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Alliances
Major powers of Europe had alliances with each other, each side having opposing powers. Germany and France were rivals over Alsace, Russia and Austria had rivalries over the Balkans, and Britain and Germany had rivalries over their navies and economic power. -
The Assassination of Ferdinand
The Young Bosnians shot Francis Ferdinand because they saw him as the oppressor of Serbian people. -
German Invasion
Germany declared war on France and invaded Belgium. The German ultimatum gave Belgium the choice of fighting or being conquered. While the Belgium Army was outnumbered, they resisted, allowing the king to move the government. This resulted in the hindering of the Schlieffen Plan. -
The Battle of the Somme
The French had been taking severe losses at Verdun, so to relieve the French, the Allied High Command decided to attack the Germans to the north of Verdun. -
Economic Decline
Germany and Great Britain spend about 60% of the money their economies produced. Countries had to raise their taxes in order to pay for the war. This led to the creation of the Treaty of Versailles. -
Treaty of Versailles
Representatives from England, Italy, France, and the US met up to make a treaty which put all of the blame onto Germany, forcing them to give up their land and pay for war damage. They also were forced to demilitarize. This resulted in Germany wanting to take revenge. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Japan launched a surprise attack on the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Japanese planes torpedoed the US battleships and airplanes, as well as killing thousands of people. -
Bombing Japan
US planes dropped "Little Boy" onto Hiroshima, destroying 5 square miles of the city. On August 9, the US dropped "Fat Man" onto Nagasaki. On August 15, the Japanese emperor announced surrender. -
Redrawing Borders
After the war, certain borders had to be redrawn. Germany was forced to give a lot of eastern territories to Poland and the USSR. Japan lost the Sakhalin and Kuril islands and Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia became members of the USSR. -
Creation of the UN
The United Nations was formed by the Allies in October of 1945, with the USA, Soviet Union, China, Great Britain, and France being permanent members of its Security Council.
