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Assassination in Sarajevo
The heir to Austria-Hungary is killed by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo. -
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July Ultimatum
Austria-Hungary presents a harsh ultimatum to Serbia and demands a response within 48 hours. Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia goes to Russia for help, but is refused, Serbia does not accept all terms of the ultimatum. -
Austria-Hungary mobilizes troops
Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria mobilizes troops for an attack on Belgrade on the 28th. -
Austria-Hungary declares War, Russia mobilises troops
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia and attacks Belgrade. Russia mobilises against Austria-Hungary. -
Germany declares war
Germany declares war on Russia. -
Invasion of Belgium and Luxembourg
Germany invades Belgium and Luxembourg, who had declared neutrality, to attack France. -
The USA declares neutrality
The United States declares neutrality -
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Fighting on the Western Front
Fighting between the Entente powers and the central powers devastates France and Belgium, both sides with trenches from the North Sea to Switzerland. More than 13 million direct casualties. -
Austria-Hungary declares war
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia. -
Fighting begins on the western front
Fighting begons between the Entente and the Triple Alliance on the western front with the Battle of Frontiers -
France and Britain declare war
France and the United Kingdom declare war on Austria-Hungary -
Belgrade falls to Austria-Hungary
The central powers take Belgrade -
Russia declares war
Russia declares war on the Ottoman Empire -
France and the UK declare war
France and the UK declare war on the Ottoman Empire -
Ottoman Empire declares war
Sultan Mehmed V declares jihad on the Entente Powers. -
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Battle of Kolubara
Fought between Serbia and Austria-Hungary. The Austro-Hungarians are ultimately driven out of Serbia. About 52 thousand killed. -
Submarine warfare
Germany begins unrestricted submarine warfare in the waters around Britain. -
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Battle of Çanakkale
French and British troops try to open the Çanakkale strait to open the Mediterranean to Russia. The Ottomans successfully defend the strait. About 500 thousand killed. Atatürk rises to prominence and this ultimately leads to the Turkish war of Independence. -
Germans sink the Lusitania
The British liner ship Lusitania is sunk by German submarines. The ship had American passengers and contraband. Public opinion in America begins to support joining the war. -
German surrender in southern Africa
Germans in southern Africa surrender to South African forces under the UK. -
Invasion of Serbia, Bulgaria enters the war.
Bulgaria declares war on Serbia. The central powers with Bulgaria invade Serbia. The Entente powers declare war on Bulgaria. -
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Battle of Verdun
Fought between France and Germany north of Verdun in France. Ultimately a French victory. 300 thousand killed. -
Portugal enters the war
Germany declares war on Portugal -
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Battle of the Somme
Fought between Britain and France and Germany on the western front. It is estimated more than a million were killed, with the entente powers losing more than 600 thousand. The tank is first used in this battle. -
Zimmerman note
German Foreign Sercretary Zimmerman sends a message to Germany's ambassador to Mexico, with instructions to ask Mexico to declare war on the USA with Germany. It is intercepted and the American public is outraged. -
United States enters the war
The USA declares war on Germany. -
October Revolution
The Bolsheviks take power in Russia in the October Revolution. -
USA declares war on Austria-Hungary
The United States declares war on Austria-Hungary -
14 Points
President Wilson introduces his fourteen points -
Russia no longer at war with Germany
Trotsky signs a peace treaty with Germany. Germany moves a lot of troops from the eastern front to the western front. -
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German Spring Offensive
Germans launch a series of attaacks on the western front. While a victory for the Germans, they suffered heavy losses and ultimately came out worse for wear. More than 1400 thousand are killed. -
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Hundred Days Offensive
Series of attacks launched by the allies on the western front, resulting in decisive victory for the allies. The Germans are driven out of France. More than 2 million total casualties. -
Bulgaria signs Armistice
Bulgaria signs the Armistice of Thessalonika, ending Bulgaria's involvement in World War I. -
Ottoman empire signs Armistice
The Ottoman Empire signs the Armisitice of Mudros, effectively ending Ottoman involvement in World War I. -
Austria-Hungary signs Armistice
Austria-hungary signs an Armistice with Italy, effectively ending fighting in Austria-Hungary and Italy's involvement in World War I. -
Germany signs Armistice
Germany signs the Armistice of Compiègne, ending fighting between Germany and the allied powers. -
Fighting ends in Africa
Fighting ends after news of Germany's surrender reaches commanders in Africa between Germany and the Allied powers. -
Treaty of Versailles signed
The Treaty of Versailles between Germany and the allied powers is signed. -
Treaty of Versailles ratified
The Treaty of Versailles between Germany and the allied powers is ratified by all parties. -
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon between Hungary and the allied powers is signed, In the name of self-determination, the allies create new countries for nationalist rebels that had supported the allies in the war, and some territory is given to Romania, who had entered the war on the side of the allies. Hungary is left with a quarter of their former territory and a third of their former poulation. -
The Federal Reserve raises interest rates
Attempting to stabilise the bull market, the US Federal Reserve starts working to raise the Federal Funds Rate. -
Recession begins
A recession begins in the USA, production falling 20%. -
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The Great Depression
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Stock Market at its peak
The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches a record 381.2. It will not be this high again for 25 years. -
Black Monday
The Dow falls by 38.33 in one day, a change of almost 13%. -
Black Tuesday
The Dow falls by 30.57 in one day, a change of almost 12%. -
Hoover talks with major employers
President Hoover holds a meeting with major employers asking them to mot lower wages, investment spending, and available jobs because of the stock market crash. -
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Great Depression starts in earnest
The unemployment rate rises from 3.2% to 8.7%. The nation's GNP falls by 9.4%. -
Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act
The Smoot-harley Tariff Act comes into effect, increasing tariffs to record levels in the USA. -
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Great Depression worsens
The unemployment rate rises to 15.9%. The GNP falls by 8.5%. The federal government takes no immediate action. -
Federal funds rate hits the floor, banks close all over the USA
The federal funds rate hits 1.5%, the lowest it has ever been. People are withdrawing cash from banks to exchange for gold so quickly that banks cannot find enough money to pay what they owe. -
Fed raises Federal Funds Rate
The Federal Reserve tries to raise the Federal Funds rate. With the dollar still on the gold standard, this further accelerates depression. -
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Worst year of Great Depression
The unemployment rate rises to 23.6%, and the GNP falls by 13.4%. The GNP has fallen a total of 31% and 13 million have lost their job over three years. -
Roosevelt elected president
Franklin D Roosevelt is elected president promising the depression can be turned around. -
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Great Depression slows
GNP drops by only 2.1%, much less than the last three years.Unemployment rate rises from 23.6% to 24.9%. The government creates many jobs programs, including the Public Works Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. -
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Depression begins to turn around
Unemployment falls down to 21.7%. The GNP rises 7.7%. -
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Economy recovering
Unemployment rate down to 20.1 percent, GNP up by 8.1 percent. Roosevelt's National Recovery Administration is declared unconstitutional, but Congress passes other New Deal legislation. -
Black Sunday
A massive dust storm devastates Oklahoma and Texas, one of the worst of the Dust Bowl. The Dust Bowl drives poor emigrants from all over the great plains to California, worsening the economic situation there. -
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Economy continues to recover
Unemployment rate drops to 16.9%, GNP rises 14.1%. -
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Economy continues to recover
Unemployment rate falls to 14.3%, GNP rises 5%. The Supreme Court declares Roosevelt's National Labour Relations Board unconstitutional. President Roosevelt proposes adding more justices, supposedly so the Supreme Court majority would be in favour of the New Deal. The American public is outraged. -
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Economic Recession
The unemployment rate rises again to 19%, and the GNP falls by 4.5%. Between the recession and the Supreme Court incident, the public is no longer fervently in support of the New Deal and no more New Deal legislation is passed. -
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Depression ends as World War II begins
In preparation for World War II, the federal government dramatically increases military spending and American manufacturing grows rapidly.
