Worldwar1

Major Events of World War 1

By feint4

  • Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assassinated

    Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is assassinated, Austria-Hungary uses this as an excuse to declare war on Serbia.

  • Austria-Hungary asks for German Support in war on Serbia

    Germany gives Austria-Hungary its full support, beginning the trend of countries taking sides and defending their allies.

  • Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia

  • Germany declares war on Russia

  • Germany invades Belgium and declares war on France, attempts to implement Schlieffen Plan

    Schlieffen Plan was a German plan which involved quickly defeating France (to avoid a two-front war) and then rushing troops to the Russian front. It failed, due in part to unexpected Belgium and French resistance and quick mobilization by the Russians, which forced Germany into defense of its homeland.

  • Britain declares war on Germany

  • Governor General of Canada declares war on Germany

    While Britain's entrance into the war automatically brought Canada into the fray as well, Canada's government was allowed to choose their level of participation in the war. This marked the first time Canada fought as an independent, distinct unit.

  • Germany invades France

  • Battle of the Marne begins

    The Germans, who had pushed the French army and British Expeditionary Army back to the River Marne, approached within 30 miles of Paris. Here the German and French armies fought one of the first major battles of the Western Front.

  • First Battle of Ypres

    British Expeditionary Force faces the German army and attempts to halt their advance.

  • Turkey enters war in support of Germany

    At this point, trench warfare starts to become more prominent on the Western Front.

  • Second Battle of Ypres begins

    Mult-part battle fought for control of the town of Ypres. First recorded large-scale use of poison gas by the German army. Also the first time Canada defeated a European power (Germany) on European soil.

  • Italy declares war on Germany and Austria

  • Britain introduces conscription

    For the first time in the war, Britain begins forcing men to enlist, rather than relying on people to volunteer.

  • Battle of the Somme begins

    Known as the "Big Push". British armies were ordered to march across no-man's land toward German trenches in an attempt to break the German defenses within hours. However, previous artillery bombardments had not dislodged German defenses as predicted, and British troops were led to one of the largest slaughters in military history. In total on both sides, more than one million men were wounded or killed.

  • Lloyd George becomes British Prime Minister

    George had been an opponent of war in the past, but now supported Britain's entry into the war, especially for purposes of defending Belgium.

  • USA declares war on Germany

  • Battle of Vimy Ridge begins

    This battle was a high piont for the Canadian military, in which four divisions of the Canadian corps overcame stiff German resistance and captured the ridge in three days. This was the first time all four divisions of the Canadian corps had fought together.

  • France unsuccesfully launches offensive on Western Front

  • Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendale) begins

    A battle fought for control of Passchendale and control of a vital point in the German's shipping line. Capture of the town on November 10, 1917 by the Canadian Corps marked a major victory and point of pride for Canada's military.

  • Britain launches major offensive on Western Front

  • Battle of Cambrai

    This was the first full-scale offensive in which the British planned their strategy around their secret weawpon, the tank. They made dramatic gains, and found tank-assaults to be an effective way to break trench deadlocks and reduce the need for war by attrition.

  • Germany and Russia sign armistice

  • Britain captures Jerusalem from Turkey

  • Russia and Germany sign Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

    The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed by Russia as well as Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey. It ended Russia's participation in the war, and was forced on the Russians by the threat of further advances by Germany and Austria.

  • Germany starts offensive in Flanders

  • Germany asks Allies for Armistice

  • German navy mutinies

  • Turkey makes peace

  • Austria makes peace

  • Germany signs an armistice with the Allies

    This is the official date of the end of World War 1.