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Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife are assassinated in Sarajevo during a visit there. They were assassinated by Gavrilo Princip of the Black Hand, a Serbian terrorist organization.
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Austria-Hungary delcares war on Serbia after the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand.
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Czar Nicholas II orders full mobilization of Russia.
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Germany orders Russia to halt its mobilization. Russia ignores this warning, and Germany declares War on Russia.
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Under the Schlieffen Plan, Germany needed to invade France. Therefore, it declared war on France.
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Germany demanded that Belgium allow for its troops to pass through, despite Belgium being neutral. Great Britain declares war on Germany for violating Belgian neutrality.
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Soldiers of both sides begin preparing to go to war. They are very optimistic and are convinced that it will be over by Christmas.
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Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia, involving every major world power in the war.
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The Ottoman Empire had sided with the Central Powers since August, but the Allies had not decared war on them until November.
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Both sides on the Western Front stopped fighting and celebrated Christmas. They exchanged cigarettes, sang songs, and played a game of soccer. However, the next day, the war continued.
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The Allies attempt to open a front on the Balkans by landing in Gallipoli, which ultimately fails.
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Italty betrays the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary and joins the Allied Powers.
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The British ship Lusitania is sunk by German forces. Because there were US Citizens on board, this leads to several US protests.
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After several protests in the US, Germany suspends unrestricted submarine warfare in order to prevent antagonizing the US further.
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Bulgaria allies with the Central Powers. The Central Powers then eliminate Serbia from the war.
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Grigori Rasputin, a man which the Russian czar's family believed was holy, was assassinated.
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Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare, thinking that the British will submit before the US gets involved.
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The czar of Russia, Nicholas II steps down, ending the monarchy in Russia.
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V. I. Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik party, is brought to Russia in order to create disorder to overthrow the government.
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The United States enters the war after Germany goes back to unrestricted submarine warfare. The United States brings in a new hope for the Allies.
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Lenins signs a treaty with Germany that gives up Poland, Ukraine, Finland, and the Baltic Provinces.
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Nicholas II and his family are executed by the Bolsheviks.
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The German government signs an armistice that ends the fighting.
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The League of Nations is formed in order to prevent future international conflicts.
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The Treaty of Versailles is signed, which brings peace to Europe and drastically changes its map.
