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The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Ferdinand decided to visit Sarajevo, Bosnia one day, knowing stakes are high ever since in 1908 where he made the Bosnian nationalists upset when the Austrian-Hungarian empire took over Bosnia. On his visit, an attack in an attempt to hurt Ferdinand was fired, but luckily himself and his wife stayed unharmed. Some other villagers were wounded in the attempt; while on the way to see the wounded, a wrong turn was taken and Garvilo Princip fires his gun and kills him and his wife within the hour -
Battle of Tannenberg
Lasting 4 days, the Germans strike revenge on Russia for the 1410 conflict. The Germans reorganized the Russians strategy which forced them to retreat. Germans annihilated their armies with 30,000 casualties and more than 90,000 taken to be prisoners. This counts as the country's biggest win against Russia. -
First Battle of Ypres
This battle also known as the "Race to the Sea", was the first of three battles that controlled Belgium's north coast that allowed access to English Channel ports and the North Sea. This conflict lasted for 3 weeks, involving an estimated 600,000 Germans and 420,000 allies, until the brutal winter weather brought it to an end. Both sides engage in trench warfare, suffering in many casualties and no significant gains. -
The Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was when the term "total war" was introduced. The Germans used total war to destroy the French morale. This meant they were willing to make any sacrifice(s) in lives or resources to obtain victory. There was 400,000 French casualties, but also a French victory ending this battle on December 18th, 1916. -
Battle of Jutland
As WW1's biggest naval conflict, this battle was off the coast of Denmark. It marks the first/only showdown between the British and German battleships. With the Germans attacking first with 250 ships and 100,000 men, both sides lost thousands of lives and ships. With no clear victor, Britain can now secure North Sea shipping lanes and continue to block German ports. This blockade leads to the Allies eventually taking their victory. -
Battle of the Somme
Lasting from July 1st to November 1916, the British launched an attack in the Somme River area to pull German troops away from Verdun. Both sides has lost a great number of troops, the British suffering most with nearly 19,000 casualties on the first day alone. At the end of the five months, there was over 1 million casualties on both sides, ending in an allied victory for the British and French -
Third Battle of Ypres
The Allies launch an attack on Germany to gain back control of Ypres. Attacks and counterattacks go on for 4 months in the rain and mud. In the end, little ground was won and considered a victory for the Allies; but with the cost of 550,000 casualties. -
Battle of Cambrai
On this day, British forces engaged in a surprise attack, resulting in the gain of new territory over the next several days with the new change in the course of modern warfare and the use of tank brigades and new artillery methods. In return, on November 30th., a massive German counterattack resulted in most of that ground being recovered. -
Second Battle of the Somme
The Germans begin this second battle in hopes to capitalize on the Russian army's collapse and attack British trenches with gas and artillery fire. As a result, the Germans win their biggest single territorial gain along the Western Front since the war's onset. Within weeks time, the Allies regroup and the German offensive begin to lose steam and are eventually halted. -
Ludendorff Offensive
The Germans strike by launching strings of attacks along the Western Front, in hopes of winning the war before the U.S. can join the Allies. Even with 4 strong attacks, the territory taken over wasn't very strategic. With the American forces joining in July and exhausted soldiers on the Germans side, this battle ends on July 18th, 1918; while ending in a German victory, they are badly weakened by the Allies. -
Second Battle of the Marne
As the last offensive attack of the war, lasting only 3 days, the Germans struck the Ally troops near the Marne River in an attempt to lure them from a separate planned attack. While trying to fool the Allies, they soon find out they are fooled by a set of false trenches implemented by the French. At this moment, Germans are met with heavy counterattacks by the French and American troops and soon forced to retreat. -
Battle of Amiens
Known as one of the most successful advances of WW1, Allied troops secured more than 8 miles in conflicts on the first day. The Allies catch the Germans off guard with their attack. With the help of 2,000 guns, 1,900 planes, and 500 tanks, the Allies caused large scale casualties for the Germans and a fatal blow to the morale. -
Battles of the Meuse-Argonne
Using more than 1 million American soldiers and some help from the French, the Allies capture tens of thousands of German prisoners. With 26,000 Americans dead and 120,000 casualties, this battle was seen as the biggest WW1 operation and its deadliest battle in U.S. history. After 4 long months, Germany finally ceded, beginning their final retreat. -
Battle of Mons
At the crack of dawn, Canadian corps capture Mons, Belgium. This morning offensive happens hours before troops learn that Germany has agreed to an armistice at 11 a.m. Going down with the war was the final death of a Canadian shot by an Allied sniper minutes before the gunshot fired. -
Treaty of Versailles
With the Germans finally retreating for the last time, negotiations for armistice began in January 1919 and continued to June. The signing happening on June 28th, 1919, officially ending the war.