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Assassination of Francis Ferdinand
A teenage Serbian Nationalist shot Francis and his wife as he was riding back from a parade. -
Period: to
WW1 Timespan
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World War I (The Great War) Begins
Alliances formed as the war began. Britain, France, Ireland, and Russia were part of the Triple Entente. Germany and Austria-Hungary formed the Central Powers. -
Kaiser Declares "Open Season" on Boats
Kaiser Wilhelm announces the North Sea as a war zone, in which all merchant ships, including those from neutral countries, were liable to be sunk without warning. -
Lusitania shot and sunk
A German U-Boat torpedoed and sank the Lusitania, which was a British ocean liner that was on it's way to from New York to Liverpool, England. There were more than 1900 passengers and about 1100 died including more than 120 Americans. -
Battle of the Somme
Britain and France vs. Germany. On the River "Somme." Marked effect on overall casualty figures and seemed to epitomise the futility of trench warfare. -
Wilson Re-elected
Wilson was reelected on the promise of keeping the state out of war like he did before. -
Zimmerman Note Intercepted
Germany sent a telegram to Mexico to be their ally and turn against us, but we intercepted it and helped the support for declaring war on Germany. -
US Declares War on Germany
Wilson cited Germany’s violation of its pledge to suspend unrestricted submarine warfare in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, as well as its attempts to entice Mexico into an alliance against the United States, as his reasons for declaring war. -
Selective Service Act
Gave the president power to draft soldiers for The Great War. -
Convoy System
A group of merchant vessels sailing together, with or without naval escort, for mutual security and protection, has a much longer history than sometimes suggested. -
Espionage Act
A United States federal law passed to try and prohibit interference with military operations or recruitment. Also to prevent the support of the United States enemies during the war. -
Russia Leaves the War
Signed a treaty called the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk between the Central Powers and Russia allowing them to leave the war. -
Flu Epidemic
An unusually deadly influenza pandemic. Took 50 million lives. -
Fourteen Points Speech
A statement of points for world peace to try and end WWI. Delivered by the president at the time Woodrow Wilson. -
Sedition Act Passed
Extended the Espionage act of 1917 to cover a broader range of offenses such as: speech and the expression of opinion that cast government or the war effort in a negative way. etc.... -
Germany Signs Armistice
Between Allies and Germany. Agreement that ended fighting on the
Western Front. Marked a victory for Allies and defeat for Germany.
