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Archduke assasinated
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie were assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Princip and his associates awaited the archduke's procession through Sarajevo. Princip shot the couple at close range while they were driving through the city. -
United States Declares Neutral
President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation of neutrality, stating that the United States would remain neutral in the war between Germany and France, Austria-Hungary and Serbia, and Germany and Russia. -
U.S Public Opinion Changed
The sinking of a British ship by a German U-Boat played a role in turning public opinion against Germany, which eventually led to the U.S. entering World War I. The sinking of the Lusitania has also been the subject of controversy, with some suggesting that the ship was deliberately put at risk to draw the U.S. into the war. -
U.S Election
Democratic U.S. President Woodrow Wilson narrowly defeated Republican Charles E. Hughes in the U.S. presidential election. Republican Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman elected to the United States House of Representatives. -
German Letter Intercepted
British naval intelligence intercepted and decoded a secret telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German Ambassador in Mexico City The telegram, known as the "Zimmermann Telegram", promised Mexico that Germany would help them regain territory lost to the United States after the Mexican-American War. In exchange, Germany asked for Mexico's support in the war. -
Congress Declared War
the United States Congress declared war on Germany, officially entering World War I. The U.S. joined the Allied Powers, which included France, Great Britain, Russia, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Italy. The U.S. fought against Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. -
First U.S Troops Deployed
On June 25, 1917, the first 14,000 U.S. infantry troops landed in France at the port of Saint Nazaire. The landing site was kept a secret due to the threat of German submarines. The troops were known as the "Doughboys" by the British -
Sedition Act
On May 16, 1918, the United States Congress passed the Sedition Act, a law that expanded the Espionage Act of 1917. This law extended the Espionage Act of 1917 to cover a broader range of offenses, including:
Speech and the expression of opinion that cast the government or the war effort in a negative light
Interfering with the sale of government bonds -
WWI Ceased
November 11, 1918 was the day when the fighting in World War I ceased, or went into an armistice, between the Allied nations and Germany. The armistice was signed in Le Francport, near Compiègne, France. It was the result of a coordinated Allied offensive that drove the Germans back from their territory. The armistice was agreed to come into effect at 11 AM on the 11th day of the 11th month to allow time for the news to reach combatants. -
Treaty of Versailles
On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, officially ending World War I. The treaty was rejected by the United States Senate twice, in 1919 and 1920. The harsh terms imposed on Germany led to bitterness and resentment, and helped ensure that peace would not last long.