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January 18, 1871
Bismarck completes efforts to unify Prussia and the German kingdoms into a single nation and has King Wilhelm I proclaimed Kaiser -
May 10 1871
May 10 France forced to sign humiliating treaty with Germany that ends the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian War -
The triple alliance
the alliane is formed between germany,italy and austria hungary -
june 1st 1888
After his father's untimely death, 29 year-old Wilhelm II becomes ruler, Kaiser Wilhelm II, of Germany. -
1894
Nicolas is crowned Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, a position he did not want. Germany and Russia do not renew a friendship treaty and begin their adversary relationship. -
1901
Great Britain's Queen Victoria, whose bloodline runs through most of the ruling houses of Europe, dies. -
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Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War results in disastrous defeat for Russia and major civil unrest at home -
bloody sunday massacre
"Bloody Sunday Massacre" by Tsarist troops in St. Petersburg left Russian workers dead and cost Nicholas support among the workers and farmers. -
dreadnought
British launch first "dreadnought" class battleship. -
The triple entente
the alliance is formed between britan, france and russia -
Christmas Truce
Unofficial Christmas Truce declared by soldiers in the trenches along the Western Front -
Franz Ferdinand
(heir to the austria hungary throne) and himself and wife are assasinated -
WAR
hungary decleras war on serbia -
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Start of WW1
Germany decleras war on russia and france and invades neutral luxemborg and belgium world war 1 begins -
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Germany
Germany declears war on russia,france and Germany declares war on neutral Belgium and invades in a right flanking move designed to defeat France quickly. As a result of this invasion, Britain declares war on Germany. -
WW1
Britan declares war on germany -
The Battle of the Frontiers
"The Battle of the Frontiers" -- 27,000 French soldiers die on this single day in an offensive thrust to the east of Paris, towards the German borders. -
Period: to
Battle of Tennenberg.
German army, led by Erich Ludendorff and Paul von Hindenburg achieves its greatest victory of the war on the Eastern front against Russia at the Battle of Tennenberg. -
Total War
War becomes "Total War" with German Zeppelin air raid on England -
Gallipoli
Allies begin nine-month battle for the Turkish peninsula of Gallipoli. -
Gas in a bottle
British use gas in battle near Loos, but shifting winds cause 60,000 British casualties. -
Withdrawal
Allies begin withdrawal of troops from Gallipoli. -
Period: to
the battle of verdun
The longest battle of the war, the Battle of Verdun, is fought to a draw with an estimated one million casualties. -
Period: to
The Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland, the only major naval engagement of the war is fought with no clear winner. -
Period: to
The battle of the somme
The Battle of the Somme results in an estimated one million casualties and no breakthrough for the Allies. British introduce the tank, an effective weapon but far to few to make much of a difference. -
american troops in france
American troops in France fire their first shot in trench warfare -
Russia
The new Russian government, represented by Leon Trotsky, signs an armistice with Germany. -
Period: to
influenza
Two waves of influenza kill more people than did the war -
The end
At eleven o'clock on the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the war ends as Germany and Allies sign an Armistice. -
remberance
War cemeteries created on the fronts; war memorials dedicated in villages and cities at home -
Period: to
adolf hitler
Adolf Hitler imprisoned for sedition against the Weimar Republic; writes Mein Kampf.
