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Triple Alliance is formed
Due to mililtarism which is the glorification of armed stregnth and the ideals of war, nationalistic belief and imperalism, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy form an alliance. The alliance was orginally formed to uphold peace between the European powers, and they deemed France to be the greatest threat to peace. While the motivation of this alliance was to keep peace, it had the opposite effect, causing the chain reaction of other countries forming alliances, which is a major effect of WWI. -
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WWI Timeline
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Germany joins Russia in the Alliance
Russia joins Germany in the allliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy. Otto Von Bismark wanted to isolate France because he considered the country a threat to peace, as he thought that France would seek revenge from their defeats in the Franco-Prussian War. Bismarck wanted to take away any possible allies of France, and signed a treaty with Russia. -
Kaiser Wilhelm II changes foreign policy
Kaiser Wilhelm I drastically changed the foriegn policy of Germany. As the ruler, he forced Otto Von Bismark, the secretary beneath him, to resign. Wilhelm I wanted to display the might of Germany's military. In his alteration of the foriegn policy, he allowed an alliance with Russia to expire. This action allienated and angered Russia, and led to further conflict. -
Russia allies with France
Russia forms a military defensive alliance with France. A military defensive is a policy of protecting an ally in the event of a defensive war. Bismarck feared this alliance because it created a two-front war for Germany. Germany, located between Russia and France, would be forced into offensively fighting on both on both eastern and western sides. -
Britian formed entente with France
Great Britian and France sign a treaty, later called the Entente Cordial. The alliance resolved previous disagreements between the two countries regarding colonized territories. The Entente Cordial ended the rivalry and competition between the countries, and began a relationship as allies. This alliance tied the countries together through the war, and for decades to come. -
Triple Entente formed
Wilhelm II began ambitious efforts for a shipbuilding program, encoraging Germany's navy. Alarmed, Great Britian formed an alliance with France and Russia in response, solidifying the Triple Entente. The terms of the alliance did not strictly require Great Britian to fight with France and Russia, and vice-versa. The entente, however, did ensure that these country would not fight against one another in the event of war. -
Ferdinand and Sophie are assasinated in Sarajevo
Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austrian-Hungarian empire, and his wife Duchess Sophie visited Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. Due to the rising tensions between the Serbs and the Austria-Hungary empire, Ferdinand visited Serbia with the intention of creating peace. He was unsuccessful. The heir and the duchess were unfortunately assinated by a member of the Serbian nationalist group, the Black Hand. Within a month, this pulled the majority of Europe into war. -
Austria presented Serbia with the ultimatum
The Austrians were infuriated by the assination of the archduke, and demanded a severe ultimatum. Serbia willingly accepted, with the exception of one provison, which required Austrian officials to enter Serbia to investigate the assination. This requirement Serbia refused to follow because they did not want Austria-Hungary in their borders and feared a takevoer of their land again.Since they did not accept, Austria-Hungary declared war and pulled all the nations with them. -
Austria declared war on Serbia. Russia's mobilization toward the Austrian border
Austria declared war on Serbia because they did not accept the ultimatum. Due to the Slavic roots in southeastern Europe, Serbia had Russia as a powerful ally. Russia’s government pledged to support the Serbs, and began to mobilize their army along the Austrian border. Since Russia was not an industrialized country and had a large amount of troops, transporting and mobilizing their troops took many months. Mobilization of Russian troops brought the nations to the threshold of war. -
Germany declared war on Russia
As Russia sided with Serbia, they expected Germany to side with Austria-Hungary. As a precaution, Russia mobilized troops along the German border, but Germany considered this action a declaration of war. Germany officially declared war on Russia (EFFECT ON WAR) -
Battle of Tanneberg (four day battle)
Russia had a large amount of soldiers but lacked industrialization, and had difficulty mobilizing their army. Russians were so unprepared that soldiers were sent into the battle without weapons. This caused the Germans to crush Russia in the counterattack and gradually to push the Russians back into their own land. Russia never completely recovered from the Battle of Tanneberg, which lead to their early exist from the war. -
Germany declared war on France
As Germany and Russia prepared for war, they were eager to gain other European powers. Germany knew that Russia would ally with France, and not losing anytime declared war on France. Germany now had to fight a two front war, forcing them to divide their troops. -
Britian declared war on Germany
Germany's plan required marching through Belgium, a country that was unanimously agreed upon to be neutral, in order to get to Paris. Depsite many European powers' disapproval, Germany marched through Belgium, which concerend Great Britian because of the close proximity to Belgium ports. At this Great Britian declared war on Germany, -
First Battle of Marne
Germany developed the Schlieffen plan, a military offensive plan to attack France before Russia was mobilized. and executed at this battle.Paris was a vital gain because if Germany could win the capital, it could gain the country, and avoid fighting a two front war. Germany believed the war would be short as they approached 50 miles to Paris. Allies were able to regroup and prevent the attack, and forced Germany to retreat.The battle showed the world the war would not end easily or quickly. -
Ottoman Empire joins the Central Powers
The Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers of Austria-Hungary and Germany. The Ottoman Empire was motivated by gaining back land that they previously had lost, and deemed the Central Powers most capable of achieving this goal. This affected the war by adding another nation on the central powers side, but also creating another enemy for the Allies. -
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Allies launch the Gallipoli Campaign
The Allies devised the Gallipoli Campaign, which was a strategy to attack a region in the Ottoman empire, called the Dardanelles Strait, a water way located past the Black sea. The strait would secure Constantinople, the Ottoman capital. The Allies believed they could also defeat the Turks, help supply Russia with materials and form an offensive into the Austrian-Hungarian empire by the Danube river. The campaign was a failure, and ending in a stalemate, which the Allies eventually gave up. -
Italy joins Entente
At the start of the war, Italy remained neutral. The Italians considered Germany an agressor, a threat because they made unprovoked attacks. Italy eventually joined Great Britan, France, and Russia which formed the Allies, fighting against Germany and Austria-Hungary. -
Germany sinks the U.S.S. Lusitana
Using unrestricted submarine warfare, A German submarine U- boat sunk the British passenger ship, the U.S.S. Lusitania, carrying British and American civilians. The attack killed 1,198 people, which included 128 American citizens. Germany justified the attack because the ship was carrying ammunition, however, public perception was not in Germany's favor. Germany received a strong oppostion from President Woodrow Wilson.This attack added to America's support for Great Britian, against Germany. -
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Battle of the Somme
The British and the French executed a five day bombardment for efforts to get throughGerman barbed wireand they lost 60,000 casualities within the first day. The battle lasted for many months, and resulted in a stalemate, and not much change for either sides of the nations. The battle exemplified the horrors of the war, through the new technology and over one million casualities existed in total -
Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare
In 1917, Germany increased their emphasis of the navy, with the announcement of the policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. The German policy, directed at Great Britian, was to attack any ship, neutral or passenger, surrounding Great Britian waters without warning.This tactic angered the United States because it valued Great Britian as an economic ally, and culturally connected with the country. This policy contributed to the US entry into WWI. -
U.S. intercepts Zimmmeran note
Great Britian intercepted a crucial telegram between Arthur Zimmerman and the German ambassador to Mexico, and forwarded the telegram to the US government. The telegram detailed a proposed agreement between Mexico and Germany. Germany proposd that if Mexico sided with Germany in the war, then Germany would support Mexico in regaining territory lost in the Mexican-American War, present day Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. The telegram was the final event igniting the US entry into the war. -
Wilson asks Congress for war on Germany
After the buildup of tensions between Germany, finally President Woodrow Wilson calls for a special session of Congress and delivers the "war message," proposing the declaration of war on Germany. On April 6, 1917 Congress passed the war resolution, which formally declared war on Germany, and an alliance with the Allies. The US involvement contributed to the positive outcome of the war for the Allies. -
Russia's invovlement ended
World War I took a heavy toll on Russia. Although the country had a surplus of troops, it was not industrialized, which was an extreme disadvantage and contributed to tremendous defeats. Russia had war-related food and fuel shortages, which upset the people. In addition, the peasants were the bulk of the army, and did not understand or support fighting in the war. Revolution occurred, and Vladimir Illyich Lenin, a communist leader, came into power and ended Russia's involvement -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Germany and Russia sign the Treaties of Brest-Litovsk., ending conflict between the two countries. The treaty was very harsh on Russia, and required Russia to give up 25% of their land and population. The land included present-day Finland, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The treaty was void after the war ended, but the nations still gained independence. -
Second Battle of the Marne
Allies and Germans fought at the Marne River, near Paris. The Allies attacked with 350 tanks, and broke through enemy lines. The Allies recieved crucial reinforcments of 2 million American troops, which drastically helped the Allies push Germany back. The Second Battle of the Somme contributed to the rising success of the Allied forces, and the decrease in the Central Powers. -
Germany declared itself a republic
German soldiers turned on their authority, or mutinied on the kaiser. Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced to step down from the throne. Germany became a new republic, and sent representatives from the new government to negotiate the armistice. -
Germany and France armistice
A German representative and French commander Marshal Foch sign an armistice, which is an agreement to cease fire and end conflict. They sign the treaty while on a railway car, going through a forest close to Paris. The armistice formally ended World War I
