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The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
A secret revolutionary society of peasant called, "The Black Hand" began plotting to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Ferdinand died when his car took a wrong turn where his assassin(Princip) was standing so he shot and killed the Duke and his wife. The Black Hand killed the Duke because they believed that Bosnia belonged to Serbia and not to Austria-Hungary. This event was the "spark" that started WWI. -
First trenches dug on the Western Front
The trench system on the Western Front which stretched from the North Sea coast of Belgium and went through France. There were usually three lines of trenches; first, there was a front-line trench located 50 yards to a mile from its enemy counterpart, guarded by tangled lines of barbed wire. Then there was a support trench line several hundred yards back, and then a reserve line several hundred yards back behind that. -
Christmas Truce
The Christmas Truce was an unofficial cease-fire that occurred along the Western Front. In early December an attempt was made to secure an official truce for the holidays. Pope Benedict XV issued an appeal to the leaders of Europe, "that the guns may fall silent at least upon the night the angels sang." During the truce soldiers from both sides would get together sing Christmas carols and play games such as football. -
Germans introduce poison gas
German forces shocked Allied soldiers along the western front by firing more than 150 tons of lethal chlorine gas against two French colonial divisions. This was the first major gas attack by the Germans. The allies respond by developing gas masks and protective clothing to fight against the poison gas. -
The Sinking of the Lusitania
The Sinking of the Lusitania happened when a German U-boat torpedoed the British-owned steamship, "Lusitania," killing 1,128 people including 128 Americans. This disaster strained relations between Germany and the U.S. Germany declared the waters surrounding the British Isles a war zone because both merchant and passenger ships were transporting weapons and supplies from the U.S to Europe. After the ship sank President Woodrow Wilson wanted to proceed with caution and remain neutral. -
First Tanks
The British employ the first tanks ever used in battle at Delville Wood. They were used to break through barbed wire. Also, they were used to clear a path for the infantry. The first tanks are primitive and fail to be decisive weapons like their designers thought they would be. -
The Zimmermann Telegram
The Telegram said that if the neutral United States entered the war on the side of the Allies, then Von Eckardt was to approach Mexico's president with an offer to forge a secret wartime alliance. This alliance said that Germany would provide military and financial support for a Mexican attack on the United States, and in exchange, Mexico would be free to annex lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. This event drove the United States to enter WWI on the side of the Allies. -
Selective Service Act
Congress passes the Selective Service Act which authorized the draft. The draft is when the military may need to draw soldiers from the general civilian population as a result of a major conflict like WWI. In most drafts, you need to be at least 21 years of age to be drafted. 18 and 19-year-olds will probably not be drafted. Those who refuse to be drafted will be charged with a crime called draft evasion and can be subjected to fines, a prison sentence or other punishments. -
Frank Buckles journey begins
While school was out for the summer, 16-year-old Frank Buckles went to the Marines recruiting station and the sergeant told him that he was not old enough to be in the Marines. Then he tried the Navy and they didn't want him because he was flat-footed. Then he went to Logan, Colorado where he was finally sworn into the United States Army on August 4, 1917. He was sent to Fort Riley, Kansas where he was trained for ambulance services. -
Enlistment record for Frank W. Buckles
Frank W. Buckles enlisted into the U.S Army at Logan Colorado. He was underage so he lied to a military recruiter to get into the army. He served the army for both World Wars. -
First ft.Riley Casual Detachment
Frank Buckles was apart of the first Ft.Riley Casual Detachment of 102 men who sailed from Hoboken, NJ to Europe without an escort. They sailed in HMS "CARPATHIA" which is the vessel famous for rescuing the survivors of the "TITANIC." During Frank's stay in England he drove a motorcycle sidecar, then Ford ambulances and cars. -
Germany and Russia Peace Treaty
Germany signed a peace treaty with the new Bolshevik government of Russia. In the treaty, it states that Russia will give Germany huge tracts of land that had been the Ukraine and Poland. Peace on the Eastern Front allows Germany to shift soldiers to the Western Front. This shift causes serious problems for the Allies. -
Treaty of Versailles
WWI officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles although the actual fighting stopped on November 11, 1918, also called armistice day. The treaty consists of 15 parts and 440 articles. In the treaty, it reassigned German boundaries and assigned liability for Germany to pay for reparations. It also blamed the war on Germany. -
Prisoners Of War evacuated
Frank Buckles evacuated German prisoners of War from France back to Germany. He evacuated them via train. After this Frank returned to America and eventually got a job with the White Star Line steamship company. The shipping career satisfied his thirst for adventure. -
Honorable Discharge
On the honorable discharge, it says that he was born in Bethany Missouri. It also says that he enlisted in the army when he was 16. When he enlisted his occupation was a Clerk.
