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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife were assassinated by Gavrilo Princip. Princip belonged to a group of Serbian nationalists who wanted to end Austria-Hungary’s rule over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The two countries were politically unstable. Ferdinand’s assassination sparked WWI. -
Germany Invades Belgium
The Germans invaded Belgium and began their attempt to capture the city of Liege. The Germans used siege cannons and other powerful weapons which led them to take Liege on August 15, 1914. As they moved toward France, the Germans killed many of Belgian citizens. They also executed a priest who they believed was causing citizens to resist the war. -
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The Battle of Tannenberg
German Chief of Staff Ludendorff ordered German troops to attack the Russian troops by Usdau. The Russians were forced to pull back due to German forces and were eventually found once again near the city of Neidenburg. Two corps of the Russian army were able to escape due to a counterattack on Russia’s end before Germany could get to them on the battlefield. However, the remaining corps of the Russian army were surrounded by German troops with no way to escape and were taken and held as P.O.W. -
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First Battle of the Marne
French and British armies counterattacked the Germans to prevent them from invading any more of France. The Germans had already invaded northeast France and were thirty miles from Paris. However, the attack set the Germans back north of the Aisne River. This ended what the Germans thought would be a quick victory. More information on the First Battle of the Marne -
The Founding of the Commission for Relief in Belgium
Americans and Belgians were suffering from a food shortage in Belgium and looked to the American Ambassador to Great Britain for help. Herbert Hoover founded the Commission for Relief in Belgium to help Belgium in the wake of the war. There were three missions; shipping, finance, and diplomatic. All were organized through the headquarters in London and cargo was sent to Belgium by canal and railroad. -
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The First Battle of Ypres
Allied powers and German troops began combat in order to take control of Ypres, Belgium and its many advantages. Germany already had control of Antwerp, another city in Belgium, and wanted to capture Ypres in order to have control over the North Sea. Germany was the first to fire at the First Battle of Ypres, but the Allies used their chances to fight back to the best of their advantage. Both Germany and the Allies suffered extreme losses, and the battle was cut short due to winter weather. -
Germany Sinks the Lusitania
The Lusitania was struck by a torpedo off the coast of Ireland and sunk within minutes. The attack put on by Germany and led to a larger explosion on the ship, killing 1,201 people. 128 of those killed were Americans. Germany insisted that the Lusitania was struck due to carrying military equipment to help the Allies which posed a threat, however the ship was mainly a passenger ship. More information on the sinking of the Lusitania -
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The Battle of the Somme
French and British troops worked together in an attempt to obtain the Western Front from Germany. This became the plan after a December 1915 meeting of the Allied forces to discuss battle plans for the year ahead. The British and French faced meticulously planned German defense mechanisms and advanced seven miles on the battlefield. British troops lost 19,240 men on the first day of the battle, making it the bloodiest day of the Battle of the Somme. -
Theodore Kohls Enlists
Theodore Kohls enlisted in the Army in 1917 when he was just under 15 years old. He lied about his age and told the recruiters that he was 22. He was put into Company A as well as the 26th Infantry regiment and served primarily in France during WWI. His other places of service were Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, where he enlisted, and Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Enlistment record -
The United States Enters WWI
President Woodrow Wilson went to Congress on April 2, 1918 asking them to declare war on Germany for the acts Germany had committed against the United States. President Wilson’s question first went to the Senate. They voted 82-6 to declare war on Germany and on April 6 the House of Representatives voted 373 to 50 to do the same. Thus, President Woodrow Wilson signed the declaration declaring war on Germany and entered the United States into World War I. -
Theodore Kohls Enters the Trench for the First Time
On October 29, 1917, Theodore Kohls entered the trenches with his troop for the first time. It snowed and rained that night with Theodore having to stand in the mud and water until morning. By the morning, he was sopping wet. He spent five long days in the trench before his company was relieved by the second battalion of his regiment. -
Germans Raid Theodore Kohls' Company
Five-hundred Germans raided Theodore Kohls' company on the morning of May 27. The Germans bombarded his company for four hours and when they retreated they left their dead men behind them. Theodore’s company was left fighting for 30 minutes after the Germans had retreated. Throughout the day however, every side was fighting constantly. -
Kohls' Company Raids the Germans
After the raid on their company, Theodore Kohls and his fellow soldiers bombarded the German trenches. They began at 6:15 and took their places with purpose. The Germans began to counterattack but failed at successfully doing so each time. This led to Kohls' company defeating the Germans in the raid. -
Kohls is Injured in Battle
While obeying orders and going over Paris Soissons road with his fellow soldiers, Kohls was wounded in the left hip by a German bullet. He was carried to the first aid station where they dressed his wound and then he was put on an ambulance and transported to field hospital number 3. He spent one night at the hospital number 3 before being carried and put back on a train to go to the 114th field hospital in Bevais, France. There, he received medical treatment before being transported to Paris. -
Kohls is Sent to St.Agnan, France
After spending four weeks in the hospital due to his injuries, Theodore Kohls was discharged from the hospital and deemed fit to go back out into the field. He was sent to St.Agnan France where part of the American Expeditionary Forces were located. While in St.Agnan, Kohls sent his first letter home which talked about himself, the war, and his experiences. He stayed in St.Agnan for seven days before he was sent with other men that were with him to rejoin his division. -
Theodore Kohls is Stationed in Montsec
Montsec, France was the first place Theodore was officially stationed in while in his new sector. On August 27, the first day he was there, he witnessed French civilians returning to their homes that had been destroyed by the Germans. He watched for hours as the French dug trying to excavate the valuables they had buried before the Germans came. In the days that followed, another battle broke out in Montsec and Kohls lost many of his friends to it. -
Theodore Kohls is Honorably Discharged
Theodore Kohls was honorably discharged from the military due to muscle weakness in his left arm. He served in the United States Army from 1917 to 1919 and his highest rank was Private. Discharge record -
The Treaty of Versailles is Signed
WWI ended with the Treaty of Versailles being signed. Germany didn't take part in writing the treaty, that was done by the allied powers, but the treaty had significant effects on Germany. The Treaty of Versailles stated that Germany claimed responsibility for WWI and had to pay reparations due to having lost the war. In addition, the treaty ripped Germany of all of its colonies, greatly weakened Germany’s military strength and countless other things in an effort to prevent another world war.
