-
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated by a Serb nationalist in Sarajevo Bosnia. This assassination was signficant because it set off a rapid chain of events between Serbia, Austria, Russia, and Germany which sparked the beginning of World War I. -
Russian Troops Mobilize
Soon after German attacks begin, Russia finally declares a general mobilization (to aid Serbia against Austria-Hungary’s “over-reaction”) of over 5,000,000 soldiers. Such army was the largest in the world. Russia’s mobilization was significant not only for swaying Germany into officially declaring war, but also for contradicting Germany’s Schlieffen Plan and the assumption that Russia would delay in mobilizing its troops. -
German Invasion of Belgium
The German Schlieffen Plan called for German invasion of Belgium in order to overtake France; on this day in 1914, Germany crossed into neutral Belgium expecting little to none resistance, but with this invasion, they gained French and British ire. Thus, this event is significant because it was the first step gone wrong in Germany's Schleiffan Plan. -
British Naval Blockade of Germany
Soon after the outbreak of war, Britain imposed a naval blockade against Germany which sought to hurt Germany’s ability to import goods, potential war materials, weapons, etc. It was an attempt to force Germany into submission. This event was significant because it moved the war from being solely on land to also being on water, and it also played an important role in forcing the German people to sue for peace in 1918 (as a result of starvation and poverty). -
Battle of the Frontiers
Aug 20-24 1914
The Battle of the Frontiers was a series of four separate battles that began in Alsace and ended in Lorraine with Allied forces retreating. It was a decisive German victory and instead of France attacking Germany strategically, the German armies swept through Belgium and suppressed resistance along the Franco-Belgium border. This was one of the most expensive offensives of the war and was significant because it clashed both Germany’s Schlieffen Plan and France’s Plan XVII. -
First Battle of the Marne
Sept. 5-12 1914
In First Battle of the Marne, the advancing German army is stopped before Paris by the British and French in the north and east of Paris. This Allied retaliation against Germany made the struggle one of the most decisive battles in history. because it signaled the demise of Germany’s aggressive two-front war strategy (Schlieffen Plan), dissolved the world belief that the conflict would be short, and marked the beginning of the trench warfare. -
Race to the Sea
Sept 17-Nov 24 1914
In their attempt to execute the Schlieffen Plan, Germany invaded Belgium and parts of France. The plan failed when the German troops were defeated at the Battle of the Marne. The Central Powers then attempted to outflank the Allies through the northeast and to enter central France, but the Allies retaliated by attempting the same. Though the battle ended in an Allied victory, it heralded the start of frustrating trench warfare/stagnancy and the immobile nature of WWI. -
First Reported Use of (Gas) Chemical Warfare
In Ypres Belgium, Germany shocked Allied forces and the world by releasing approximately 150 tons of chlorine gas along the Western front and consequently devastating Franco-Algerian troops; though Germany was not as victorious as it had hoped for after using this weapon, this event was significant, for it launched a newer, deadlier kind of warfare: chemical warfare. It also brought in the invention of the gas mask and was a factor in creating the Geneva Protocol of 1925. -
The Gallipoli Campaign is Launched
On this day, Allied troops launched the Gallipoli campaign, which aimed to take the peninsula of Gallipoli and gain control over sea routes from Europe to Russia. This campaign came as a result of the stalemate on the Western Front that limited the Allied Powers' chances to fight on the southern front. This event was significant because although it was a disaster for the Allies, it foreshadowed the longevity and unpredictability of the war. It also drained many of the fighting nations' resources -
Sinking of the Lusitania
On this day, a German U-boat torpedoed the Lusitania, a British ship traveling from New York to London. Because American citizens died as a result of the Lusitania sinking, this event was significant in turning American opinion against Germany and in slowly destroying American neutrality. -
Battle of Verdun
Feb 21-Dec 18 1916
The Battle of Verdun was the engagement in which the French repulsed a major German offensive in the north-eastern part of France. It was one of the longest, bloodiest, and intense battles of the war and which resulted in Germany's defeat and large loss of soldiers. Overall, the battle was significant because Germany was forced to abandon the Schlieffan Plan (they couln't take Paris), Russia gained enough time to mobilize even more, and France proved itself powerful enough. -
Battle of Jutland
This battle took place between the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet in the North Sea, off the mainland of Denmark. Both sides claimed victory in this indecisive battle, though Britain retained control of the North Sea. Although it was the only major naval battle of WWI, it was significant because it became the largest sea battle in naval warfare history and because it brought together the two most powerful naval forces in existence at that time. -
Battle of the Somme
Jul 1-Nov 1916
The Battle of Somme took place on both sides of the River Somme in France. The battle is notable for its use of air power and the first use of the tank. At the end of the battle, British and French forces had penetrated into German-occupied territory, taking more ground than any offensive since the Battle of the Marne. Moreover, the Somme campaign was significant for being the first great offensive of WWI for the British, which helped boost British morale and tactics. -
Zimmerman Note Published in the U.S.
The message from a German chancellor to the German ambassador of Mexico was decoded and published on this day in history. The telegram proposed a German-Mexican alliance in the WWI in exchange for financial and territorial gain for Mexico. The publication of this message was significant because it further eroded America’s neutrality in the war, and instead, swung American opinion against Germany and in favor of entering the war. -
The U.S. Enters WWI
On this day in history, the U.S. decided to join its allies (Britain, France, and Russia) in fighting against the Central Powers. After continuous submarine warfare by Germany (e.g., the sinking of the Lusitania), the U.S. entered the war, thereby helping the struggling Allied Powers and threatening Germany and other enemy nations. Thus the event is significant because it further weakened the Germans, both in morale and in numbers. -
Russian Revolution
In March 1917, there is a popular uprising in Russia and Tsar Nicholas II abdicates. In November the Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, seize power under the slogan of “Peace, bread, land”. Soon, those communists take over the vital city of St. Petrograd and removed the Provisional Government from power. Lenin promised the people of Russia that would pull Russia out of the war. Thus, the significane of this event is that it quickly led to Russia's exit from the war and increased the Allies' struggles. -
Russia WIthdraws from War
After overthrowing the Provisional Government and assuming rule, Lenin withdrew Russia from WWI, which meant that France and Britain were the only two left fighting against the Central Powers. This event was even more significant because now that Russia would stop its fighting on the Eastern front, Germany could focus solely on the Western front and on France. -
Germany Launches the Spring Offensive
Mar 21-Jul18 1918
In the spring of 1918, Luderndorff ordered a massive German attack on the Western Front. The Spring Offensive was Germany’s attempt to end World War One. Because the attacks from German troops were so rapid, Germany soon ran out of resources (food and weapons) to supply to the its forces, thus costing Germany the war effort along with millions of soldiers. Consequently, this event was significant because it featured Germany’s demise immediately before they sued for peace. -
Hundred Days Offensive
Aug 8-Nov 11 1918
Bolstered by American troops, the Allies carried out a series of sustained attacks, known as the Hundred Days Offensive. It was the final phase of WWI on the Western Front which was meant to counter-attack the German forces on the Marne and force them to retreat. This offensive was significant because the German Army was pushed further east and the German commanders privately conceded that the war was lost. It marked the final, climactic campaign of the WWI. -
Armistice Day
On Nov. 11, 1918, fighting in World War I came to an end following the signing of an armistice between the Allies and Germany that called for a ceasefire effective at 11 a.m. The armistice was significant for not just ending WWI, but for also setting the mood for Germany’s future as a defeated, war-torn nation in the hands of the Allies.
