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WWI
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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
While Archduke Franz Ferdinand was in Sarajevo, him and his wife were shot dead by Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Black Hand. This was the catalyst to WWI. Quote:
"Sophie dear, Sophie dear, don't die! Stay alive for our children."
The Archduke's last words -
Germany Crossing into Belgium
The main cause of Britain entering the war was when Germany crossed through Belgium -a neutral country. This triggered the British declaration of war to stop the Germans.
Quote: "This horified the world because it was correctly seen as the Germans trampeling the rights of a small neutral coutry in violation of international law." -
The Schlieffen Plan
The Schlieffen Plan was a German attack on Paris. It was created by Count Alfred von Schlieffen; he died before he could arrange the attack. Helmuth von Moltke then took over but made crucial changes to the plan that led to it's failure. Quote: "Moltke did not reduce the strength of the marching right wing; he reinforced the left. The strengthened left flank would have offered a fixing force that Full Monty wants, and a penetrating force could have cut a shorter marching route." -
Battle of Marne
The Battle of Marne was the first WWI battle in which the Allied powers won. This resulted in the end of the month-long German offensive towards Paris. Quote: "The dead were stretched out on one side, one on top of each other six feet high. I thought at the time I should never get the peculiar disgusting smell of the vapour of warm human blood heated by the sun out of my nostrils. I would rather have smelt gas a hundred times." -
Battle of Jutland
This battle is considered to be the greatest naval battle of the First World War. Between Germany and England, both sides consider themseleves the winner.
Quote: "A strong British navy was expected by the public, as was the inevitable naval victory." -
Battle of Somme
The Battle of Somme took place in France. This battle was between Germany and France in which over 1 million people died. The French won this battle, although both sides were hugely damaged. Quote:
"Victory will come to the side that outlasts the other." -
America joined the war
Although reluctant to do so, American joined WWI near the end of the war. This was primarily due to unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmermann telegram.
Quote: "Entering only at the tail end of four years of slaughter and horror, the United States helped turn the tide of the war in favor of the Allies, and brought America onto the international stage as a major military, financial and industrial power." -
Russian Revolution
The Bolshevik (Russian) Revolution began for many reasons such as: shortages of bread, high prices, and large differences between the rich and poor.
Quote: "The First World War placed an unbearable strain on Russia's weak government and economy, resulting in mass shortages and hunger." -
Russia leaves the war
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk marked Russia's official withdrawal from World War I. This was due to a civil war- The Bolshevik Revolution. The new communist group stopped Russian support of the war.
Quote: "Lenin had ordered that the Bolshevik representatives should get a quick treaty from the Germans to bring about an end to the war so that the Bolsheviks could concentrate on the work they needed to do in Russia itself." -
Treaty of Versailles
This treaty was the peace settlement signed after World War I. After months of argument and negotiation the "Big Four" finally decided what the treaty should contain. It was signed at the vast Versailles Palace near Paris.
Quote: "The victors from World War One were in no mood to be charitable to the defeated nations and Germany in particular was held responsible for the war and its consequences."
