WWI Timeline

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Jun 28, 1913

Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, and his wife, visit Sarajevo in Bosnia. A bomb is thrown at their auto but misses. Undaunted, they continue their visit only to be shot and killed a short time later by a lone assassin. Believing the assassin to be a Serbian nationalist, the Austrians target their anger toward Serbia.

8/4/1914 Great Britain declares war on Germany

Aug 4, 1914

The declaration is binding on all Dominions within the British Empire including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. This also was signigicant to the US because US is close with great britain

5/ 7/ 1915 A German U-Boat torpedoes the British passenger liner .

May 7, 1915

A German U-Boat torpedoes the British passenger liner Lusitania off the Irish coast. It sinks in 18 minutes, drowning 1,201 persons, including 128 Americans. President Woodrow Wilson subsequently sends four diplomatic protests to Germany. The sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, killing 128 Americans, outraged the U.S. and shifted public opinion against Germany, contributing to the U.S. entering World War I in 1917.

1/19/17 The British intercept a telegram sent by Alfred Zimmermann

Jan 19, 1916

The British intercept a telegram sent by Alfred Zimmermann in the German Foreign Office to the German embassies in Washington, D.C., and Mexico City. Its message outlines plans for an alliance between Germany and Mexico against the United States. such as former president Teddy Roosevelt, who favor American military involvement in the war. The British intercepting the Zimmermann Telegram in 1917 revealed Germany's plan to ally with Mexico, which helped push the U.S. into World War I.

11/7/1916 American voters re-elect President Woodrow Wilson

Nov 7, 1916

American voters re-elect President Woodrow Wilson who had campaigned on the slogan, "He kept us out of war." with his stance of neutrality, reflected public desire to avoid war. However, he eventually led the U.S. into World War I in 1917.

The United States of America declares war on Germany.

Apr 6, 1917

The United States of America declares war on Germany. Which caused many problems like losing money etc.

Eugene debs famous war speech

May 16, 1917

Eugene Debs made his famous anti-war speech protesting World War I which was raging in Europe. This helped calm everyone down

The first American troops land in France.

Jun 25, 1917

The first American troops land in France. This is really when things started because America began helping out France.

German delegation signs the Treaty formally ending the war. Its 230 pages

Jun 28, 1919

At the Palace of Versailles in France, a German delegation signs the Treaty formally ending the war. Its 230 pages contain terms that have little in common with Wilson's Fourteen Points as the Germans had hoped. Germans back home react with mass demonstrations against the perceived harshness, especially clauses that assess sole blame for the war on Germany.

railway car at Compiègne, France, the Germans sign the Armistice which is effective at 11 am

Nov 11, 1919

At 5:10 am, in a railway car at Compiègne, France, the Germans sign the Armistice which is effective at 11 am--the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Fighting continues all along the Western Front until precisely 11 o'clock, with 2,000 casualties experienced that day by all sides. Artillery barrages also erupt as 11 am draws near as soldiers yearn to claim they fired the very last shot in the war.