Germany. It was fought along the sides of the Somme River in France. Lasting from the first of July to the 18th of November. Rather than there being a winner from the battle, the British halted their troops' offensive and Germany did the same. -
Election of 1916 (US)
The election of 1916 was between two candidates, Charles Evan Hughes, who was a Supreme Court Justice, and former president, Woodrow Wilson. Wilson won the election, mostly due to the fact that he kept the U.S. in neutral stance during the war in Europe. -
Zimmermann Telegram (US)
Arthur Zimmermann, the German secretary of state, created a telegram intended for, first, the German ambassador in Washington, D.C., and the other one in Mexico. The telegram was basically telling Mexico to incite war with America and form an alliance with Japan so that it will benefit them. Of course, they didn't happen, because Britain intercepted the message after spying on the United States and relayed the message to them. -
Russian Revolution (EU)
Russia was an underdeveloped and impoverished country with high rates of poverty. When they were entered into the war, the high prices of military supplies and trading really cost the stability of the economy. And seeing as a big portion of the population was poor, it became really hard to work in such a tough industrial environment but receive so little pay to where you couldn't afford to even buy food. So to display their feelings, the workers and peasants rioted and protested for the better. -
America and Germany Break Ties (US)
After the sinking of the Lusitania, Germany predicted that America would want to break ties. They had sent the telegram preceding this event in January. Wilson had still been reluctant to succumb to the tension between the two countries. -
Woodrow Wilson Asks Congress for a Declaration of War (US)
About two months after the Zimmermann Telegram is sent to the U.S. and published to the public, Wilson asked Congress for an official declaration of war. Wilson's speech had even convinced those who protested that the U.S. stay isolated and neutral. -
United States Declares War on Germany (US)
Only four days from Wilson's request for a declaration of war, Congress had appeased. The U.S. was now officially at war with Germany. -
Selective Service Act (US)
The Selective Service Act was essentially a draft for more soldiers to enter the war, it included plenty of nationalistic and patriotic propaganda in order to convince men to volunteer rather than be forced into joining the military. The age range began as 21 to 30, but become 18 to 45 in 1918. -
Peace Treaty Between Germany and Russia (EU)
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed by/between Russia and the Central Powers. It stated that Germany would not invade Russia anymore and Russia had to give up its territories (most of them, if not all, went to Germany). -
Battle of Cantigny (US)
The first American offensive battle for the war. The influx of soldiers from America into France, after the French's loss at the last battle, the victory at this battle for the Allies became a significant one. -
Armistice (EU)
The armistice was the temporary, unofficial end for the war. Every country in the Central Powers except for Germany had signed an armistice with the Allies. Thus, the war was "over." Many people celebrated the end of the war, including the soldiers, but some men in the army were riddled with terrible PTSD and paranoia after the war. -
Treaty of Versailles (EU)
The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty signed by the Allies, Germany, and the other Central Powers. It was signed in France, at the Palace of Versailles on the listed date. Yet, it wasn't actually active until January 10, 1920. The treaty essentially placed the blame of the war onto Germany and made them responsible for fulfilling all reparations, while also demobilizing them. Which led to resentment from the Germans against basically everyone else.
