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Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand II, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire (and wife, Sophie)
Gavrilo-Princip, a member of the Serbian nationalist group, Black Hand, wanted Bosnia to join Serbia rather than the Austro-Hungarian Empire. -
Austro-Hungarian Empire declares war on Serbia
After already rising tensions in the region, the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand II was "the spark that ignited the war." -
Period: to
World War One Time Span
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Russia enters the war
Led by Kaiser Wilhelm, Germany declares war on Russia. -
Germany invades Belgium
Germany wanted to invade France but had to take Belgium first. -
The Sinking of the Lusitania
Germany was known to target non-military vessels with its U-boats. The sinking of the Lusitania was one of the last straws for the U.S. -
Germany limits submarines
After the sinking of the Lusitania, Kaiser Wilhelm restricts submarine warfare to try to keep the U.S. out of the conflict. -
The Battle of Verdun
The longest battle of the war. The French successfully held off the Germans. -
England deploys first tanks
The British deployed the "Landship" to be a crucial weapon. It did destroy barbed wire and provided cover for infantry,however, it broke down too often and was ineffective in combat. -
Germany unrestricts submarine warfare
U-boats begin targeting non-military vessels. -
Zimmerman Telegramm
Intercepted message from the Germans by the British that said Mexico should side with Germany in promise of returning Texas. Mexico declined the proposal anyway. -
Menshevik Revolution
The Menshevik party takes control of Russia. The Mensheviks dethroned Tsar Nicholas II. This was the end of the Romanov dynasty and the end of the Russian Empire. -
The U.S. declares war on Germany.
On April 2 President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany, to make the world a safer place. Congress granted the declaration on April 4. -
Selective Service Act passed
Congress authorized the draft. Many in the U.S. opposed the draft because they believed it would destroy democracy. President Wilson said there was no other choice but to initiate the draft. -
Bolshevik Revolution
Coup led by Vladimir Lenin (leader of Bolshevik party) successfully takes power in Russia. The Bolshevik party was renamed the Russian Communist Party. -
Soviet Russia exits the war
The Bolsheviks did not support the war and desired to end the rising death toll, economic deprivation and food shortages, and also wanted to focus resources on building the new socialist state. -
Armistice between Soviet Russia and Germany signed
Armistice between Soviet Russia and Germany was signed and fighting stopped. -
Peace treaty between Soviet Russia and Germany signed
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed to end Soviet Russia's participation in WW I. -
Kaiser Wilhelm gives up power
After realizing there was no hope for a German victory, Wilhelm lived out the rest of his life in the Netherlands. -
Fighting ends
Armistice was signed in Redonthes, France. -
Treaty of Versailles
State of war between Germany and the Allies ended, five years after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand II. Germany had to pay 266 gold marks in reparations (63 billion dollars which equals about $768 billion today).
