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Nationalism erupts
In the late 1800s, many nations started expressing nationalism and wanting only one ethnic group in that particular nation. Nationalism is defined as one's devotion to their nation. This created many rivalries between nations and minority groups saw an impending disater for themselves. -
Militarism at its peak
The leading nations were competing for controld over certain areas that had many raw materials that were necessary. Also the new or smaller nations such as Germany, Japan, Italy, and the United States started to join in this race to obtain lands that were essential to their countries. As this strive for other land increased, it became obvious that a war was in the near future. In 1914, militarism, or the building up of ones country, reached its peak. Now everyone was just waiting. -
Alliances officially formed
By 1914, the two groups that would participate in World War I have been officially allied. It is these alliances that pulled all these major nations into a war that would have otherwise been not so big. One nation helped out another nation in their alliance, and eventually all six nation were involved. The two alliances were the Triple Entente, consisting of Britain, France, and Russia, and the Triple Alliance was Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. -
Archduke Ferdinand and Sophie assassinated
The last straw that led to the start of Worls War I was the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand. He was the heir to Austria-Hungary, and when he and his wife were going on a trip, they both got killed. The people who assassinated them were a group of Bosnians who believed that Bosnia actually belonged to Serbia and they thought badly of Ferdinand. When they saw him in and his wife in a car, one of them just took a pistol and shot both of them dead on the spot. -
Germany gives Austria-Hungary blank check
The blank check was Germany's promise to support Austria-Hungary in whatever way they will punish Serbia for the assassination of the archduke. This mistake by Germany may be what indirectly caused the war. Since Germany was now also declaring war against Serbia, the other nations that were against Germany were forced to enter also. So what could have been a much smaller war just between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, turned into the first war the invovled all the major nations. -
World War I Begins
All of the tensions finally erupted and one of the most deadly wars started. The first major battle occured on September 5 until the 12th. Germany lost the battle to the Triple Entente. However, the first attack of World War I was when Germany invaded Belgium. It was this that triggered Great Britain to step up and enter the war. -
RMS Lusitania sank
The sinking of the Lusitania, a Great Britain war ship, signaled the beginning of submarine warfare. Germany was the only nation to use submarine warfare, and this is the first attack they did during World War I. However, their use of submarines didn't last long. But with the amount of time they did use submarines, they did significant damage. -
Zimmermann telegram
The Zimmermann telegram is what ultimately pushed the US to enter the war that was happening. It was a message from a German secretary, Arthur Zimmermann, to the German ambassador. He was suggesting that Germany come into an Alliance with Mexico in case the US and Germany ever got into a war. This made the US realize that the issue that was happening abroad pertained to them also, and so they joined Russia, Britain, France, and Italy is helping defeat the Central Powers. -
Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare
After almost two years of putting their submarine warfare to rest, Germany resumes. This meant even more devastating losses to the naval army of Great Britain and the other nations that were fighting against the Allied. Even though Germany resumed this type of warfare, none of the other nations assumed this type and they were the ones doing the most damage to the naval armies of the other nations. -
World War I Ends
The effects of World War I were devastating. They affected every single nation that was involved, and even some nations or countries that weren't directly a part of the war. Germany had to pay a huge debt and after the war, America was closer to the Depression. There was so many crops that farmers planted that were now not needed, which caused huge economical problems for the US, which later then affected every nation that traded or dealed with the US. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was the treaty that Germany must sign to agree to end the war and pay back all the damage it has done. They were also forced to give up the Alsace-Lorraine back to France. They had to pay reparations of 6600 million pounds and their army was to be limited to 10000 men. This treaty humiliated Germany to the fullest, and in my opinion I think it was one of the reasons for the rise of Hitler and the start of WWII.
