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Assasination of Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated while visiting Sarajevo Bosnia. he was next in line for the Austro Hungarian throne the killings set off decades-old tensions in Europe and started World War I. -
The Beginning of Chemical Warfare
In April of 1915, the Germans started using poison gas against Allied troops to kill or severely injure anyone who breathed it. To protect themselves, soldiers started carrying gas masks. -
The Sinking of the Lusitania
A Geman U-boat torpedoed the British passenger liner called the Lusitania around the coast of Ireland. more than 1,000 people died when the Lusitania sank, among those 1,000, 128 were American citizens. -
The Sinking of the Sussex
A few months after the sinking of the Lusitania, a French passenger ship, Sussex, was torpedoed by a German U-boat. The ship was unarmed. Many American citizens suffered injuries. -
The Zimmerman Telegram
A telegram sent by the German foreign minister, Authur Zimmerman, was intercepted by the British in January of 1917. The telegram was bound for Mexico. It had offered an alliance with Germany if the United States was to enter the war. -
The U.S Entering WWI
On April 2, 1917, President Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. On April 6, Congress passed the declaration of war and Wilson signed it. -
World War I Ends
In October of 1918, Germany asked President Wilson for an armistice. Wilson consented to it but only under certain conditions. Germany had to accept Wilson's plan for peace and not to renew fighting. All German troops had to flee from Belgium and France. Finally, Wilson said he would only deal with nonmilitary leaders. In November of 1918, the German Kaiser stepped down. Germany became a republic and the leader of Germany's new government agreed to Wilsons terms for an armistice. -
Treaty of Versailles
On June 28, 1919, The Allies and Germany signed the Treaty Versailles. The treaty basically stated that Germany had to accept full responsibility for the conflict, and had to pay The Allies billions of dollars. Not only did Germany have to disarm completely but they had to give up some overseas colonies and some territories in Europe.
