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The Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
During a visit to Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Franz Ferdinand and his wife was killed by a group of Bosnia Serbs that were either members of Young Bosnia or the Black Hand. This event was considered being the immediate cause of the First World War. -
Germany promises support for Austria-Hungary
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany pledges his country's support for any action Austria-Hungary decides to take in its conflict with Serbia, caused by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife during a visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia, by Serbian nationalists -
Russia Promises to Aid Serbia
Russia promises that it will help Serbia if it is attacked by Austria-Hungary. This is due to Russia seeking to gain political and religious influence on Serbia and to maintain it's status as a Great Power. -
Austria-Hungary Declares war on Serbia
Due to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and through previous tensions with Serbia, Austria-Hungary decides to declare war with Serbia effectively beginning WWl -
Germany Declares War on Russia
Due to Russia's alliance with Serbia, Germany declares war in aid of Austria-Hungary -
Germany and France Declare War on Eachother
Due to its alliance, Germany declared war on France, and hours later France declares war on Germany. -
Britain Declares War on Germany
Due to its alliance, Britain declares war on Germany. -
Austria-Hungary Declares war on Russia
Due to Russia's alliance with Serbia, Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia. -
Portugal declares support of the Allied Powers
In order to secure international support for its authority in Africa, President de Arriaga of Portugal declared his support for the Allies and entered the war on the side of Britain and the Allies. -
France Declares War on Austria-Hungary
Due to its alliance with Russia, France declares war on Austria Hungary. -
Britain Declares War on Austria-Hungary
Joining France and Russia, Britain declares war on Austria-Hungary -
The Battle of Mons
In Belgium, the war starts as British troops fought against the Germans. This was considered being first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. -
The Battle of Tannenberg
Near Allenstein, East Prussia, this battle was fought between Russia and Germany. It resulted in nearly the complete destruction of the Russian Second Army and the suicide of its general, Alexander Samsonov. -
The Battle of Heligoland
Took place in the Heligoland Bight, North Sea, it was considered the first naval battle in the war between Great Britain and Germany. It resulted in Great Britain's victory. -
The Battle of the Marne
Took place at the Marne River, near Brasles east of Paris, it was a battle fought between the French and British armies against Germany's who had invaded northeastern France and Belgium. The battle resulted in the Allied Power's victory. -
Turkey Joins the Central Powers
Due to its past conflicts with Russia, Turkey enters the war on Germany's side -
First Air Raid on Britain
Britain suffers its first casualties from an air attack when two German zeppelins drop bombs on Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn on the eastern coast of England. -
Allied landings at Gallipoli
The campaign at the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey was a joint British and French attempt to capture Istanbul and secure a sea route to Russia. The British and French forces failed at the expense of many casualties on both sides. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The RMS Lusitania was attacked by a German U-boat and sank within 18 minutes. 1,198 of the nearly 2,000 passengers aboard died. Where many of the passengers were American citizens.
These events turned the public opinion of several countries, including the United States, against the Germans. -
Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary
Due to the assurances Italy received in the Treaty of London, signed in April 1915 which includes the right to attain all Italian-populated lands it wanted from Austria-Hungary, Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary joining the Allied Powers -
The Battle of Loos
Took place in Loos, France, it was considered the biggest British attack of 1915 and was the first time that the British used poison gas. The French and British tried to break through the German defenses in Artois and Champagne and restore a war of movement. But despite these improved methods, more ammunition, and better equipment, the Franco-British attacks were contained by the German armies. -
The Evacuation of Gallipoli
After their failed campaign, the Allied powers were forced to forsake Gallipoli. -
The Battle of Verdun
A 10 month long battle between the German and French Armies that took place Verdun, France. There were thousands of casualties on both sides with no real advantage for either country. The French successfully defended the city of Verdun and pushed the German forces back. -
Germany Declares War on Portugal
In February 1916, the Portuguese government ordered its navy to seize German ships in its harbors. Germany responded by declaring war on Portugal. -
The Battle of Jutland
Fought on the North Sea, Jutland near Denmark, it was considered the largest naval battle of the war. The two sides fighting were the Germans and the British and the battle claimed 14 British and 11 German ships. the British, however, maintained naval control of the North Sea. -
The Russian Brusilov Offensive
Also known as the June Advance was the Russian's Empire greatest feat during the war and is ranked as one of the world's most deadly battles. It was a major offensive against the armies of the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria, Italy) in what is now Ukraine. The battle lasted through August and achieved several goals, including distracting Germany from Verdun and severely crippling the Austro-Hungarian Army. -
The Battle of the Somme
Took place at the Somme River near central Somme of France, it was a British and French offensive launched against invading German forces in the Somme portion of France along the Somme River. It was one of the largest battles of the entire war with 1.5 million casualties by the time it ended in November of 1916. British and French forces penetrated about 6 miles into the German line. The Germans failed to accomplish several of their objectives but still maintained partially entrenched areas. -
David Lloyd George becomes Prime Minister of Britain
David Lloyd George was the first Welsh to be elected the Prime Minister of Britain and would eventually lead the country to victory during World War I. -
The February Revolution
Strikes broke out across Russia against Czar Nicholas II. The revolution was largely due to the heavy loss of life during WWI. Nicholas abdicated in March. The February Revolution was the first of several revolutions that combined are called the Russian Revolution. -
The Abdication of Czar Nicholas II of Russia
Czar Nicholas II of Russia abdicated due to the events of the Russian Revolution and with the abdication of the Czar, the short-lived Provisional Government came to power in Russia and attempted to form a Republic. -
The Battle of Gaza
It was a battle fought between the British Empire and the Ottoman Empire located at Gaza, Palestine. It resulted in the Ottoman Empire's victory. -
The United States Declares War on Germany
When Berlin forced the issue that declared its decision on 31 January 1917 to target neutral shipping in a designated war-zone, it became the immediate cause of the entry of the United States into the war. -
The Battle of Caporetto
It was a battle fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Central Powers and that took place near the town of Kobarid, Austria-Hungary. The Austro-Hungarian forces, reinforced by German units, were able to break into the Italian front line and rout the Italian forces opposing them, this resulted in the Italian's defeat. -
The October Revolution
Also known as The Red October, the Bolshevik Coup, or The Russian Revolution was considered the point of which the Soviet Union was created. Led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin, it took place in Petrograd, Russian Republic, and overthrew the Provisional Government which had failed to pull out of World War I. This allowed the Soviets gained full power over the country, recreating it as the Soviet Union. -
The Battle of Cambrai
Was a British attack followed by the biggest German counter-attack against the British Expeditionary Force that took place in Cambrai, France. With the use of tanks, the British were able to gain a major victory against the Germans. -
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
It was a peace treaty signed between the new Bolshevik government of Russia and the Central Powers, that ended Russia's participation in World War I. -
The Spring Offensive
After the signing of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty with Russia, Germany was able to withdraw its troops from the Eastern Front. It was decided to use these troops to support a massive offensive on the Western Front. The Central Powers hoped that the 1918 Spring Offensive would enable them to end the war before the United States Army became firmly established in France. -
The Execution of the Russian Royals
Czar Nicholas II, his wife, son, and four daughters were all executed by the Bolsheviks after being imprisoned following his abdications. The Romanov dynasty officially ended. -
The Battle of Megiddo
It was a battle between the British Empire and the Ottoman Empire on the Plains of Sharon of Northern Palestine which resulted in the British's victory and the fall of Beirut and Damascus to British control. -
The Armistice of Mudros
It was an armistice signed by the Ottoman Minister of Marine Affairs Rauf Bey and the British Admiral Somerset Arthur Gough-Calthorpe that ended the hostilities between the Ottoman Empire and the Allied Powers. -
The Armistice of 11 November 1918
It was an armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Allies and their opponent, Germany. -
The Abdication of Wilhelm ll
With the uprising in Berlin had swelled into a revolution, Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced to abdicated as German Emperor and King of Prussia -
Paris Peace Conference
Also known as the Versailles Peace Conference, was the meeting in 1919 and 1920 of the victorious Allies after the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers. -
The Treaty of Versailles
The official peace settlement known as the Treaty of Versailles was signed near the beautiful palace at Versailles, near Paris. The treaty was very harsh on Germany and the resentment it created is often credited with the onset of the Second World War. The treaty forced Germany to accept full responsibility for the war and pay reparations, give up territories and reduce the army size to a meager 100,000 souls, -
Work Cited:
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“Key Dates of WWl.” National WWI Museum and Memorial, 17 July 2019, www.theworldwar.org/learn/dates.
Royde-Smith, John Graham, and Dennis E. Showalter. “World War I.”, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 27 Mar. 2020, www.britannica.com/event/World-War-I.
“World War One - List of Events.” Historic UK, www.historic-uk.com/World-War-1-Chronology/. -
Work Cited:
“Allies Begin Invasion of Gallipoli.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 28 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/allies-begin-invasion-of-gallipoli.
“Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 28 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/austria-hungary-declares-war-on-serbia.
“Battle of Mons.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 28 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-mons. -
Work Cited:
“Battle of Tannenberg Begins.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 28 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-tannenberg-begins.
“Germany and France Declare War on Each Other.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 5 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-and-france-declare-war-on-each-other.
“Germany Declares War on Portugal.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 5 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-declares-war-on-portugal. -
Work Cited:
“Germany Gives Austria-Hungary Assurance.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 5 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-gives-austria-hungary-blank-check-assurance.
Greenspan, Jesse. “The Assassination of Franz Ferdinand.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 26 June 2014, www.history.com/news/the-assassination-of-archduke-franz-ferdinand
“Italy Declares War on Austria-Hungary.”History.com,5 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/italy-declares-war-on-austria-hungary. -
Work Cited:
McDermott, Annette. “How the Sinking of Lusitania Changed World War I.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 17 Apr. 2018, www.history.com/news/how-the-sinking-of-lusitania-changed-wwi.
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Work Cited:
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Taylor, Alan. “World War I : Introduction.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 27 Apr. 2014, www.theatlantic.com/photo/2014/04/world-war-1-introduction
