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The assassination of Archduke Franz ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand, aged 51, was heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire. Austria had annexed Bosnia in 1908, a move that was not popular with the Bosnian people.Franz Ferdinand decided to visit Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovnia, to make an inspection of the Austro-Hungarian troops there.A Serbian terrorist group, called The Black Hand, had decided that the Archduke should be assassinated and the planned visit provided the ideal opportunity. they shot Archduke and he died. -
Austria declare war on serbia
The Austrian government blamed the serbian government for the assasination of Franz Ferdinand and his wife and declared war on Serbia. russia was allied with serbia, but german did not believe that the should mobilise and offered support to Austria if necessary. Russia mobilise throught their alliance with france, called the french to mobilise. -
Zeppelins
The use of airships by the Germans increased. Zeppelins began attacking London. They were also used for naval reconnaissance, to attack London and smaller balloons were used for reconnaissance along the Western Front. They were only stopped when the introduction of aeroplanes shot them down. -
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill served in Belgium as lieutenant colonel of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. he was First Lord of the Admiralty which meant he was in charge of the navy and everything it did. He was removed from that post after the Gallipoli disaster. He then joined the army and commanded a batallion on the Western Front. Then, after a change in Government, he became Minister of Munitions for the rest of the war. -
battle of jutland
The British and German naval forces met again but the battle was inconclusive. The German ships did a great deal of damage to British ships before once again withdrawing and the British Admiral Jellicoe decided not to give chase. Although British losses were heavier than the German, the battle had alarmed both the Kaiser and the German Admiral Scheer and they decided to keep their fleet consigned to harbour for the remainder of the war. -
W.front Passchendale
The operation commanded by the French General, Nivelle, went wrong and caused the loss of many French soldiers. Haig protested to the British government and advocated trying his own scheme for a breakthrough. At the resulting battle of Passchendale, Haig broke his promise to call off the battle if the first stage failed because he did not want to lose face with the government. -
Battle of Amiens
The British general, Haig, ordered the attack of the German sector at Amiens. At the same time the news came through that the allies had broken through from Salonika and forced Bulgaria to sue for peace. -
Armistice signed
At 11 am, in the French town of Redonthes, the Armistice was signed bringing the war to an end. -
Hindenberg line collapsed
By the beginning of November the allies had pushed the Germans back beyond the Hindenberg line. -
Allies recover France and Belgium
The allies had taken almost all of German-occupied France and part of Belgium.
