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The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
A young journalist killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife during a parade. Emperor Franz Josef didn’t attend archdukes wedding due to his wife not being a former reigning dynasty of Europe. As a result of Sophia's family heritage, their children were declared ineligible for the throne. The car in front of them during the motorcade was supposed to carry six specially trained officer but instead had one officer. -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
Austria-hungary felt threatened by serbians ambition in the balkans region of europe. They decided that the proper response to this assassination was to prepare possible attack from serbia. This then starts a chain reaction of the leads mobilization of the rest of the european powers causing all out war. -
Germany makes the first move
Germany invades the neutral belgium in order to get to paris. They did send a ladder but belgium ultimately refused. The people there didn’t want war to break out there and their land destroyed. -
Christmas Truce
on Christmas Day, German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas”. At first, the french soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed, they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the german soldiers.There was even a sites of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good game of soccer. -
Germans introduce poison gas
Germans 150 tons of lethal chlorine gas against two French colonial divisions at Ypres, Belgium.Toxic smoke is an ancient technique used by France in 1914 for officer operations.Immediately after the German gas attack France and Britain began developing their own chemical weapons and gas masks. -
Lusitania sinks
The British ocean liner Lusitania is attacked without warning by a German war submarine off the coast of Ireland.In just 20 minutes the vessel sank into the Celtic Sea. The ship held 1959 passengers and crew, 1198 people were drowned, including 128 americans. It’s important because germans killed 128 americans that weren't even part of the war.Before the Us involvement, the war resulted in a stalemate because of trench warfare. -
The first Tanks
the first tanks were not that successful. They were first used in the small Batlle of Flers. Then they were even worse during the Battle of Somme because they kept breaking down. It did though help stop the painfuly hard trench wars. -
Zimmerman Telegram
The British gave Wilson, a message from German secretary Arthur Zimmermann proposing that Mexico side with Germany in case of war between Germany and the United States. In return, Germany promises to return to Mexico and texas. Mexico rejects the offer, and American public turn to supporting the idea to join the fight in the war. -
U.S joining the war
Germany announced the unrestricted warfare in war zone water near their banks. Three days later the United States broke trust with Germany due to the sinking of many ships including the American liner Housatonic. In February the Congress finally passed a $250 million bill intended to ready America for war against Germany. On April 2, President Willson declared war on Germany and later on, 14,000 soldiers arrived in France to begin fighting with the allied forces. -
Battle of Belleau Wood
This was the first large battle where the American was at war with Germany. Germans made a third attack that same year around the western front. General J. Harbord led a full-on attack against the German divisions in the forests. For almost a month germans fought against the American soldiers with heavy artillery and gas. On the last day of the battle, the Americans were successful in pushing back the Germans but with more than 10,000 American soldiers were either dead or about to die. -
first letter of Captian E. M. Bill
Bill explains how he is willing to be sacrificed doing this and not sitting back in a chair doing nothing.He also says how “I fully expect to return… because our troops have the benefit of experience of the British and French are profiting by it.”(E. M. Bill). What got me confused during the letter is he kept calling his group of men “my battery”. At the end of the first letter he explains that some transfers have been made and now he is ready to go in a moments time. -
On board U.S.S Mongolia Ocean
They were called to action 4 am on Friday, September 13th, 1918. He and his “Battery” had to hop a few trains but landed on time at Yaphank camp. All the men were outfitted and ready sept. 20, of course, after all the soldiers had checked up with doctors before leaving. Their ship to was called Grant in honor of the president at that time (President Grant). The boat had 1 funnel, 6 masts, 2 screws and was “pretty comfortable”, at least that's what he said. -
Onboard U.S.S Mongolian Atlantic ocean #2
Upon departure, a land whistle on each ship sounded with different signals. He said, "All of New York knew someone was leaving, there was no secrecy about our departure at all". Then at 5 days, the first death occurred due to the Spanish flu, which spread throughout. Eventually, it reached 30 deaths per day. At 6 pm on October 22, they had a blast with a "minimum amount of waste and the result of fat happy men". The next few days passed. Then the 11th of November, the paper of peace was signed. -
second letter of captian E. M. Bill
The first thing he mentions is that he can’t till the name of his ship and the times he left the port.Then he goes and talks about how he and his "battery" got hit with Spanish influenza or better known as the flu. Next, he talks about how it would be great to go home and stretch his legs without having a second thought about it. The last paragraph though gets funny because he goes into detail of the ship's food. Good details like it great, fresh meat and vegetables. -
thired letter of Captian E. M. Bill
In this letter, the first couple of paragraphs get a little humorous. Meaning he explains how the mailing works on the battlefield. Like other men have to reread the letter to make sure no unauthorized topics are there and it's funny because he says how many men had “hot love letters”. Then, later on, he describes the “youngsters” from top of the uniform to the shoes.Last and the most heartwarming, he shares how beautiful the sea was during sunset. -
armtice today
Armistice day also known as veterans day was when the Treaty of Versailles was signed and the great war ended. The treaty was signed June 28, 1919, but the public marked November 11, 1918, as the last day of battle. A year later in November President Wilson announced that November 11 shall be known as armistice day/veterans day.That the day shall consist of parades, gatherings and brief pauses for soldiers in daily business and schools at 11 a.m.
