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the assassination of franz ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, nephew of Emperor Franz Josef and heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is shot to death along with his wife by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo. -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
On July 28, 1914, one month to the day after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were killed by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, effectively beginning -
Germany invades Belgium
The German invasion plan for France called for an attack through Belgium, instead of through the heavily defended Franco-German border. Belgium was neutral and its neutrality was protected by treaty with Great Britain. The Germans attacked on August 3rd. The next day, Great Britain declared war on Germany. -
First Battle of the Marne
The Allies counterattacked against the German forces, with little success. The Germans then attacked the French lines, but their attack failed. As German forces were spread thin, they were forced to withdraw. -
Battle of Tannenburg
The defeat at Tannenberg cost the Russians 92,000 captured, as well as another 30,000-50,000 killed and wounded. German casualties totaled around 12,000-20,000. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
At 2:10 in the afternoon a torpedo fired by the German submarine U 20 slammed into her side. A mysterious second explosion ripped the liner apart. Chaos reigned. -
Period: to
Battle of Verdun
The Germans seized the fort in Verdun and took control of it's forts. Erich Von Flakenhyn the German cheif of staff sent a letter to Wilhem the ll on Christmas day. -
Battle of the Jutland
HMS Neptune was a stepping stone design between the in line wing turrets of previous designs and the all centre line disposition of the future. Neptune retained wing turrets but they were offset to allow cross deck firing. -
Period: to
Battle of the Somme
The attack was launched upon a 30 kilometre front, from north of the Somme river between Arras and Albert, and ran from 1 July until 18 November, at which point it was called off. -
US declares War on Germany
At 8:30 on the evening of April 2, 1917, President Wilson appeared before a joint session of Congress and asked for a declaration of war against Germany in order to "make the world safe for democracy." On April 4, Congress granted Wilson's request. -
USSR withdraws from war
Russia signalled her withdrawal from World War One soon after the October Revolution of 1917. -
German Spring offensive of 1918
By July 1918, the Germans had lost over a million soldiers in their Spring Offensive. The French counteroffensive in Marne cut off the German supplies ending the offensive in disaster. -
World War 1 ends
his first global conflict had claimed from 9 million to 13 million lives and caused unprecedented damage.
