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French Duke Assassinated
Arch-Duke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by Serbian nationalist named Gavrilo Princep. He was next in line for the Austrian-Hungarian throne. But he was killed and this angered many. He was what sparked WWI. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
Enlistment
The day after WWI was declared, William Glass and his father went to the recruiting office to enlist. His father didn´t make the cut but that day he William Edward Glass was inducted into the Army. He was announced Private William Edward Glass this day. He then went on to basic training. -
Austrian-Hungarian Empire Declares war on Serbia
Austria-Hungary declared what they thought was going to be a short war on Serbia. This was declared one month upon the French Duke being assassinated. They did not expect it to last 4 years. This was the begging of WWI. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
Germany Invades Belgium
Germany had to get through Belgium to get to France. So they invaded them. Germany was trying to get their 3 armies positioned to invade France which they needed to invade Belgium to do so. After this German armies marched towards France. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
Battle of Tannenberg
Germans defeated the Russian army on its way to invade Germany. This ended in the destruction of the Russian Second Army. This occurred for 4 days during the first month of WWI. This war kept Russia off balance until 1915. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
First Battle of the Marne
The Allies stopped the German invasion of Paris. This was the first allied victory against Germany. This was big for allied powers. This set the stage for four years of trench warfare stalemate. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania is a British passenger ship. This ship was sunk by a German U-Boat. Germans used submarine warfare. They sunk it by torpedoes in 18 minutes. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
Battle of Verdun
The French held their line against a German offensive until December of the same year. This battle lasted a total of ten months, making it the longest battle of the first World War. Lasting that long contained lots of casualties so this also was a very high casualty war. Also this was an expensive war being that it lasted ten months. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
US Declares War
The United States enters into the first World War, declaring war on the Central Powers. The United states wanted to remain neutral and tried as long as they could. The United States were hesitant in entering but they ended up joining their allies Britain, France, and Russia. Our president played entering this very smart by keeping our economy on a peacetime basis. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
Bootcamp
He did not make it to training camp until 1917 when camp Taylor was built. During his first three days there Glass and the other soldiers were issued bed sacks and blankets that they soon filled with straw from a nearby field. During camp he was one of thousands to contract influenza, which killed many soldiers during that time. He was there long enough to get his marksmanship badge and a commendation for officer´s training school. http://camptaylorhistorical.org/?page_id=15 -
Coming Home
William was granted 3 three days and his mother realized he was very sick, she got the family doctor who gave him lots of medicine and he survived unlike may others. The fourth day the MPs came with an ambulance and got him and he was taken back to camp and was considered absent without leave as well as being ill. http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.09165/ -
The Ward
William was admitted to a ward and he said that he had seen people carried out dead left and right leaving the ward. Without the care of his mother he said that he would have been one of them being carried out. Only three men left that ward and William Edward Glass was one of them. http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.09165/ -
USSR withdraws from the War
Russian revolutionaries setup a Communist government. They are attempting to make peace with the Central Powers. Russia entered the war in 1914 badly prepared. This led to valid reasoning for them to withdraw. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
Back to Camp
Shortly after he got over his sickness he was sent to officer´s training school camp back at Camp Taylor. Glass finished camp and became an officer. He was an officer in WW1. Now he waited for a call to war while he was with his family. http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.09165/ -
The Reserves
Joining the reserves and waiting for the call was mostly what William did for the rest of WWI. Although this may not seem like much, it was for him. He spent every last second with his family like it would be his last just in case he got that call. He never got called into the war but he was prepared for it. http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.09165/ -
German Spring Offensive of 1918
A series of German Attacks along the Western Front. This marked the deepest advancements from both sides since 1914. There was no clear objective to these attacks. The Germans were unable to move supplies and reinforcements fast enough to maintain their advance. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
Second Battle of the Marne
The turning point of the war, in which the Allies defeated the Central Powers. This encouraged the Allies to advance continuously till the end of the war. Allies saw their chance to advance and they never laid off. This helped lead to the victory of WWI. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
Austrian-Hungarian Empire Surrenders
The Austrian-Hungarian Empire surrenders. Two European Central powers suffered defeat. Austria´s army being starved, fatigued, suffering many casualties, and running out of supplies they saw no other choice but to surrender. The Germans had been defeated at this point to so they saw no other choice but to surrender. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
Kaiser Abdicated
Wilhem II is overthrown, and a German Republic is made. He did not want to give his position up. He much rather wanted to lead his armies back to the German front and fight. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/18-key-events-of-world-war-1 -
World War 1 Ends
All nations had decided to stop fighting until the terms of peace were negotiated. The Central Powers sign the armistice that ends World War I. This was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th month on the 11th day. Central Powers lost WWI and the Allies had won. http://ibatpv.org/projects/great_war/effects.htm
