-
The Triple Alliance
On May 20th, 1882, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy formed the Triple Alliance, opposing the Triple Entente. The Triple Entene was comprised of Britain, France, and Russia. This guaranteed partnership made countries behave recklessly, knowing their allied countries would have to back them up. -
Archduke Franz Ferdinand is Assasinated
On June 28, 1914, while traveling through Serbia with his wife, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. In an effort to remove themselves from uner Austria-Hungary, a Serbian nationalist named Gavrilo Princip opened fire on the archduke and his wife. This set of a chain of events, leading up to World War I. -
Germany's Blank Check Assurance
On July 5, 1914, Kaiser Wilhelm II pledges Germany's "faithful support" to Austria-Hungary in their endeavors toward Serbia. -
World War I Begins
After the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife, Austria-Hungary declared ear on Serbia. Within a week, peach in Europe was nonexistent as Russia, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Serbia lined up against Austria-Hungary and Germany. -
The Lusitania is Sunk
On May 7, 1915, a German U-boat sinks the British liner The Lusitania on its way from New York to Liverpool. This succeeded in upsetting the general public in the United States and abroad, turning them against Germany. -
The Zimmerman Note is Published
On January 16, 1917. a note from germany to Mexico proposing Mexican acts of war against the United States. This is believed to have drawn the United States into the war, even with our declared neutrality. This made American involvement inevitable. -
Germany's Resumption of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
On February 1, 1917, Germany declared the area around the British Isles a warzone and that any merchant ships would eb attacked by German submarines. -
Espionage Act is Passed
On June 15, 1917. the United States Congress passed the Espionage act, prohibiting anyone conveying information to interfere with American participation in the war. -
The Sedition Act is Passed
On May 16, 1918. the US Congress passed the Sedition Act prohibiting abusive language about the government. -
Treat of Versailles
On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, signaling the official end of the war. The Treaty made Germany liable for reparations and reestablished boundaries. -
WWI Statistics
Total Casualties US: 323,018, 7.1%.
Total Casualties Germany: 7,142,558, 64.9%.
Total Casualties Austria-Hungary: 7,020,000, 90%.
New Countries Formed: Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia from the land left behind by Austria-Hungary.
Disillusionment After the War: There was confusion and uncertainty surrounding America's entry and involvement into the war, and the fact that the war, essentially, solved nothing. -
Dawes Plan
Sometime in 1924, the Daws Plan was enacted. The Dawes Plan was an attempt to collect raparations from Germany by having the Triple Entente compromise and collect war reparations debt. -
Great Depression
On October 24, 1929, the stock market crashed, sending Wall Street into immense panic and cost investors billions of dollars. Post-crash, many bank account holders tried to make withdrawals, causing the collapse of many, many banks. This was very slowly overcome due to reparatory measures by Franklin D. Roosevelt, such as the four-day "bank holiday," giving the banks a chance to recover and reopen to the public, holding "fireside chats" on the radio to empower and inspire the American people. -
Young Plan
Sometime in 1930, the Young Plan was put into action. The Young Plan set up new ways for Germany to pay their debts, including interest plans, and nonnegotiable sums. This third attempt at forcing Germany to own up to their mistakes left the German people feeling very weak in their government, called the Weimar Republic. -
The Rise of Adolf Hitler
In the early 1930s, with the German people feeling so defeated, powerful and spellbinding speaker Adolf Hitler seized the day and rose to power in Germany, where he would later be the sole cause of the lives lost, spirits broken, and countries troumatized during World War II.
