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The Balkan wars increased tensions and conflicts between Serbia and Austria-Hungary. -
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Archduke was perceived as a threat to Serbian Independence. He had gotten threatened when he accepted the invitation of Bosnia's Governer, General Oskar Potoirek. Archduke's driver made an accidental turn onto the street he was shot at. -
As part of its strategy to swiftly defeat France, Germany invaded neutral Belgium, leading Britain to join the war in defense of Belgian sovereignty. -
The first battle of the Marne was a great strategic victory, it allowed the French to continue the war. The Germans succeeded in capturing a large part of the -
During the first year of the war, soldiers on both sides of the Western Front temporarily ceased fighting to celebrate Christmas. They exchanged gifts, sang carols, and even played football in no-man’s-land. -
German forces unleashed chlorine gas at Ypres, introducing a devastating weapon to the battlefield and changing the nature of combat. -
A German submarine(U-boat) torpedoed and sank the Lusitania, of the 1,959 people on board 1,195 perished. This event caused international outrage and helped turn public opinion against Germany, particularly in the then-neutral United States -
The French city of Verdun became a symbol of national resilience as German forces attempted to "bleed France white" in one of the most grueling battles of the war. -
A major victory for Germany on the Eastern Front, this battle saw the destruction of a Russian army and demonstrated the skill of German commanders Hindenburg and Ludendorff. -
Germany attempted to persuade Mexico to join the war against the United States in exchange for territorial gains. The intercepted message outraged the American public and increased tensions even more. -
Germany reinstated its policy of attacking all ships, including neutral ones, in the war zone. This aggressive move was a key factor in drawing the United States into the war. -
After growing frustrations over unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmermann Telegram, the United States officially declared war on Germany, bringing fresh troops and resources to the Allies. This furthered worsened the war making it even bigger. -
Fought in horrendous mud and rain, this battle in Belgium symbolized the futility and suffering of trench warfare, with minimal territorial gains for the Allies. -
The Bolshevik Revolution led to a new government in Russia which signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany. This led to the withdraw of Russia from the conflict. -
Germany used the "Paris Gun," a long-range artillery weapon, to shell the French capital from over 75 miles away, causing civilian casualties and psychological terror. -
Allied forces, reinforced by American troops, turned the tide of the war by halting Germany’s advance and launching counterattacks that pushed German forces back. -
After months of losses and waning morale, Germany signed an armistice with the Allies. Hostilities ceased on the Western Front at 11 a.m., marking the end of the war. -
The peace treaty imposed severe penalties on Germany, reshaped Europe’s borders, and set the stage for future international tensions.