-
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife traveled to Sarajevo to inspect imperial armed forces where they were shot at point-blank range killing the pair instantly.
-
Exactly one month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Austria- Hungary declared war on Serbia officially beginning the first World War.
-
Germany declared war on Russia on August 1st and then soon realized that a war with Russia also meant war with France. After realizing this they quickly declared war on France as well.
-
A day after declaring war on France they moved to enter combat with them by crossing through neutral Belgium. Britain did not take a liking to this as they were had signed the Treaty of London and declared war on Germany.
-
Germany used poison gas for the first time ever shocking the other soldiers. They fired 150 tons of lethal chlorine gas.
-
The Battle of Somme resulted in a decisive victory after an 18-month trench deadlock of the British and French forces over the Germans on the Western Front. Casualilities topped 1 million.
-
The battle of Verdun was the longest, largest, and bloodiest battle of WWI. It ended on December 18th,1916. The battle was between the French and German armies. The French won the battle.
-
When Germany sunk a U.S merchant ship resulting in civilian casualties America could no longer stay neutral in WWI.
-
In May of 1918, the US arrived at the western front of WWI. Around 10,000 American soldiers arrived every day.
-
On May 10th, 1918 John Joseph Brennan and the other soldiers in his unit leave their original camp for their first time. He reminisces in his diary about old memories and that this is the last time he will fall in line in that camp.
-
John and his fellow soldiers leave Camp Stewart and walk about three miles to the bay. John talks about how warm it was outside. Once they arrive at the bay they head overseas.
-
After many days on the ocean, John writes down that they finally spot land. They land at St. Nazaire and sleep on the ship for the night.
-
John writes on August 6th, 1918 that it is his birthday. He had a great birthday aside from a few bombs and an infection on his chin.
-
Germany had surrendered on November 11th, 1918. However, WWI did not formally end until the Treaty of Versailles was signed. The total number of casualties was over 9 million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded.
-
John notes in his diary on Thanksgiving day that he didn’t have a lot to be thankful for but was alive and that was enough. They ate horse meat, potatoes, bread, and coffee for dinner.
