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Assassination Of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
While on a visit to Sarajevo, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were the targets of an attack by a group that sought to to break off Austria-Hungary's south-Slav provinces. Both were killed, this event set off arguments that would eventually lead to the beginning of The Great War. -
WWI Begins & US Reaction
When war erupted in Europe President Wilson believed that the United States should be neutral "in thought and deed". Therefore by being neutral the United States aided both sides, until eventually Germany forced the US into the war. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
On the RMS Lusitanias's 202nd trip it was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. On board the ship there were 159 American citizens, of those 128 died. Since the United States was neutral in WWI, this hastened the United States' entry into the World War, former President Roosevlet called for action while President Wilson remained neutral. -
Arabic Pledge
After the British liner Arabic was torpedoed by a German U-Boat, and 40 people died of those 2 were Americans, President Wilson proteested against Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare. At the possibility that the United States would enter the War, Germany issued the Arabic Pledge in which it stated that non-military ships would be warned 30 minutes before they were attacked, so that they could evacuate the people onboard to safety before being sunk. -
Pancho Villa Raids New Mexico
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula or better known as Pancho Villa, led a raid in which 18 Americans were taken from a train and killed. Later on March 9 he assaulted Columbus, New Mexico and left 19 dead and the town in flames. All this happened because Villa was abandoned by the United States after being supported for a while. -
Sussex Pledge
After Germany again torpedoed a passenger ship that caused 50 people to die, the United States threatened to enter the war. Seeing that President Wilson was serious, Germany issued the Sussex Pledge to appease the US. In this Pledge Germany promised to not target passenger ships, merchant ships would not be sunk until weapons were onboard, and would not be sunk without allowing the passengers to be safe. Later on January, 1917 Germany disregarded the pledge which led to the US to enter the war. -
"He Kept Us Out Of War"
"He Kept Us Out Of War" was the campaign slogan President Wilson used for his re-election, it targeted those who were against joining the War. Ironically, in April the US did enter WWI. -
Zimmerman Note
The Zimmerman Note (Zimmerman Telegraph) was a coded message sent by Foreign Secretary of the German Empire, Arthur Zimmermann to German ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt. The telegraph told the ambassador to present Mexico with a possible alliance with Germany if the US seemed likely to join the War. Germany promised Mexico land that was lost to America, Mexico ignored the proposition and later formally rejected it. This was one of the last things Germany did before the US entered WWI. -
Resumption Of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
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Russian Revolution
During this first revolution Emperor Nicholas II was forced out and a provisional government was put in place by the Imperial Parliament. This revolution took place during a time in which the Russian army was mostly in mutiny. -
United States Enters WWI
Finally after the disregarding of the Sussex Pledge and the Zimmerman Note the United States entered the War siding with the Allies. -
Russian Revolution (2nd )
The Bolshevik party headed by Vladimir Lenin and the Soviets overthrew the provisional government that had been established during the February Revolution. Eventually the Russian government ( Bolsheviks) ended Russia's participation in WWI by signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany in March 1918. -
End Of WWI
On November 11, 1918 an armstice was signed, and later a cease-fire was came into effect. This signaled the end of the Great War.
