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The Assassination of Austrian Archduke Ferdinand caused Austria to declare war on Serbia, and because Serbia is allied with Russia, Russia declares war on Austria. Also, Germany is forced to declare war against Russia and Serbia due to the alliance with Austria.
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The First Battle of the Marne begins. Trench warfare begins as soldiers on both sides dig in.
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The United Kingdom announces that the North Sea is a military area, effectively creating a blockade of goods into Germany.
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Germany declares a "war zone" around Great Britain, essentially effecting a submarine blockade where even neutral merchant vessels were to be potential targets.
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The Lusitania was the largest passenger ship in the world at the time and was sunk by German U-Boats killing over 1200 thousands, including 128 Americans. This caused widespread outrage among Americans which pushed the US closer to war.
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A French Passenger Ship, the Sussex was torpedoed in the English Channel by the German. Some Americans were injured and President Wilson threatened to break diplomatic relations with Germany, which led to the Sussex Pledge.
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After the Sinking of the Sussex, a French passenger ship, the Germans promised not to attack cargo, merchant, or passenger ships as long as British followed international law. Germany wanted to achieve victory without US involvement in the war,
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The Zimmermann telegram, sent from Germany's Foreign Minister to Germany' ambassador to Mexico, offered US territory to Mexico if they joined the German cause in WWI. After the telegram was intercepted by the British and given to the US later in February, it helped move the US public opinion toward war.
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The reasons for going to war with Germany was to reestablish trade with the allies, and to maintain Capitalism and Democracy.
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Major Opposing Alliances:
-The Triple Entente -The Triple Alliance
Britain Germany
France Austria-Hungary
Russia Ottoman Empire
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The Espionage Act was the imprisonment of people for speech that "undermined the war effort". These acts pohibited criticism against the US government, the US flag, and the Army or Navy uniform.
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Troops crossed the atlantic and arrived in Paris July 4 1917, but do not see combat until Spring 1918
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The Selective Service Act required all men ages 21 to 30 to register with the draft boards (later changed to ages 18 to 45) and around 3 million were drafted.
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The armistice agreed upon between the new Russian government and the Central Powers goes into effect. Since there was no longer any fighting on the eastern front, Germany focused all of it's power to the western front and made one final push to defeat the US and the remaining allies.
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U.S. President Woodrow Wilson issues his Fourteen Points to peace.
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Russia signs the Treaty of Brest Litovsk, which is a peace treaty between Russia and the Central Powers. All of the fighting is now focused on the western front. It put more pressure on the remaining Allies.
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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).
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The Treaty of Versailles officially ends World War 1.
