-
Franz Ferdinand Assassination
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated while visiting Sarajevo, Bonsia. He was next in line for the Austro-Hungrian throne. The killings set off decades old tensions in Europe and started WWI. -
Austria-Hungray declares war on Serbia
Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the assassination. With Germany's support, it gave Serbia a list of demands, which Serbia refused. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914. -
First use of gas as a weapon by the Germans
On April 22, 1915, German forces shock Allied soldiers along the western front by firing more than 150 tons of lethal chlorine gas against two French colonial divisions at Ypres, Belgium. This was the first major gas attack by the Germans, and it devastated the Allied line. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
On May 7, 1915, less than a year after World War I erupted across Europe, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the RMS Lusitania, a British ocean liner en route from New York to Liverpool, England. 128 Americans died. Nearly two years would pass before the United States formally entered World War I, but the sinking of the Lusitania played a significant role in turning public opinion against Germany, both in the United States and abroad. -
Wilson reelected; pledged American neutrality
President Wilson still hoped to stay out of the war. Antiwar sentiment remained strong. Some Americans saw the nation's military buildup as a step toward entering the war. The phrase "He [Wilson] Kept Us Out of War" became the Democrats' campaign slogan in 1916. Wilson, however, only narrowly defeated the Republican candidate, Charles Evans Hughes. -
Bolsheviks led by Lenin overthrow Russian government
In November 1917, riots broke out over the new Russian government's handling of the war and the scarcity of food and fuel. A group called the Bolsheviks overthrew this government. Led by Vladimir Lenin, the Bolsheviks wanted to pull out of the war so they could focus on setting up a new Communist state. -
Zimmermann Note
British code breakers intercepted an encrypted message from Zimmermann intended for Heinrich von Eckardt, the German ambassador to Mexico. The missive gave the ambassador a now-famous set of instructions: if the neutral United States entered the war on the side of the Allies, Von Eckardt was to approach Mexico’s president with an offer to forge a secret alliance. The Germans would provide support for a Mexican attack on the United States, so Mexico could get Arizona, Texas,and New Mexico. -
U.S. Declares War
In March 1917, the Germans attacked and sank four American merchant ships. Thirty-six people died in these attacks. President Wilson decided the United States could no longer remain neutral. On the cold, rainy evening of April 2, 1917, he asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. After some debate, Congress decided that the nation had to defend its rights if it wished to remain a world power. Congress passed a declaration of war, and Wilson signed it on April 6. -
War Ends
On October 4, 1918, the German government asked President Wilson for an armistice, an agreement to end the fighting. Wilson consented, but only under certain conditions. Germany had to accept his plan for peace and promise not to renew fighting. All German troops had to leave Belgium and France. Finally, Wilson said he would deal only with nonmilitary government leaders. On November 9, Germany became a republic. They agreed to Wilson's terms. -
Treaty of Versailles
World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. Negotiated among the Allied powers with little participation by Germany, its 15 parts and 440 articles reassigned German boundaries and assigned liability for reparations. After strict enforcement for five years, the French assented to the modification of important provisions.
