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Development of Alliances
Europe's 6 major powers were split into two alliances that would form the warring sides in world war I. Britain, France, and Russia formed the Triple Entente while Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy joined the triple alliance -
Assassination of Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie were shot to death by a Bosnian Serb nationalist during an official visit to the Capital of Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. This assassination led to a chain of events that soon led to WWI by early august -
Austria declared war on Serbia
A month after Ferdinand and his wife were killed, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, effectively beginning WWI -
The first battle of Marne
In saving Paris from capture by pushing the Germans back about 45 miles, the first battle of marne was a great strategic victory as it had enabled the French to continue the war. Though, the Germans succeeded in capturing a large part of the industrial northeast of France. -
Technology in WWI
Heavy artiller, machine guns, tanks, motorized transport vehicles, high explosives, chemical weapons, airplanes, feild radios and telephones, and rapidly advancing medical technology and science were just a few of the things that reshaped the twentieth-century warfare. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The death of so many innocent civilians at the hands of the Germans shocked American support for entering the war, which eventually turned the tide in favor of the allies. The sinking itself has been the topic of controversy, including the possibility that the Lusitania was deliberately put at risk in order to drag the US into the war and the ship was carrying undeclared war munitions in her cargo -
Russian Revolution
Economically widespread inflation and food shortages in Russia contributed to the Revolution. Militarily, inadequate supplies, logistics, and weaponry led to the great losses that the Russians suffered during WWI -
America joins the war
The US remained neutral at the beginning of the war. Individual Americans supported one side or the other, although the majority were sympathetic to the Allies. Many contributed to relief efforts, others volunteered as ambulance drivers or nurses, or even as pilots and soldiers. -
Stalemate on the western front
A stalemate developed on the western front for 4 main reasons, the Schlieffen plan failed, the French were unable to defeat the Germans completely at the battle of the Marne, the "race to the channel", and defending positions was far easier than attacking -
Armistice
The armistice signed at Le Franceport near Compiegne ended fighting on land, sea, and air in WWI between the allies and their remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices had agreed with Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.