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Franz Ferdinand Assassination
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated while visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia. He was next in line for the Austro-Hungarian Sarajevo throne. The killings set off decades of old tensions in Europe and started WWI. -
Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia during 1914 in July. They declare war on Serbia because they think Serbia killed Franz Ferdinand. -
First Use of Gas as a Weapon by the Germans
The Germans first used poison gas against Allied troops. The gas could injure or kill anyone who breathed it. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania was a British passenger liner. The Sinking of the Lusitania happened when a German U- boat torpedoed into the Lusitania around the coast of Ireland. -
Wilson reelected; pledged American neutrality
President Woodrow Wilson still stayed out of the war. Some Americans saw the military buildup a sign of entering the war. The phrase "He Kept Us Out of War" was the Democrats campaign slogan in 1916. -
Bolsheviks Led By Lenin overthrow Russian Government
The Bolsheviks wanted to get out of the war to start a Communist State. In March 1918, Lenin signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany. -
Zimmerman Note
The British intercepted a telegram that was sent by the german foreign minister, Arthur Zimmermann. The telegram asked Mexico to come an alliance with Germany to team up on the United States. The Americans were angered by this. -
U.S. Declares War
It was a cold and rainy day when President Woodrow Wilson declared war on Germany. Congress passed a declaration of war, and Wilson signed it. The United States had to build the army quickly. -
War Ends
The Ottoman Empire collapsed which made Austria-Hungary break apart and surrender to the allies. The Germans were suffering with there supplies so they asked the United States for an armistice. After this there was peace under Wilson's terms. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles is what Germany signed under harsh times. They had to give up some land in Europe and pay allies billions of dollars.The treaty also carved up Austria-Hungarian and Russian Empires.