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Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
On June 28, 1914, a teenage Serbian nationalist gunned down Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, as their motorcade maneuvered through the streets of Sarajevo. Next in line for the Austro-Hungarian throne, Ferdinand had not been particularly well liked in aristocratic circles. -
Austrian-Hungarian Empire Declares war on Serbia
Due to the assassination, the Austrian-Hungarian Empire declared what was expected to be a short war on Serbia. -
Germany Invades Belgium
The German invasion of Belgium was a military campaign which began on 4 August 1914. Earlier, on 24 July, the Belgian government had announced that if war came it would uphold its historic neutrality. The Belgian government mobilised its armed forces on 31 July and a state of heightened alert (Kriegsgefahr) was proclaimed in Germany. -
Battle of Tannenberg
Germans defeated the Russian army on its way to invade Germany. -
First Battle of the Marne
The Allies stopped the German invasion of Paris. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
A British passenger ship, sunk by a German U-Boat. -
Battle of Verdun
The French held their line against a German offensive until December of the same year, during the longest battle of the war. -
Battle of Jutland
An indecisive naval battle between German and British fleets. -
Battle of The Somme
A disastrous Allied offensive at the Somme, where Allied casualties numbered in the millions. -
US Declares War
The United States enters into the first World War, declaring war on the Central Powers. -
USSR withdraws from the War
Russian revolutionaries setup a Communist goverment, attempting to make peace with the Central Powers. -
German Spring Offensive of 1918
A series of German Attacks along the Western Front. -
RAF formed
The british Royal Air Force is formed. -
Battle of Belleau Wood
The Battle of Belleau Wood begins as the U.S. Marine Corps attacks the Germans across an open field of wheat, suffering huge casualties. -
Second Battle of the Marne
The turning point of the war, in which the Allies defeated the Central Powers and advanced continuously until the end of the war. -
Battle of St. Mihiel
General Pershing leads the American Army to Victory. -
Austrian-Hungarian Empire Surrenders
The Austrian-Hungarian Empire surrenders. -
Kaiser Abdicated
Wilhem II is overthrown, and a German Republic is made. -
World War 1 Ends
The Central Powers, tired of fighting, sign the armistice that ends World War 1 -
Armistice Day
An Armistice is signed ending fighting on the Western Front.
