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A teenage Serbian nationalist gunned down Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, as their motorcade maneuvered through the streets of Sarajevo. Next in line for the Austro-Hungarian throne, Ferdinand had not been particularly well liked in aristocratic circles.
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One month to the day after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were killed by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, effectively beginning the First World.
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As Europe stands on the brink of war, British proposals for a meeting of the great powers are ignored. Backed up by Germany, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia on 28 July. Russia quickly steps in to protect the small nation and mobilises its army.
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Germany attacks France first through neutral Belgium to eliminate any threat from the west before facing Russia in the east.Britain and the other great powers of Europe guarantee to protect Belgium’s borders.
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The first shots of World War One are fired in Africa. By 1914 the German Empire has four colonies in East, West and South Africa. British and French forces invade Togoland the site of a key German wireless station, Kamina.
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At the Battle of La Bassee in northern France Indian soldiers join the Army for the first time.Britain calls on its Empire and 1.5 million Indian soldiers and 1.3 million Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans fight on the army side.
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In the Far East, Britain has an ally – Japan. Fresh from victory in the Russo-Japanese war, the Japanese flex their military muscles. In the autumn of 1914 British and Japanese forces attack the port of Tsingtao (Qingdao) – a German colony - in China.
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But in January 1915 the Germans use a more deadly chemical – xylyl bromide – killing around 1,000 Russian troops at Bolimov, on the Eastern Front. Gas in the first winter of the war. But in January 1915 the Germans use a more deadly chemical – xylyl bromide – killing around 1,000 Russian troops at Bolimov, on the Eastern Front.
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The Armistice of Villa Giusti ended warfare between Italy and Austria-Hungary on the Italian Front during World War I. The armistice was signed on in the Villa Giusti, outside of Padua in the Veneto, northern Italy, and was to take effect 24 hours later.
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Wilhelm's abdication was announced by Chancellor Prince Max von Baden in a 9 November 1918 proclamation - before Wilhelm had in fact consented to abdicate
