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Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Tensions had been brewing throughout Europe especially in the troubled Balkan region of Europe for years before World War actually broke out.A number of alliances involving European powers, the Ottoman Empire, Russia and other parties had existed for years.The spark that ignited World War I was struck in Sarajevo, Bosnia, where Archduke Franz Ferdinand to the Austro Hungarian Empire was shot to death along with his wife Sophie by the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914 -
World War 1 Begins
On July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and the peace between Europe’s great powers quickly collapsed. Within a week, Russia, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Serbia had lined up against Austria-Hungary and Germany, and World War I had begun. -
First Battle of the Marne
In the First Battle of the Marne, fought from September 6-9, 1914, French and British forces confronted the invading Germany army. The defeat meant the end of German plans for a quick victory in France. Both sides dug into trenches, and the Western Front was the setting for a hellish war of attrition that would last more than three years. -
Flamethrowers
Traces of flamethrowers can be traced back as far as ancient China. The first recorded use of handheld flamethrowers in combat was on February 26, 1915, when Germans deployed the weapon at Malancourt. The tanks carried on man’s back used nitrogen pressure to spray fuel oil. Over 650 flamethrower attacks were made. The British and French both developed flamethrowing weapons. -
Rifles
All nations used more than one type of weapon during WW1. The american Springfield used a bolt-action that closely copied Mauser’s M1989. All of the nations used different rifles to fight with. -
Tanks
The long-sought weapon became reality during the First World War. “Tank” was the name the British used as they secretly developed the weapon and the name stuck. The first british tanks weighed approximately 14 tons, had a top speed of three mph, and broke down frequently. improved tanks were deployed during the but but breakdowns were still a problem that lead many of the commanders to think that the tank would never play a role in warfare. The french successfully employed 76 tanks. -
Submarines
Britain,France,Russia and United States of America had all developed submarines forces before Germany began development of its Unterzeeboats in 1906. During World War 1 submarines came to be particularly associated with the Imperial German Navy, which used them to try to bridge the gap in naval strength it suffered compared to Britain’s Royal Navy. Submarines could strike unseen from beneath the waves with torpedoes but also surfaced to use they're deck gun. -
America Enters World War 1
At the outbreak of fighting in 1914, the United States remained on the sidelines of World War 1, adopting the policy favored by President Woodrow Wilson while continuing to engage in commerce and shipping with European countries on both sides of the conflict. Germany sunk 4 more U.S. ships the following month, and on April 2 Woodrow Wilson appeared before Congress and called for a declaration of war against Germany. -
Aircraft
The air war of World War 1 continues to fascinate as much as it did at the time. Early aircraft were flimsy, kite-like designs of lightweight wood,fabric and wires. The 80-120 horsepower engines used in 1914 produced top speeds of 100mph or less, four years later speed nearly doubled. The protection for pilots remained elusive. Over the course of the war multi-engine bombers were developed, the largest being Germany’s “Giant” with a wingspan of 138 feet and four engines. -
Order Of Induction (7/22/1918)
In got inducted into the military on July 22nd,1918. He had to report to the Local Board of County of Jefferson State of Iowa he had to report at 8:oo am. -
Transcription of letter from James Hoskins to “Folks” (8/12/1918)
The letter is to folks, it’s him telling them that he returned from new york. He tried many ways to get home like the Streetcar, the Subway, and by Train. He talked about the prices of how much the stuff cost to go on to be able to travel back home. On their way home they got to see like the downtown of new york because they had like a delay in their travel schedule. -
Transcription of letter from James Hoskins to “Folks” (9/16/1918)
He’s writing to his folks back home and asking them how they are doing since he has been gone and how the weather is and about everyone back home. They stayed at the YMCA Hut in D.C. They stayed in D.C. Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Bed cost 35 cents and breakfast 35 cents. Bought a pair of russet shoes for $5.00 and he sent his heavy drill shoes back to camp. -
Partial transcription of letter to Hoskins from his sister Alma (1/24/1919)
His sister Alma wrote back to him about the letter that they got and the pictures. His sister told James about his Grandpa and Mamma and how they are doing. She told him that he needs to be back home before his birthday. -
Letter from V.H. Halperin, 2nd Lt.Ord.Dept., Detachment Commander.
His mom was receiving a letter about her son receiving his honorable discharge and start for home. Her son will be bringing back many fine qualities of body and mind which he has acquired or developed in the Military Service. -
Treaty of Versailles
At the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, Allied leaders would state their desire to build a post war world that would safeguard itself against future conflicts of such terrible scale.Some hopeful participants had even begun calling World War I the War to End All Wars. But the Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, would not achieve that lofty goal.
