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Cause of WWI: Imperialism
Many countries that had not had many colonies decided that they wanted to have more colonies. The increasing competition and desire for greater empires led to an increase of confrontation that helped push the world into World War I. -
Cause of WWI: The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, were assassinated in the streets of Sarajevo by Princip, a teenage Serbian. His death quickly set off a chain reaction of events culminating in the outbreak of World War I. -
WWI Event: Germany Invasion of Belgium
Before the Germans declared war on France, they needed free passage across Belgium. However, Belgium was a neutral country and refused to take either sides. As a result, Germany saw Belgium as an enemy and invaded the country. -
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WWI Consequences: Bolshevik Revolution
As a result of World War I, the Bolshevik Revolution began in Russia. In October 1917 a new political force, the socialist Bolshevik Party, emerged to seize control of the nation. Led by Vladimir Ulyanov, or Lenin, the Bolsheviks promised ‘peace, bread and land’. -
WWI Event: USA Declaration of War Upon Germany
President Wilson appeared before a joint session of Congress and asked for a declaration of war against Germany in order to "make the world safe for democracy." And on April 4, Congress granted Wilson's request. -
WWI Consequences: The Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was the most important of the peace treaties that brought World War I to an end. The Treaty ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. -
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WWII Consequence: End of Great Depression
The Great Depression was the worst economic crisis in U.S. history. During the war more than 12 million Americans were sent into the military, and a similar number toiled in defense-related jobs. Those war jobs took care of the 17 million unemployed in 1939. Most historians have therefore cited the massive spending during wartime as the event that ended the Great Depression. -
WWII Event: Invasion of Poland
Germany invaded Poland after having a chance to rearm. The Polish army was defeated within weeks of the invasion. German units, with more than 2,000 tanks and over 1,000 planes, broke through Polish defenses along the border -
WWII Event: Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory. The attack led to the United States' entry into World War II. -
WWII Consequences: European Recovery Program
U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall devised the "European Recovery Program", which became known as the Marshall Plan. It was an American initiative to aid Western Europe in economic support to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War II. The plan was in operation for four years.
