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Archduke Francis Ferdinand is assassinated
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie are shot to death by Gravilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb nationalist during an official visit to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo. -
Austria-Hungary & Serbia
The Austro-Hungarian government was unhappy with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand and declared war on Serbia because they wouldn't arrest the people of the Black Hand Group -
Germany
Germany invaded Belgium, following a following a strategy known as the Schlieffen Plan. This plan called for a quick strike through Belgium to Paris, France. -
The Lusitania Disaster
United States involvement in World War I was hastened by the Lusitania disaster.The Lusitania was a British passenger liner that carried 1,198 persons. A German U-boat sank the British passenger liner killing all aboard including 128 American tourists. The Germans claimed the ship was carrying Allied ammunition. Americans were outraged and public opinion turned against Germany and the Central Powers. -
Battle of Verdun
The French and German armies at Verdun, France, suffer over 700,000 casualties, including some 300,000 killed. By the battle’s conclusion, entire French villages had been wiped from the map; they were subsequently memorialized as having “died for France.” -
First Battle of The Somme
During the First Battle of the Somme, the British suffered an enormous number of casualties (60,000 on the first day). Final casualties for this phase of the war totaled 1.2 million, yet only 7 miles of ground was gained. This trench warfare, in which armies fought for mere yards of ground, lasted for three years. -
United States declares war on Germany
The United States entered the war because of the Germans' decision to resume the policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. A telegram was also intercepted by the British, in which Germany wanted to form an alliance with Mexico -
Treaty of Versailes
Allied and German representatives sign treaty of Versailles. The United States signs treaty of guaranty, pledging to defend France in case of an unprovoked attack by Germany. -
US & Treaty of Versailles
United States Senate fails to ratify Treaty of Versailles. -
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an international diplomatic group developed after World War I as a way to solve disputes between countries before they erupted into open warfare.
