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Archduke Franz Ferdinand is shot
Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. He was in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, on tour. There, he was shot by Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Black Hand. The Black Hand was a secret organization from Serbia that wanted Austria-Hungary to stay out of their country. To show that, they assassinated the Archduke to send a message. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania was a British ocean liner en route to England from New York. It was sunk by a German U-boat. It was sunk because the Germans practiced unrestricted submarine warfare, which means they attack any type of ship belonging to the opposing country. Of the 1,198 deaths, 128 of them were American citizens. This angered the US and was one of the reasons the US joined the war in 1917. -
National Defense Act
The National Defense Act was a federal law that updated the Militia Act of 1903 which related to the organization of the military. It was in response to pressure to increase the US army and navy. It was meant to strengthen the US military in response t the Great War happening in Europe. -
Germany renews unrestricted submarine warfare
On January 8, 1917, German army and naval leaders met with Kaiser Wilhelm and argued that they needed unrestricted submarine warfare. Wilhelm supported them even though the German Chancellor opposed. On January 31, 1917, the German Chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg announced to the government that they would resume unrestricted submarine warfare. -
Sinking of the USS Housatonic
On January 31, 1917, Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare. Three days later, the US government severed all diplomatic ties with Germany. Hours after, a German Sub sank the USS Housatonic. Before sinking the ship, the German captain told the captain of the Housatonic: "You are carrying foodstuffs to an enemy of my country, and though I am sorry, it is my duty to sink you". -
U.S. breaks diplomatic ties with Germany
On January 31, 1917, the Germans declared that they would be resuming unrestricted submarine warfare. That is a policy that means German submarines are not required to surface before firing on any vessel. Two years ago in 1915, they had agreed to end their policy of unrestricted submarine warfare to appease the United States after they sunk the U.S. ship The Lusitania. Now, they were resuming that practice. In response, the United States broke off all their diplomatic ties with Germany -
U.S. declares war
After the U.S. broke ties with Germany, Wilson asked to declare war on them. Soon enough, Congress replied with an overwhelming vote to join the war. On April 6, the United States openly declared War on Germany on the side of the Triple Entente. -
First Liberty Loan
A Liberty Loan, or Liberty Bond, was a loan by a citizen given to his or her own government/country. The Liberty Bonds could be purchased by anyone, and the money would go to the war effort. The investment also had to be paid back later with interest. The First Liberty Loan was the first of four Liberty Bond drives. -
Selective Service Act
The Selective Service Act, also known as the Selective Draft Act, allowed for the United States government to draft members for service in the national army. This gave the United States a way to quickly grow its military in order to join the war. -
War Industries Board
The War Industries Board was a U.S. government agency created to coordinate the purchase of war supplies between the War Department and the Navy Department. -
Lever Food and Fuel Control Act
This Act created the United States Food Administration and Federal Fuel Administration. It authorized the President to control almost the entire economy for the remainder of the war. -
Second Liberty Loan
This was the second of four Liberty Loan drives by the United States government to fund the war effort. The government used some propaganda to help send bonds. They used posters that exaggerated or dehumanized the enemy to convince the people that they needed to help fight the enemy. -
War Revenue Act
The War Revenue Act of 1917 was made to help the government pay for the war efforts. The Act greatly increased income taxes. The previous rates had been graduated from 1% to 5% depending on a person's income. Now, the range moved to 2% to 15%. By the end of the war, income taxes had paid for approximately one third of the war costs. -
Railroads are nationalized
President Woodrow Wilson nationalized railroads on December 26, 1917 under the Federal Possession and Control Act. To nationalize something means to transfer any branch of industry or commerce from private to state or government ownership or control. This created the Unites States Railroad Administration, which took control of railways on December 28. -
Maximum prices for steel
The price of steel in 1918 was about $2.89 per one hundred pounds. -
Germans begin offensive on Western Front
Near the Somme River in France, the Germans launched their first major offensive on the Western Front in two years. German Commander Erich Ludendorff saw an opportunity to attack on the west since they had more forces on that side as the Russians had exited the war on the east. The Germans had moved 44 divisions from the east to the west at that time. He submitted his plan called the Kaiserschlacht. The plan was accepted and code-named Michael. The attack came as a surprise to the Allies. -
Third Liberty Loan
It was the third of the four Liberty Loan drives. This time, the minimum cost was $50 per bond, which was about two weeks worth of wages for the average man. -
First independent action by the American Expeditionary Force
The American Expeditionary Force was a formation of the U.S. Army on the Western Front. In May 1918, General John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing was made the supreme commander of the American Army in France, and the AEF was created. They soon realized how difficult it was to transport troops and tried to get as many over as possible. -
Battle of Belleau Wood
The Battle of Belleau Wood was a battle that occurred during the Spring Offensive of the Germans in France. It was the first sizable U.S. action and ended in an Allied victory. -
Second Battle of the Marne
The Second Battle of the Marne was the final major offensive by the Germans in World War 1. It resulted in a decisive victory for the Allies. It was fought by doughboys, which is the informal term for any U.S. soldier in the Army or Marine Corps. -
900,000 Americans in the Battle of Meuse-Argonne
The Battle of Meuse-Argonne was part of the final major offensive of the Allies along the entire Western Front. The fighting lasted 47 days in three phases. When the Battle started on September 26, there were 600,000 American troops involved. By the time the campaign ended on November 11, over 900,000 American troops had participated. The U.S. suffered 110,000 casualties. The fighting ended on November 11, 1918, with the Armistice. The result was an Allied victory of the war. -
Fourth Liberty Loan
It was the last of the four Liberty Loans during the war. This one was for around 6 billion dollars. Overall, the government raised around 20 billion dollars altogether for the war effort through Bonds. -
Armistice
The Battle of Meuse-Argonne on November 11, 1918, ended with an Armistice between the opposing sides. It was the end of the war. Afterward, there was a meeting in France where representatives from Great Britain, the United States, France, and Italy were present. Together, they created the Treaty of Versailles. Woodrow Wilson had Fourteen Points that he gave. Maybe the most important was number 14, which called for the creation of a League of Nations to prevent future war. The U.S. did not join.
