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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The killing of Austria Hungary's heir who was assassinated in Serbian by Gavrilo Princip triggered a chain reaction leading to war -
July Crisis
A series of great ideas and military decisions by European powers following the assassination escalated culmination in the declaration of war -
Austria Hungary Declares War on Serbia
This declaration is what officially started the war Austria Hungary backed by Germany attacked Serbia while Russia began mobilizing its forces to defend its ally by making it into a bigger problem into a larger war. -
Brittain Declares war on Germany
Britain declares was after Germany invaded Belgium showing its how their treaty obligations to protect Belgian neutrality this action is what causes the British Empire including its colonies and dominions into the conflict significantly expanding its global span -
Germany's Schlieffen Plan
Germany launched its military strategy to be able to defeat Ferance quickly by invading through neutral Belgium the plan aimed to avoid a two-front war by defeating France before going to Russia However its violated Belgians neutrality and triggered Britain's beginning into war -
Battle of the Marne
Germanys advance into France was stopped near the Marne River by combining French and British forces this battle marked the ending of Germanys hopes for a quick victory and led to the beginning of trench warfare on the western front. -
Gallipoli Campaign
The Allies launched a campaign to take over the Dardanelles strait and open a supply route to Russia while taking out the Ottoman Empire out to the war poor planning and fierce Ottoman resistance led to heavy Allied losses and eventual withdrawal. -
Battle of Verdon Begins
This battle was one of the bloodiest battles of the war Verdun saw France repel a massive German offensive that both sides suffered very horrific casualties and the battle became a symbol of the national resilience for the French -
Battle of the Some
A very important allied offensive Amed to relieve pressure on Verdun and break through German lines the battle is very popular for its staggering casualties including 60,000British soldiers on the first day alone and for the first usage of tanks in combat -
Zimmermann Telegram
Germany sent a secret message to mexico asking to see if they wanted to have an alliance against the United States in exchange for the return of lost territories when they got invaded and publicized by Britain the telegram fueled American support for joining the war -
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
Germany resumed unrestricted submarine attacks on Allied and neutral ships aiming to cut off supplies to Britain this plan to which sank vessels like the Lusitania made them outraged and made the neutral nations and pushed the us closer to intervention -
Russian Revolution
The Russian Empire collapsed due to internal unrest and the injuries of war the Bolsheviks seized power in October and negotiated the Treaty of Brest Litovsk with Germany with drawing Russia from the conflict and allowing Germany to concentrate on the Western front. -
US Entry into the War
The United States declared war on Germany after a series of provocations including the Zimmermann Telegram and submarine attacks American troops and resources provided a crucial boost to the exhausted Allies helping to tip the balanced in their favor. -
Spring Offensive
Germany launched its last major offensive hoping to break Allied lines before American forces arrived in full strength despite initial gains the offensive failed and Germany's army was left exhausted and vulnerable to counter attacks -
Armistice
Facing economic collapse military defeats and internal unrest Germany agreed to an armistice fighting stopped on the western Front ending the war the terms of the armistice laid the groundwork for the Treaty of Versailles in 1919