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Triple Alliance is formed between Germany, Austria Hungary and Italy
Bismarck thought France was the greatest threat to maintaining peace in Europe. They would want revenge for their defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. As long as France had no allies, Bismarck did not think they could be a threat. In 1879 he formed the Dual Alliance between Germany, Austria Hungary. In 1882 Italy joined the original alliance, completing the Triple Alliance, promising to defend each other if France attacked any member. The alliance was renewed several times leading up to WWI. -
Germany and Russia enter into Reinsurance Treaty
Germany and Russia entered into a secret reinsurance treaty where each agreed to stay neutral if the other was attacked by another country. Russia did not have to fear a German-Austrian war and Germany did not have to fear a Russian-French alliance. -
Kaiser Wilhelm II changes German foreign policy, Bismarck forced to resign
Kaiser Wilhelm II took over as ruler of Germany in 1888. He wanted an all powerful Germany and he did not want to share power with anyone. He forced Bismarck, who had been the peacemaker to resign in opposition. Germany's foreign policy moved from one of peaceful alliance to one of militarism. KWII went as far as to build a large navy to control the seas as well as the land. -
Kaiser Wilhelm II allows alliance with Russia to expire
The secret reconstruction treaty with Russia was up for renewal in 1890 but Kaiser Wilhelm II opposed renewal and allowed it expire. KWII believed the terms were in favor of Russia, in conflict with other treaties Germany had with Austria-Hungary and Italy, and generally was not needed as conditions in Europe made the treaty unnecessary. KWII did not trust Russia. -
Russia Forms Defensive Military Alliance with France
Because Kaiser Wilhelm let his nation's reinsurance treaty with Russia expire, Russia formed a defensive military alliance with France. This was Bismarck's biggest fear. So many deals being made, made it hard for one country to trust another. -
Britain formed Entente with France
Britain formed this alliance with France because they were worried when Germany, under Wilhelm, started a shipbuilding program, hoping they would be as powerful as the British Navy. -
Britain made another entente with France and Russia, forming the Triple Entente
Britain made yet again another alliance with both France and Russia. This was called the Triple Entente. It did not bind Britain to fight with France and Russia but it did make sure that they would not fight against each other. -
Ferdinand and Sophie visit Sarajevo and are assassinated by Gavrilo Princip
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie went to visit Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. Unfortunately, they were killed by Gavrilo Princip, a 19 year old Serbian. He was part of the Black Hand, a secret society that wanted to get rid of Austrian rule in Bosnia. Austria would use this as an excuse to declare war on Serbia. -
Austria presented Serbia with the ultimatum
After the assassin of the Archduke and his wife, Austria give a list of demands to Serbia. Serbia knew that if they did not grant these demands they would start a war. They only agreed to some of Austria's demands. For the others they wanted to met and negotiate. -
Austria declared war on Bosnia. Russia also ordered mobilization toward the Austrian border
Austria declared war on Bosnia because they did not want to negotiate with them about the demand to investigate the assassination. On the same day, Russia mobilized their troops toward the Austrian border. The fuse on the European powder keg had been lit! -
Germany Declares War on Russia
Germany, an ally of Austria-Hungary, declares war on Russia as Russia mobilizes troops to help defend Serbia. Germany demands that France remain neutral in the matter. France refuses. -
Germany Declares War on France
France mobilizes after Germany declares war on Russia and Germany turns around and declares war against France on August 3, 1914. Germany attacks France by invading neutral Belgium to get to France. Rapidly each country in Europe is being put into a position of declaring sides in the conflict. -
Britain Declares War on Germany
The British foreign secretary, Sir Edward Grey, demanded that Germany withdrawal from the neutral Belgium territory they had invaded or else Britain would come to Belgium's defense. Germany kept attacking France through Belgium and Britain did declare war on Germany. -
German Counterattack at Tannenberg Destroys Russia's Second Army
On August 26, 1914, the German army executed an encircling movement that caught the Russian 2nd Army completely off guard. 30,000 Russians were killed or wounded, and 95,000 were captured. The Russian attack on the Eastern Prussian front was stopped before it even got started. This was Germany's most significant victory of the war. -
First Battle of the Marne
The German Army was advancing on Paris from the north. The French Army and the British Expeditionary Forces met them and pushed them back across the river Marne. The French were losing the battle until Paris taxis were used to bring 6,000 reserve troops to the battle from out of the city. There were 275,000 Allied casualties and an estimated similar number of German casualties. A quick defeat by the Germans was stopped but the Germans were not done. Hopes of a short war ended at the Marne. -
Ottoman Empire formally joins Central Powers
The Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary) in hopes of regaining land that was taken from them. -
Battle of Limanowa
With the help of German troops, the Austrians defended their lines in a counter attack causing the Russians to retreat, ending their attempt to capture Krakow and occupy the Hungarian plains. This battle resulted in the Russian offensive being stalled and was a bad Russian loss of soldiers and equipment. -
The Gallipoli Campaign
From April 25, 1915 until January 9, 1916, British, French, Australian and New Zealand troops mounted a military assault to capture Istanbul (known then to the West as Constantinople) in what is today modern Turkey. They wanted to get a naval sea route from there to Russia. The attempt failed and there were many casualties on both sides. It was a major Turk victory and a great loss for the Allies. -
Italy joins Entente
On April 26 Italy joined the Entente after accusing the Central Powers of causing an unjust war. -
German Submarine U20 Sinks the British Luxury Liner Lusitania
Germany decided to take action by establishing its own naval blockade around Britain. The submarine or U-boat is what the Germans used to sink the British Luxury Liner Lusitania on a voyage from New York. Unfortunately, there were 1,198 fatalities, including 128 American citizens. Germany claimed the ship was carrying weapons to England. This attack began the process that would influence America to join the War. -
The Battle of Somme, France
The Battle of Somme took place from July 1st until November 18th, 1916 in the. The British and French fought against the Germans in the largest and longest battle of WWI. By the time the fighting ended, there were over 1.5 million casualties on all sides. The British lost almost 500,000 soldiers, 80,000 on the first day. It is hard to say that the allies won because when it was all over, the Allied front only moved between 2 and 6 miles into German territory. The battle was heavily criticized. -
German Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
On January 19th, 1917 the Germans announced an increase in their use of submarines to sink merchant ships anywhere they were found in or around British or Atlantic waters. They said they would no longer attempt to identify the purpose of the ship's travel and that any vessel would be attacked and sunk for any reason. The Germans hoped to scare off merchant ships from supplying the Allies. This policy was the last straw that would finally lead to America joining the war. -
The Zimmermann Telegram
In early January, 1917, British Intelligence intercepted and their cryptographers decoded a telegram from the German Foreign Minister to the German Minister in Mexico. It offered US territory to Mexico in exchange for joining the war against the US. The British showed President Wilson February 24th, the US press printed the telegram on March 1. Public opinion turned hard against Germany. This telegram changed the course of history making US involvement in the war, almost certain. -
United States Declares War on Germany
Up until 1917 the US had remained neutral in WWI. As the Germans continued their aggression in Europe and declared their intention to destroy all ships headed to Britain as part of their Unrestricted Submarine Warfare public opinion was moving against Germany. Finally, when the Zimmermann Telegram was discovered, it was determined to be the last straw and the US could no longer remain neutral. On April 6, 1917 Congress declared war against Germany and the US entered the battle. -
Lenin Ends Russia's Involvement in WWI - Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
In early 1917, the Tsar resigned and the new Socialist movement took over control of Russian politics. The country was poor and hungry because they put all their wealth into fighting the war. Lenin returned to Russia from exile and promised to end the war. On March 3, 1918 the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed ending the war with Germany and Russia's involvement in the WWI finally ended. -
The Second Battle of the Marne
The Germans launched their final offensive of WWI northeast of Paris in the Second Battle of the Marne. The attack failed as the Allied counter attack led by the French Army overwhelmed the war wiry Germans. The Germans were badly beaten. They experienced serious casualties and their spirits were broken in this battle. This battle was the turning point of the war on the German's western front. -
Kaiser Wilhelm II Dethroned - Philipp Scheidemann Proclaims Germany a Republic
A German Revolution from 1918 to 1919 led to the dethroning of Kaiser Wilhelm II, bringing an end the Imperial Monarchy and replacing it with a Socialist Republic. Germany's participation effectively ended at this time. On November 9, 1918, Germany was declared a republic by Philipp Scheidemann from his balcony window. -
Armistice Day - The End of WWI
On November 11, 1918, at 11am, in Rethondes, France, the Allies signed a ceasefire agreement with Germany bringing WWI to an end. This date is remembered as Armistice Day to remember the end of the World's first major world war.
