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Triple Alliance is formed between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
In 1882 Italy goined the alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary. Germany and Austria-Hungary would support Italy if France attacked. In responce, European Powers excluded form the Triple Alliance formed new alliances. -
Germany joins Russia in an alliance
Germany and Russia formed a secret alliance. The agreement was created by Otto von Bismark, chancellor of Germany becsue the Triple Alliance The terms stated that each country would stay neutral if the other intered a war with another great power. This statment was not in affect if Germany attacked France or if Russia attacked Austria. This treaty was known as the Reinsurance Treaty. The Reinsrance Treaty was ended in 1889 and Russia goined a new alliance with Britain and France. -
Wilhem II allows alliance with Russia to expire.
Wilhem II allowed Germany's alliance with Russia to expire. In response, Russia allied with France. If war broke out Germany would be forced to endure a two-fronted war. -
Kaiser Wilhelm II changes foreign policy, forced Bismarck to resign
Kaiser Wilhelm II and Otto Von Bismarck had opposing political views. In addition, Kaiser Wilhelm II wanted complete power for himself and forced Bismarck to resign. This casued the alliances formed by Bismarck to end. Russia formed a new alliance with France. France was no longer isolated meaning Germany was no longer safe from its bordering nations. -
Russia formed defensive military alliance with France.
Wilhem II allowed Germany's alliance with Russia to end in 1890. Russia then joined a defensice military alliance with France in 1892 and 1894. If war broke out Germany would be fighting a two front war. -
Britain formed entente with France.
Wilhelm II began to build Germany's naval forces up. Threatened, Britain formed an entente with France to provide protection from Germany. -
Triple Entente formed.
Britain allied with France and Russia creating the Triple Entente. This alliance did not force Britain to fight with France or Russia but guaranteed that Britain would not fight against either power. Now two oposing forces in Europe were created. The Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance which concisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. Now if a conflict emerged most of Europe would be thrown into battle. -
Ferdinand and Sophie assassinated.
Heirs to the Austria-Hungary throne Franz Ferdinand and Sophie visted the capital of Bosnia, Sarajevo. The two were assassinated by Gaverilo Princip. He was only 19 but was a member of the Black Hand, a group who no longer wanted Bosnia to be ruled by Austria-Hungary. The assassination led Austria to giving Serbia an ultimatum. Serbia refused one of the terms stated in the ultimatum and Austria-Hungary declared war. -
Austria presented Serbia with the ultimatum.
Austria wished to punish Serbia for the assassination of the heir to their throne. Austria gave Serbia an ultimatum with various demands. Serbia only refused one demand: to allow Austria to investagate the assassination in Serbia. With that refusal, Austria declared war. This caused Russia to mobilize its troops toward Austria. -
Austria declared war on Bosnia. Russia also ordered mobilization toward the Austrian border.
Austria declared war on Bosnia. In responce Russia, allies of Bosnia, mobilized their troops toward the Austrian border. The war had officially begun. -
Germany declared war on Russia
Russia responded to Austria declaring war on Serbia by mobilizing their troops towards the Austrian border. Expecting Germany to fight for Austria, Russia also sent troops toward the German border. Germany responded by declaring war on Russia. Russia relied on its allies for help. -
Germany declares war on France
After Germany declared war on Russia, Russia called upon France for help. Germany declared war on France before they could respond to Russia. The two war declarations were only two days apart. In response, Great Britain declared war on Germany. -
Britain declared war on Germany
Britain declared war on Germany to aid its allies Russia and France. Most of Europe is now being thrown into war. -
Four day battle
Germany couterattacked the Russians at Tannenberg. The battle lasts four days on the Eastern front. The battle becomes Germany's greatest sucsess over Russia. -
Allies attack Germany at the 1st Battle of the Marne
Allies attack Germany at the 1st Battle of the Marne. The attack stops Germany from invading France. -
Ottoman Empire fromally joins Central Powers
Ottoman Empire joins Central Powers officially. Factors of this consist of German pressure, and Germany winning various battles in the begining of the war. -
The Battle of Limanowa.
Austrians with German assistance couter the Russians at the Battle of Limanowa. Ended Russian plans to invade Germany through Austria-Hungary -
Allies launch the Gallipoli campaign
Allies attack using only naval forces. The attack was not a sucsess and led to Bulgaria joining the Central Powers. -
Italy joins Entente
Italy enterend the war on April 26 as part of the Triple Entente. -
Germany sinks the U.S.S. Lusitania
Germany uses U-boats to sank the Lusitania ship in fear it was carrying war materials to aid the allied powers. The ship contained 1,198 peolple and 128 american. This attack led to the U.S.A joining the war. -
Germans attack the Allies at Verdun in the Battle of the Somme
The Germans launched an attack against the French. Lasting from February until November of 1916 the battle of the Somme showed all the horrors of warfare. Trench warfare was used causing many casualties. Both nations lost 300,000 plus men. Britain attacked Gerany in the valley of the Somme River. British lost 20,000 men in the first day of the battle. Both sides lost over 50,000 men by the end of the battle. -
German unrestricted submarine warfare.
In January of 1917, Germans announced their policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. Unrestricted submarine warfare is when U-boats attack any ships without warning. This angered allied powers. German submarines sank three U.S. ships pusing the United States towards joining the war. -
U.S. intercepts the Zimmerman Note
Britain decoded the German Zimmerman note and gave it too the United States. The note was asking Mexico to ally with Germany. If they agreed Germany would help Mexico retake land from the U.S. The United States entered the war on the side of the Allies. -
Woodrow Wilson asks Congress to declare war on Germany.
128 U.S. citizens had been killed on the Lusitania and three more U.S. ships were sunk by the German U-boats the U.S. was close to going the war. After the Zimmermann note was intercepted Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. Congress accepted and the U.S. officially joined the war. Allied powers were aided greatly by new U.S. forces. -
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin ended Russia's involvement in WWI
Lack of food and supplies in Russia led Vladimir Llyich Lenin to stop all Russian participation in WWI. Russia signed an armistice with the Central powers. -
World War I ends
A German representative and French Comander Marshal Foch sign an armistice. World War I ends.
