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Triple Alliance
This was an alliance formed between Italy, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. The three agreed to suport each other if attacked by France or Russia. It opposed the Triple Entente. -
The Triple Entente
The Triple Entente was an alliance between Russia, France, and Britain. They formed the Triple Entente out of their fear of the grwoth of the German military. The Triple Entente eventually became known as the allies and later included the U.S., Canada, and various other nations. -
Austria-Hungary Takes Control of Bosnia
Austria-Hungar yannounced its annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which were joint provinces in the Balkan region formerly under the control of the Ottoman Empire. These two provinces were highly coveted and wanted by many nations in the Balkan region, including Serbia. This increased to tension and struggle for power in the Balkan region. The Treaty of Berlin finally brought the crisis to an end. -
Archduke Franz Ferdinand is Assassinated in Sarajevo
He was the Archduke of Austria and heir to the Austrian throne. He was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip who belonged to a Bosnian Serb terrorist organization known as the Black Hand. The objective was to break off Austria-Hungary's south-Slav provinces so they could be combined into a Greater Serbia or a Yugoslavia. -
Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia
The assassination of the Archduke of Austria by a Serbian terrorist prompted Autria-Hugary to declare war on Serbia. Russia began to mobilize its troops after this declaration of war incase it needed to come to the defense of Serbia. "Austria-Hungary consequently considers herself henceforward in state of war with Serbia" was part of the formal telegraph sent by the Austria-Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs to Serbia as a declaration of war. -
Germany Invades Belgium
Germany sought to invade France through Belgium. Belgium wished to stay nuetral throughout the war but Germany ignored their requests. This action brought Britain into the war since Britain had agreed to protect Belgium and their wish to stay neutral. -
German U-Boat Sinks the Lusitania
The Lusitania was a British ocean liner carrying over 9,000 passengers, roughly 130 of them were American citizens. A German u-boat, U-20, spotted the ocean liner off the coast of Southern Ireland at Old Head of Kinsale. It fired one torpedo into the right side of the boat causing that section to explode and the baot to sink. -
The First Battle of the Somme Begins
58,000 British troops were killed on the first day. It was supposed to be a British and French attack on the Germans but the Germans were currently attacking the French at Verndun which redirected much of the French force to Verndun. Both sides used trench warfare during this battle. -
The Zimmerman Note is Discovered
The Zimmerman Note was a telegraph sent from the German Foreign Minister to the German Ambassador in Mexico which was intercepted by British Agents. It proposed an Alliance between Mexico and Germany and stated that if war broke out with the United Stated then Germany would help Mexico get back their former lands, which included Texas and parts of Arizona and New Mexico. -
The United States Declares War on Germany
The United States declared that it wished to stay out of the war and demanded that Germany stop attacking passenger ships. Germany continued to attack American ships heading towards Britain. This as well as the Zimmerman Note were the deciding factors in the U.S. declaration of war. President Wilson appeared before Congress and asked for a declaration of war, which they agreed to.
