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Germany offically unified
The unification of Germany was done by Otto Van Bismark, and he created a strong military in prussia to unite all the city-states of Germany. This was important to the war because it cause Germany to become a strong power in the war. -
Triple Alliance formed
The Triple Alliance was a secret alliance formed in 1882 that consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. This alliance prompted the war when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia adn called in Germany for help. Especially because it was done in secret no one knew who was going to get involved in even the smallest of wars. -
Russo-Japanese War
This war was fought between the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire for Manchura and Korea and it resulted in a Japanese victory. This was lasted 1 year and 6 months. -
Triple Entente alliance formed
France, Russia, and Great Britain made up the Triple Entente, and it was to counterweight the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy). This is important because the Triple Entente was a huge factor of the war that brought Europe, and a lot of the world together, adn they ended up winning. -
Austria-Hungary annexes Bosnia
This annex on Bosnia, a terriotry in the Ottoman Empire, upset the fragile balance of power for the Balkans. This led the cheif of the military for Austria to ask for Germany's help if it was needed. This was one of the events that built up tensions between Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empire/ Serbia. -
Bolsheviks emerge as a politcal group
The Bolsheviks were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party that split from the Menshevik faction. They considered themselves as leader for the working class revioltuion in Russia. This started the revolution that would eventually pull Russia out of the war. -
Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assassinated
Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by an Serbian terrorist, Gavillo Princip, and this prompted the war between Serbia and Austria-Hungary. -
Austria-Hungary declares world on Serbia
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia a month after the assassination, and they wanted to invade Serbia with the help of their ally Germany. Austria-Hungary gave Serbia an ultimatum to either let them into Serbia and investigate the assassination or they would take over. -
Schlieffen Plan put into action
The Schlieffen Plan was a German plan to invade France by going through Belgium; however, it was unsucessful because the British supplied the Belgium military with machiene guns and they were prepared. -
Ottoman-Germany alliance formed
The Ottoman- German alliance created a joint effort that would strength the Ottoman Empire's armies, and it provided Germany safe passage to British colonies. This is important becuase two very powerful forced combined. -
Japan declares war on Germany
The Japanese ssist the British in expelling the Germans from the Far East. German possessions in the South Pacific include a naval base on the coast of China, part of New Guinea, Samoa, and the Caroline, Marshall and Mariana Islands.This is important because it makes the war more global now that more countries are coming in. -
France loses Alsace & Lorraine to Germany
France lost two territories, Alsace & Lorraine, in a battle, and this process resulted in many casualities. This was important to the war because Germany got advances on the Allied forces and proved their power. -
Battle of Marne
The Battle of Marne was the first battle in World War 1, and it ended in an Allied win against the German war. It was on the German-French border. This offically started the war. -
Lusitania sinks
The British ocean liner, The Lusitania, is torpedoed by a German U-boat wihtout warning. There are innocent British and American passengers on the ship that are killed. This is plastered in the American press and increases public opinion of the US getting involved in the war. -
Battle of Somme
The Battle of Somme involved the British Empire and France against the German Empire. It was the largest battle in World War 1 and the bloodiest battle in history with 1,000,000 men were either wounded or killed. The winner of this battle was inconclusive so it goes along with the theme of the whole war being pointless. All that was really gained from this was 6 miles to German territory for the French. -
Battle of Verdun
This was a nine month battle between France and Germany, and it resulted in a French victory. However, this battle never really gained anything for either sides. Both sides were just done fighting. There was 750,000 casualties. This showed both sides that this would not be an easy war, and it would result in many horrible deaths. -
Zimmerman Telegraph found
The Zimmerman Telegraph was a coded telegrpah sent to Mexica from Germany askig the to invade America from their Southern border. Germany promised Mexica that they would give them their land back after they beat America. This was the final straw for America and it led to America joining the war. -
Vladimir Lenin seizes power in Russia
Vladimir Lenin was the leader of the Bolsheviks and the founder of the Russian Communist party. The Bolsheviks eventually took over letting wat for Stalin. This is important because it shows what happened to Russia after they pulled out of the war, and it shows how this led up to WW2. -
Unrestricted submarine warfare commences
The U-Boat, submarine, was a German invention that was used in World War 1 to sink ships. It had torpedos attached to it and it was undetectable. This was important because no other country had it and it was seen as unfair, and it gave Germany a huge advantage. -
Tsar Nicholas the Second abdicates
Tsar Nicholas the Second abdicated the throne in Russia by the Petrograd insurgents. This ultamitely happened because of teh Russian revolution that started in 1905. Nicholas the Second led them into a costly war, WW1, and food was scare. This was important because this led to Russia leaving the war. -
US declares war on Germany
President Wilson decalred war on German after the Zimmerman Telegraph was found. This was an important part of the war becuase America had statyed neutral for most of it. This gave fresh, new troops to the Allied forces. -
Revolution overthrows Austria-Hungarian Emperor
Austria-Hungarian revoltions had been going on becuae of lack of food, harsh leadership, and the war; this eventually led to the overtrowing of the emperor. Much like Russia, this brought Austria-Hungry out of the war. -
Fourteen Points proposed
The Fourteen Points plan were principles for peace that was outlined by President Woodrow Wilson. This was important because even though America had joined the war a year earlier, they wanted to make peace. This was generally accpeted by the people, but some of the Allied collegues were skeptical. -
Russia signed Treaty of Brest- Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was the treaty that Russia signed with the Central Powers ending it's participation in World War 1, By the terms, Russia recognized the independence of Ukraine, Georgia and Finland; gave up Poland and the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to Germany and Austria-Hungary; and ceded Kars, Ardahan and Batum to Turkey. -
Kaiser Wilheim the Second abdicates
Kaiser Wilheim the Second was a German Emporer and Prussian King. He abdicated the throne and the monacrchy was abolished after him. This is important because he was a key component for the German empire and this showed their weakness. -
Germany stops reparation payments to France
Germany was in so much debt that they stopped paying their repartions and this cause them to go into even further debt with the French. -
Treaty of Versailles signed
The Treaty of Versailles ended the war and tied all the loose strings. It blamed the war on Germany in the War Guilt Clause and included the reparations that Germany had to pay. The Allied forces created it in France. -
Stalin takes over Russia
Joseph Stalin was a dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1929 to 1953. Under his power the USSR was chnaged into a military superpower; however, he was a brutal leader. This was important in the war because the USSR became a bigger threat and more powerful than ever.
