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On June 28, 1914, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria occurred in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, were killed by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb nationalist and member of the Black Hand organization. This event is widely regarded as the immediate spark that led to World War I, as it set off a chain reaction of alliances and conflicts among European powers.
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On August 4, 1914, Germany invaded Belgium, marking the official start of its military campaign in World War I. This act violated Belgium's neutrality, which was guaranteed by international treaties, and prompted Great Britain to declare war on Germany the same day. This event escalated the conflict into a full-scale world war, with major powers aligning into the Allied and Central Powers.
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On May 7, 1915, the RMS Lusitania, a British passenger ship was sunk by by a German U-boat (submarine) off the coast of Ireland. This attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, including 128 Americans. The sinking of the Lusitania was a turning point in public opinion in the United States, increasing tensions between the U.S. and Germany and contributing to the eventual U.S. entry into World War I in 1917.
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On November 7, 1916, the United States held its presidential election, in which Woodrow Wilson was re-elected as President. Running as the Democratic candidate He defeated the Republican candidate, Charles Evans Hughes, in a close election. Despite this campaign focus, the U.S. would enter the war just a few months later, in April 1917, due to escalating tensions and German actions, such as unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmermann Telegram.
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On January 19, 1917, the Zimmermann Telegram was sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German ambassador in Mexico. The telegram proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico in the event that the United States entered World War I against Germany. In exchange for Mexico joining the war on Germany's side, Germany promised to help Mexico regain territories lost to the U.S. in the Mexican-American War, specifically Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
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On April 6, 1917, the United States officially declared war on Germany, marking its entry into World War I. This decision followed a series of events, including the German resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, which led to the sinking of American ships, and the revelation of the Zimmermann Telegram, which proposed a German-Mexican alliance against the U.S. This marked a significant turning point in the war, as the U.S. provided crucial support to the Allied powers.
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On June 25, 1917, the first U.S. troops arrived in France during World War I. This marked the beginning of significant American military involvement on the Western Front. The arrival of American forces provided a morale boost to the Allies, who had been fighting for years and were exhausted from the prolonged conflict. The U.S. would continue to send more soldiers and supplies, ultimately playing a crucial role in the eventual Allied victory.
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On May 16, 1918, the Sedition Act of 1918 was enacted in the United States. This law expanded upon the Espionage Act of 1917 and made it a criminal offense to interfere with the war effort or to make statements that were disloyal, profane, or abusive about the U.S. government, flag, or military. The Sedition Act was primarily aimed at suppressing opposition to World War I and was used to silence critics of the war, particularly socialists, pacifists, and labor leaders.
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On November 11, 1918, World War I officially ended with the signing of the Armistice of Compiegne, which marked the cessation of hostilities between the Allied Powers and Germany. This day is often referred to as Armistice Day and is now observed as Veterans Day in the United States. The armistice agreement took effect at 11:00 AM on that day, halting the fighting on the Western Front. While it was not a formal peace treaty, it effectively ended the war.
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On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, officially ending World War I. The treaty was signed at the Versailles Palace in France, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which had triggered the war. The treaty imposed harsh terms on Germany, including significant territorial losses, military restrictions, and reparations. It also established the League of Nations, an international organization aimed at maintaining peace.