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Balkan Wars Picture
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Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that stripped the Ottoman Empire of its European territory. In the First Balkan War, the Ottomans were defeated by the Balkan League, which cost them Macedonia and Albania. The Second Balkan War started after Serbia, Romania, Greece, and Bulgaria argued over their conquests in Macedonia. Eventually, Bulgaria lost and Macedonia was divided between Greece and Serbia. As a result, the higher tensions from the wars helped spark WWI (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2023). -
The Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were driven through Sarajevo when an assassin in the crowd threw a grenade at the vehicle. The bomb bounced off of the car and injured others in the vehicle behind it. After reaching the city hall, the couple insisted on seeing the injured officers in the hospital. On the way there, another assassin named Gavrilo Princip spotted the vehicle and took the opportunity. Two shots rang out and the couple bled out on the way to the hospital (Backhouse, 2023). -
WWI Begins
The early 1910s is commonly referred to as a powder keg, and the smallest spark could make it blow at any time. The European nations were yearning to prove their superiority over each other. They grew their militaries and formed alliances because, in the face of war, you wouldn't want to be alone and weak. The spark that ignited the war was the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, then the invasion of Serbia, and finally the rapid declarations of war (Facing History & Ourselves, 2018). -
Gallipoli Campaign Picture
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Gallipoli Campaign
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign, was a British and French operation against Turkey. The main objectives were to push through the Dardanelles Strait, beat the Turks in the Gallipoli Peninsula, and occupy Constantinople. The British used naval bombardment on the Dardanelles but it failed. After, troops were sent into the peninsula and eventually withdrawn 6 months later, causing 250,000 deaths and Winston Churchill's resignation (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2023). -
The Sinking of the Lusitania
On May 7th, 1915, the British cruise liner, RMS Lusitania, was making a trip from New York to Liverpool when a German U-boat sank the ship. The majority of those onboard died, including 123 Americans. Some of the public saw the attack as an act of evil. Many others understood that Germany considered the ship to be an enemy because it was British. The ship being sunk was not the biggest factor in the US´s entry into WWI, but it certainly solidified anti-German ideas (Library of Congress, n.d.). -
Battle of Verdun Picture
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Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun is said to be the longest battle in modern history. The Germans planned to succeed on the Western Front by defeating the French army before they grew stronger. The German forces set their sights on Verdun and both sides fought hard for it. During the battle, the Allies started shelling the Somme, which caused more German losses and a manpower crisis. In the end, 330,000 Germans and 370,000 French were lost, but France won the battle (Imperial War Museums, 2023). -
Battle of the Somme Picture
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Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme was a converse of Verdun. The Allies launched an offensive on the Germans to succeed on the Western Front. The mainly British force faced a well-defended enemy as traps were laid in advance. Despite their weeklong bombing campaign, the British didn't get the quick victory they planned for, and the battle quickly became one of attrition. Over the next 141 days, the Allies advanced a max of seven miles, and casualties reached a million (Imperial War Museum, 2023). -
The Zimmermann Telegram
On January 17th, 1917, the British intercepted a German message to Mexico. The message said that if the US ever entered into WWI, they should help Germany and declare war. It also revealed Germany's intention to unleash its U-boats in the Atlantic to halt supplies going to Europe. The British shared the telegram with the US and they leaked the documents to the Associated Press. The story stirred up an American hatred for Germany and on April 6th, war was declared (intelligence.gov, n.d.). -
Russian Revolution
Russia's entrance into WWI was one of the main causes of the February Revolution. In a few days, the strikes went to protests and then to violently raiding buildings. Soldiers even joined in the fight against the autocracy. After the protestors reached the Winter Palace and soldiers weren't sent to curb the revolution, a provisional government was formed. Months into the future, another revolution was started by the Bolsheviks to instate the USSR (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2023). -
US Enters the War
On April 4th, the US Senate voted to declare war on Germany for several reasons. President Woodrow Wilson stated that it was because Germany kept attacking civilian ships after pledging not to, and the Zimmermann Telegram. Other reasons include the Lusitania and Germany showing no intention of resolving things peacefully. On the 6th, the United States officially declared war on Germany and entered the war. This event was one of the many turning points of WWI (Office of the Historian, n.d.). -
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Following Russia´s defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, support for the Tsar was plummeting quickly. Especially with countless losses in WWI, the anger of the Russian people strengthened the Bolsheviks' cause. After the February Revolution, Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks acted quickly to overtake the provisional government on November 6th, 1917. Soon after, Lenin sought to get Russia out of WWI. On March 3rd, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed and Russia left the war (History.com, 2021). -
The Battle of Chateu-Thierry
In June 1918, American forces arrived to help the Allies against Germany. About a month later, they got to prove their worth in Chateu-Thierry. In a fight started by the Germans, the Americans surprised the enemy by attacking without a bombardment. The troops then found themselves behind enemy lines and were in command of a bridge that they used to help the French Army. Because of this, the Americans caused the Germans to retreat and set this battle as the turning point of WWI (Hull, 2018). -
Meuse-Argonne Offensive Picture
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Meuse-Argonne Offensive
On September 26th, 1918, General Pershing launched an attack on the Argonne Forest, which would be the deadliest battle in US history. While the British were fighting the Germans in northern Belgium, the Americans and French slowly pushed through the strong defenses. They were supported by artillery, tanks, and planes. The Allies made great progress breaking stalemates and pushing until Armistice. In the end, 26,277 Americans died in this battle alone (Library of Congress, n.d.). -
Armistice
Four years of brutal combat and millions of lives lost. The weapons on the Western Front were silent for the first time. Fighting was still happening in the world, but the treaty between Germany and the Allies was a leap closer to ending the war. The global reaction was a conglomerate of celebrations, relief, disbelief, and a sense of loss. One thing is for sure, many letters were written on this day (National WWI Museum and Memorial, 2023). -
Treaty of Versailles Signed
In the summer of 1919, the Allies had Germany sign the Treaty of Versailles. This agreement imposed heavy consequences on Germany such as taking responsibility for WWI and the loss of territory. Also, large war reparations and demilitarization were included. US President Woodrow Wilson said that the treaty just humiliated Germany without resolving what caused the war. This would prove to be true and Germany would go on to cause a second and even deadlier war (History.com, 2023). -
First Assembly of the League of Nations
After the Great War, the League of Nations was formed in January 1920 to attempt at making WWI the last major war. The first meeting was held on November 15, 1920. 41 nations came together to spark new ways to settle disputes, prevent wars, and promote the welfare of the world. Long after the assembly, some nations left the league to pursue other things. Soon, the league would be dissolved for the formation of the United Nations (Encyclopedia.com, 2019) (History.com, 2020).