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Period: to
Pre-War
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Formation of the triple alliance
Germany had allied itself with Russia and Austria-Hungary in the Three Emperors' League, but Austria-Hungary and Russia were not the best of friends, partly because they were at odds over the Balkans and partly because Russia represented the Pan-Slavic movement, whose program threatened the very existence of Austria-Hungary -
First Moroccan Crisis
The First Moroccan Crisis (also known as the Tangier Crisis) was an international crisis between March 1905 and May 1906 over the status of Morocco. Germany attempted to use the issue of Morocco's independence to increase frictions between France and the United Kingdom, as well as to advance German commercial interests in Morocco. -
Tripple Entante was formed
The Triple Entente was the name given to the alliance between France, Britain, and Russia after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente on August 31, 1907. The alliance of the three powers, supplemented by agreements with Portugal and Japan, constituted a powerful counterweight to the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. -
Balkan Crisis
a chain of further crises followed the Moroccan Crisis of 1905-1906. The next one occurred in 1908, the First Balkan Crisis, otherwise known as the Bosnian Crisis. The Balkan peninsula was the real sore spot of late-nineteenth century diplomacy. Within that sore spot was a really hotspot, a piece of territory known as Bosnia. Austria wanted Bosnia. -
Second Second Moroccan Crisis
The Agadir Crisis, also called the Second Moroccan Crisis, or the Panthersprung, was the international tension sparked by the deployment of a substantial force of French troops in the interior of Morocco. France thus broke both with the Act of Algeciras (that ended the first Moroccan crisis) and the Franco-German Accord of 1909. Germany reacted by sending the gunboat Panther to the Moroccan port of Agadir on July 1, 1911. -
Balkan Wars
The First Balkan War was started by an alliance made up of Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, and Montenegro. It was a desire to liberate their kinsman and a response to repressive policies of the Young Turks (Ottoman Empire). The Balkan League agreed to ally themselves to take the offensive. -
Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
On June 28, 1914, a young Serbian nationalist named Gavrilo Princip killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Taking place against a backdrop of escalating tensions in the Balkans, the assassination set off a chain of events that would lead to the start of World War I barely one month later. -
Ultimatum for Serbia
Austria sends a ultimatum to Serbia which included harsh terms, such as that Austrians official be permitted to enter Serbia to suppress anti-Austrian movements and demands a reply within 48 hours. -
Destruction of the lusatania
Kapitänleutnant Walter Schwieger was ordered to take his U-boat-20 German submarine to the northern tip of Great Britain, d.t hen he was to go around Ireland and head back to Germany. Schwieger was known to frequently attack ships without warning them, and fired at any neutral ships he suspected may be British. One of which, was the lusitania holding 126 Americans among its passengers. -
Wilson gives his war declaration
President Wilson addressed Congress to announce that diplomatic
relations with Germany were severed. In a Special Session of Congress held on 2 April 1917, President Wilson delivered this 'War Message.' Four days later, Congress overwhelmingly passed the War Resolution which brought the United States into the Great War.
