WWI Timeline

  • Franz Ferdinand

    June 28 - Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austria-Hungary's throne, and his wife, Sophie, are assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip while the couple were visiting Sarajevo.
  • War!!

    July 28 - Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
  • Period: to

    War Straegizing

    August 1 - Germany declares war on Russia. August 3 - Germany declares war on France. August 4 - The United Kingdom declares war on Germany, after Germany invades Belgium. August 6 - Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia and Serbia declares war on Germany. August 26 - The Battle of Tannenberg begins. August 19 - U.S. President Woodrow Wilson announces the U.S. will remain neutral.
  • Battle of the Marne

    September 5 - The First Battle of the Marne begins. Trench warfare begins as soldiers on both sides dig in.
  • Germany delares a war zone around Great Britan

    February 4 - Germany declares a "war zone" around Great Britain, essentially effecting a submarine blockade where even neutral merchant vessels were to be potential targets.
  • Battle of Verdun

    February 21 - The Battle of Verdun begins. The Battle of Verdun was the longest battle of World War I and was one of the bloodiest.
  • Period: to

    Russia Overthrows the government

    July 31 - The Battle of Passchendaele (also known as the Third Battle of Ypres) begins. November 7 - The Bolsheviks successfully overthrow the Russian government.
  • Strategy Devolopment

    January 19 - Germany sends the secret Zimmerman Telegram to Mexico in an effort to entice Mexico to join the war. The British intercept and decipher the coded message.
  • 'Murica Declares war on germany

    The United States declares war on Germany.
  • Russian Government Overthrown by Bolsheviks

    November 7 - The Bolsheviks successfully overthrow the Russian government.
  • Alliance

    March 3 - Russia signs the Treaty of Brest Litovsk, which is a peace treaty between Russia and the Central Powers.
  • Second battle of the marne begins

    July 15 - The Second Battle of the Marne begins.
  • Fighting ends

    November 11 - Germany signs the armistice at Compiegne, France. Fighting ends on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (i.e. 11 a.m. on November 11).
  • End of WWI

    June 28 - The Treaty of Versailles officially ends WWI.