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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austria-Hungary's throne, and his wife, Sophie, are assassinated by a member of the Serbian Black Hand gand Gavrilo Princip while the couple were driving through Sarajevo. -
Germany gives 'Blank cheque' to Austria
Germany promises unlimited military support to Austria, nicknamed the 'blank cheque' -
Austria declares war on Serbia
Austria declares war on Serbia following their failure to comply to the demands sent but the Austrian government -
Russian Mobilisation
Russian government ordered the mobilisation of the military districts of Odessa, Kiev, Kazan and Moscow. Two days later this turned to full mobilisation. -
Germany declare war on Russia
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Germany demands free transit of troops through Belgium
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Germany declares war on France and invades Belgium
Germany declares war on France in order to carry out the Schlieffen Plan and invades Belgium in order to get to France. -
Britain declares war on Germany
After Germany continues to invade Belgium against British warnings, Britain declares war on Germany -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia and Serbia declares war on Germany
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U.S. Remain Neutral
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson announces the U.S. will remain neutral. -
Japan declared war on Germany
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BEF retreat from Mons
The BEF started to retreat from Mons. Germany then invades France. -
Battle of Tannenburg
Battle of Tannenburg between Germany and Russia during which the Russian Second Army was almost entirely destroyed -
The First Battle of the Marne begins
Trench warfare begins as both sides begin to dig in in the race to the sea. -
First Battle of Ypres
Was a victory for the Allies although there were heavy losses on both sides. -
Turkey enters War
On Germany's side, meanwhile trench warfare was dominating the Western Front -
The United Kingdom announces that the North Sea is a military area
Effectively creating a blockade of goods into Germany -
Unofficial Christmas Truce
The unofficial Christmas truce is declared between British and German soldiers in the winter of 1914 - a series of widespread, unofficial ceasefires that took place along the Western Front. German soldiers sang Christmas carols and soon soldiers left their trenches. The soldiers exchanged gifts and stories, and played games of football. The commanders of the warring nations disapproved of this cease fire, and the British court-martialed several of their soldiers. -
First Zeppelin raid on Britain
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Second Battle of Ypres began
In this battle Germany use poison gas for the first time, yet aren't able to take advantage of this -
Battle of Gallipoli began
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Treaty of London
Treaty of London signed by Italy, France, Britain and Russia. -
German U-Boat sinks the Lusitania
During German unresticted submarine warfare a ship containing British and American civilian passengers. -
The “Lusitania” was sunk by a German U-boat
It was torpedoed by a German U-boat. 1,198 of the 1,959 people aboard were killed, leaving 761 survivors. This turned international opinion against Germany and led towards American entry into World War I. -
Italy declares war on Germany and Austria-Hungary
Italy enters the war on the side of the Allies. -
Battle of Loos begins
Between Britain (with the support of India) and Germany, also marks Britain using posion gas in the war -
Evacuation of Gallipoli
The Allies started the evacuation of Gallipoli -
Conscription Intoduced in Britain
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Start of the Battle of Verdun
Verdun was a French fort, it was the longest battle in WW1 and it is thought that one third of the French army served there at some point. -
Battle of Jutland
Naval battle between the Royal Navy (with help from the Australian and Canadian fleets) against the German Imperial fleet. Longest naval battle of WW1 -
Period: to
Brusilov Offensive
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Start of the Battle of the Somme
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Tanks first used en masse at the Somme
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Lloyd George becomes British Prime Minister
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Zimmerman telegram is sent, caught and decoded by the British
Germany send the Zimmerman telegram to Mexico in order to entice Mexico to join the war against the USA, Britain intercepts and deciphers the telegram and promptly notifies America. -
Germany begins unrestriced submarine warfare
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First Russian Revolution
First Russian Revolution confined to the capital and its vicintiy and lasting less than a week. -
US declares war on Germany
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Churchill becomes Minister of Munitions
Following the heavy defeat at Passchendale, Lloyd George decided that he wanted Churchill in the Cabinet. Churchill was duly appointed Minister of Munitions. -
Battle of Passchendaele/Third Battle of Ypres
Fought between the Allies and Germany. Allied victory with mass casualties for both sides. -
Bolsheviks overthrow Russian Government
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Armistice between Germany and Russia signed
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The armistice agreed upon between the new Russian government and the Central Powers goes into effect
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Woodrow announces his 14 points for peace
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Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed between Russia and Germany
Germany imposed harsh points upon Russia includes large reparations simliar to those imposed on them in the Treaty of Versailles -
Germany launches Spring Offensive and makes breakthrough at the Somme
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RAF formed
The Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service were merged to form the Royal Air Force. -
Second Battle of the Marne
The start of the collapse of the German army -
Germany asked the Allies for armistice
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Germany's navy mutiny
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Turkey made peace
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Austria makes peace
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Kaiser abdicates and flees Germany
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Armistice signed - end of WW1
Germany signs an armistice with the Allies, war offical ends at 11am on the 11th of November
