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Triple Alliance
Germany and Austria-Hungary made an alliance with Italy to provent Italy to make an alliance with Russia. The alliances made was the big reason why the war between two countries turn into a world war. -
Germany Joins Russia in an Alliance
The secret alliance between Russia and Germany is called the Reinsurance Treaty. The treaty stated that Germany and Russia would stay neutral if the other party would go to war with another third power with the exception of Germany attacking France or Russia attacking Austria. -
Russia Formed Defensive Military Alliance with France
In 1892, 1894 Russia formed a defensive military alliance with France after Wilhelm II let the alliance between Russia expire. Bismarck was scared about this because he did not want to have a two-front war. -
Britain Formed Entente (Alliance) with France
Britain formed an alliance wiith France and later made an alliance with Russia. They were later known as the Triple Entente or Allied Powers. -
Triple Entente Formed
Becuase of the Triple Alliance France, Russia, and Brittain felt threatened and feared for their own safety. Together France, Russia, and Great Brittain formed another alliance called the Triple Entente. -
The Assassination of Ferdinand and Sophie
The Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, visit the capital of Serbia, Sarajevo. On the way out of the capital Ferdinand and his wife were shot in an open car by Gavrilo Princip and killed. Austria was outraged by this and eventually caused Austria to declare war on Serbia. -
Austria Presented Serbia with the Ultimatum
After the assassination of Ferdinand Austria presented Serbia with a list of Ultimatums. Serbia surprisingly excepted all the requests except the request that allowed Austrian officials to come to Serbia to investigate the assassination. -
Austria Declares war on Serbia. Russia also Ordered Mobilization Toward the Austrian Border
Becuase Serbia did not except Austria's ultimatum about the investigation of Franz Ferdinand Austria declares war on Serbia. Becuase Russia and Serbia are allies Russia begins the attack against Austria by mobilizing toward Austria's border. -
Germany Declares war on Russia
Becuase Russia comes to the defense of the Serbs Germany was forced to declare war on Russia to help defend their Austrian allies. The Germans used the Schefffein Plan against Russia. -
The Battle at Tannenburg
At Tannenburg Germany counterattacked the Russians which turned into a brutal four day battle. The Battle of Tannenburg was Russia's worst defeat in World War 1. Russia had a very hard time recovering from their defeat against the Germans. -
Germany Declares war on France
Germany predicts that France will also attack becuase France is allies with Russia so Germany declares war on France as well. To ensure defeat against the Franco-Russian alliance Germany used the Schlieffen Plan. The Schlieffen Plan was the method of using minimal strength against Russia while planning a massive attack against France to take them down rapidly. -
Britain Declares War on Germany
Britain withdraws their troops from Poland and declares war on Germany. -
Allies Attack Germany at the First Battle of the Marne
The outcome of the 1st Battle of the Marne was the French and British forces were able to prevent Germany's plan for a quick and easy war. Becuase Germany was not defeated the 1st Battle of the Marne ensured that this will not be a short war. -
Ottoman Empire Formally Joins the Central Powers
The Ottoman Empire joins the Central Powers by signing the Turco-German Alliance. The Ottoman Empire formally enters the war with the bombing of Russian Black Sea ports. On November 4th the Allied Powers declared war on the Ottoman Empire. -
The Allies Launch the Gallipoli Campaign
February-December the Allied Powers try to gain control of the Dardanelles and Bosporus straits by capturing Constantinople and establishing a route to Russia. This campaign was first brought up by Churchill. The Gallipoli Campaign was a fail. -
Italy Joins the Entente
Italy was first a member of the Triple Alliance which included Austria-Hungary and Germany. Because Austria launched a war of aggression Italy became nuetral. A year later Italy joined opposite side with the Entente. The Entente included Britian, France, and Russia. The Entente promised Italy Austrian territory. -
Germany Sinks the U.S.S. Lusitania
While the United States was nuetral in the war Lusitania set sail full of American civilians and entered the "European War Zone". Germany without warning sank Lusitania killing many innocent people. This made Americans very mad and was one of the reasons the United States entered the war. -
Germans Attack the Allies at Verdun in the Battle of the Somme
February-November 1916 the Battle of Somme is famous for the amount of loss of British troops (58,000). On the first day of the battle 1/3 of the British troops lost their lives, which is on record the most deaths in one day. The battle's purpose was to destroy Germany's manpower. The trench warfare method was used during this brutal battle. -
German Announce Their Policy of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
Submarine warfare is when submarines attack merchant ships wihout warning. On January 9, 1917 Germany announced that unrestricted submarine warfare would be used. This is one of the main reasons the United States joined the war. -
U.S. Intercepts the Zimmerman Note
United States intercepts a note from Germany meant for Mexico called the Zimmerman Note. The note stated that if Mexico agrees to help fight against the United States Germany will help Mexico to get the land back that United States took from them. The United States were outraged and this eventually led the United States to enter the war. -
Woodrow Wilson Asks Congress to Declare war on Germany
Woodrow Wilson was born in Staunton, Virginia. Woodrow Wilson asks congress to declare war on Germany so the world "be safe for democracy". Six days later Congress votes and agrees to go to war. -
Germany and Russia sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ended the war between Germany and Russia. This peace treaty between Russia and the Central Powers stated Russia's exit out of the war. -
The Second Battle of the Marne
The Second Battle of the Marne was the turning point of WW1 on the Western Front. It resulted in a lot of casualities for the Allied Powers. Germany by far had the most casualities (168,000). The battle marked the last time that the Central Powers would try to win the World War. -
Kaiser Wilhelm II Stepped Down From Power, Germany Declared Itself a Republic
After Wilhelm II steps down from power resulting in Germany becoming a republic. As result to becoming a republic the population was short of jobs and food, there were many riots, and the nation was not stable. -
A German Representative and French Commander Marshal Foch Signed an Armistice
On November 11, 1918 in the 11th hour an armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany to end the war.
