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So it Begins
On July 28, 1914 the war began. Austria-Hungary declared that they would go to war with Serbia. The main cause of the war was the assasination of Austria-Hungary's Archduke Franz Ferdinand. -
Big Bertha
First seen by the Allies on March 1, 1915 and named after the manufacurer's wife, Big Bertha was an enormous howitzer gun. It belonged to the Germans and was aroung 63 miles behind thier front lines. The transportation of the gun on railroad track made locating it very diffcult. -
Turning Point
On May 7, 1915 the passenger ship Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine. The ship had 1,195 passengers, 128 of which were Americans. None of the passengers survived the attack. -
Paul Enlists
Sunderland enlisted in the Navy on July 1, 1916. He had just graduated from the Culver Military Academy. Paul also spent the summer at Naval school in Michigan. -
Sunderland's First Crossing
Paul Sunderland's first crossing with the Navy was August 1, 1916. Paul and the others knew they were heading toward Europe, but no idea where. Paul's group never landed, and after the French soldiers came for the convoy, they always turned around and went back to the United States. -
Naval Band
Sunderland had played saxaphone for years. It was no surprise that one month in he would be asked to join the band. Paul brought his first saxaphone with him to the Navy and played with the others. -
Women Elected
On November 7, 1916 the first woman Congressional Representative was elected. Her name is Jeannette Rankin of Montana. She explained her victory as women "got the vote in Montana because the spirit of pioneer days was still alive". -
Entering Conflict
On April 6, 1917 America officially entered the war. The House concluded a vote of 373 to 50 in favor of going to war. President Wilson had stated "The world must be safe for democracy". -
Women in Combat
World War I was the first war that allowed women to serve. By June 1, 1917 the Navy allowed women to join and fulfill it's sectretrail needs. By the end of the war, over 11,000 women served in the Navy. -
Economy
On July 1, 1917 the War Industries Board (WIB) was established. The WIB told manufacturers what they could produce, the price, and constructed new factories. The main goal however, was to coordinate the production of war materials. -
The Red Baron
April 22, 1918 Germany's top pilot was shot down and killled. Von Richtofen ("Red Baron") had destroyed more thsn 80 Allied aircraft. The English pilot, Edward Mannock, that shot Von was quoted saying "I hope he roasted all of the way down there". -
Armistice Day
On November 11, 1918 Paul was in Kettering, Maine. One of the largest Naval prisons is in Kettering. However, no prisoners were enclosed as Paul was passing through. -
Declaring Armistice
On the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the fighting halted. This happend days after soldiers seized power in German towns. The german Emporer stepped down and Germany became a republic. -
Coming Home
Paul came home shortly after the Armistice was signed on November 21, 1918. He did not notify his family. After returning, Sunderland enrolled at the University of Wisconsin and graduated on May 1, 1919 -
The Peace Treaty
Months after the fighting halted, the war officially ended in June 28, 1919. The document that solidified this is called the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty included many terms created to weaken Germany.
