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The Election of President Woodrow Wilson
He developed a program of progressive reform and asserted international leadership in building a new world order. -
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo (the capital of the Austro-Hungarian province of Bosnia-Herzegovina) on 28 June 1914 eventually led to the outbreak of the First World War. -
America Proclaims Neutrality in World War I
When WWI began in Europe in 1914, many Americans wanted the United States to stay out of the conflict, supporting President Woodrow Wilson's policy of strict and impartial neutrality. “The United States must be neutral in fact as well as in name during these days that are to try men's souls. -
The Battle of the Marne
In saving Paris from capture by pushing the Germans back some 72km (45 miles), the First Battle of the Marne was a great strategic victory, as it enabled the French to continue the war. However, the Germans succeeded in capturing a large part of the industrial north east of France, a serious blow. -
The Sinking of the Lusitania
The sinking of RMS Lusitania caused international outrage and helped turn public opinion against Germany, particularly in the then-neutral United States. Of the 1,200 people killed, 128 were American citizens. But the incident did not immediately bring the United States into the war. -
The Battle of the Verdun
Battle of Verdun, (February 21–December 18, 1916), World War I engagement in which the French repulsed a major German offensive. It was one of the longest, bloodiest, and most-ferocious battles of the war; French casualties amounted to about 400,000, German ones to about 350,000. Some 300,000 were killed. -
The Sussex Incident
The attack prompted a U.S. threat to sever diplomatic relations. The German government responded with the so-called Sussex pledge (May 4, 1916), agreeing to give adequate warning before sinking merchant and passenger ships and to provide for the safety of passengers and crew. -
The Battle of the Somme
A more professional and effective army emerged from the battle. And the tactics developed there, including the use of tanks and creeping barrages, laid some of the foundations of the Allies' successes in 1918. The Somme also succeeded in relieving the pressure on the French at Verdun. -
The Re-Election of President Woodrow Wilson
Wilson's election made him only the second Democrat to win the presidency since the Civil War, a victory gained with only 42 percent of the popular vote. -
The Interception of the Zimmermann Telegram
The Zimmermann telegram clearly had helped draw the United States into the war and thus changed the course of the war, which ended with an armistice, an agreement in which both sides agree to stop fighting, on November 11, 1918 -
The Declaration of New Unrestricted Submarine Warfare by Germany
U-boats resumed unrestricted attacks against all ships in the Atlantic, including civilian passenger carriers. Although concerned the U.S. might react with intervention, German military leaders calculated they could defeat the allies before the U.S. could mobilize and arm troops to land in Europe. -
The United States Enters World War I
The entry of the United States was the turning point of the war, because it made the eventual defeat of Germany possible. It had been foreseen in 1916 that if the United States went to war, the Allies' military effort against Germany would be upheld by U.S. supplies and by enormous extensions of credit. -
The Selective Service Act
By registering all eligible men, Selective Service ensures a fair and equitable draft, if ever required. Exemptions and deferments apply only in the event of a draft. -
The Espionage Act
Act passed in 1917 that made it a crime for any person to share information intended to interfere with the U.S. armed forces or to promote the success of the country's enemies. No spying. Items the Espionage Act gave US postal officials the authority to prohibit. -
The Landing of the American Expeditionary Force in France
Just after their arrival in France some American soldiers became a symbol of deliverance for the French people. The first American Expeditionary Forces' (AEF) contingent landed in France in late June 1917 at Saint-Nazaire. The war would soon enter its fourth year with no end in sight. -
The Fourteen Points by President Wilson
These points were later taken as the basis for peace negotiations at the end of World War I. In this January 8, 1918, speech on War Aims and Peace Terms, President Wilson set down 14 points as a blueprint for world peace that was to be used for peace negotiations after World War I. -
The Beginning of the Spanish Flu Epidemic
In fact, the 1918 pandemic actually caused the average life expectancy in the United States to drop by about 12 years for both men and women. In 1918, many people got very sick, very quickly. In March of that year, outbreaks of flu-like illness were first detected in the United States. -
Russia Pulls Out of World War I
Russia's withdrawal from WWI greatly influenced the Eastern Front. The 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk marked their exit, dissolving the Eastern Front. This allowed the Central Powers to shift resources to the Western Front, increasing pressure on the Allies. -
The Passing of the Sedition Act
Passed in preparation for an anticipated war with France, the Alien and Sedition Acts tightened restrictions on foreign-born Americans and limited speech critical of the government. In 1798, the United States stood on the brink of war with France. -
The Battle of Argonne Forest
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I. It was one of the attacks that brought an end to the War and was fought from September 26 – November 11, 1918, when the Armistice was signed. -
Armistice Day Ends World War I
Armistice on the Western Front. On Nov. 11, 1918, after more than four years of horrific fighting and the loss of millions of lives, the guns on the Western Front fell silent. Although fighting continued elsewhere, the armistice between Germany and the Allies was the first step to ending World War I. -
The Paris Peace Conference & Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles, one of several treaties, held Germany responsible for the war, leading to reparations and territorial losses. The treaty's harsh terms are often linked to the rise of World War II. The conference also led to the creation of the League of Nations and a major redrawing of Europe's map.