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Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand was gunned down by a teenage Serbian nationalist. -
Great war begins
On August 1, 1914, four days after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, two more great European powers Russia and Germany declare war on each other, the same day. -
Kaiser declares "open season" on ships
Kaiser declared war zone in the North Sea which all ships any kind could be sunk. -
Lusitania sank
Less than a year after the war starts, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the RMS lusitania. -
Battle of the Somme
One of the largest battles of the first world war. On the first day alone, the British suffered more than 57,000 casualties, and by the end of the campaign the Allies and Central Powers would lose more than 1.5 million men. -
Wilson re-elected
"He kept us out of war" was the slogan that helped Wilson win. -
Zimmerman note intercepted
It was a message from the German foreign secretary, Arthur Zimmermann, to the German ambassador to Mexico proposing a Mexican-German alliance in the case of war between the United States and Germany, is published on the front pages of newspapers across America. -
US declares war on Germany
The Zimmerman note was intercepted causing an outrage in America. US entered war 2.8 million doughboys drafted. -
Selective service act
Allowed America to raise a national army through an enlistment of people. They were required by law to enlist. -
Convoy system
A group of vessels sailing together with or without naval escort. -
Espionage Age Passed
A crime for any person to carry information intended to interfere with the U.S. armed forces prosecution of the war effort or to promote the success of the country’s enemies. -
Russia pulls out of War
Russia had lost so much they were weak and not properly trained when they entered the war. Russia could no longer stay in war with the way they were, losing land and money. The revolution forced them to leave war. -
Flu epidemic
The flu killed more people than the war did itself. Killed somewhere between 20 to 40 million people. -
Fourteen points speech
Woodrow Wilson's plan for a long lasting peace. -
Sedition Act passed
To end the spread of dissent within the country during war. -
Germany signs armistice
End fighting on western front took effect 11th hour, 11th day, 11th month.
