-
Germany and Russia declare war on each other
Historical SIgnificance:
* The event created long-lasting change (War broke out all over Europe)
*Affected the lives of all inhabitants of Germany and Russia
Cause and Effect:
* This would lead to one of the biggest wars in history
* Russian and German ties were severed and people were becoming afraid -
Germany declares war on France, invades Belgium
Historical Significance:
*the Schlieffen plan is created by the German Chief of Staff and implemented
* French and Belgian citizens affected
Cause and Effect:
*Failure of the Schlieffen plan led to trench warfare
*Invasion of Belgium involves Britain in war -
Britain declares war on Germany, Canada is also at war
Historical Perspective:
* Canada was obligated to participate
* Many opposing beliefs on Canadian land; British were volunteering and French-English were not
Historical Significance:
*Marked the beginning of Canada's involvement in the war
*All British colonies were involved in the war as of this day -
Battle of the Marne begins
Historical Significance:
* The Battle of the Marne was the first Allied victory in WWI
* It saved Paris and foiled Germany's plan for a quick victory over France
Cause and Effect:
*Thwarted the Schlieffen Plan
*Began four years of trench warfare -
Trench warfare dominates Western Front
Historical Significance:
* Trench warfare was being used; made fighting become slower and harder
*Allowed soldiers to fight with more cover and protection
Cause and Effect:
*Caused many health issues (trenches were unsanitary and they carried lots of vermin)
*Led to trench foot, a painful condition of the foot -
The Second Battle of Ypres begins
Historical Significance:
*First major use of chemical warfare
*Canada's first major involvement in war
Ethical Dimension:
*Using chemical warfare was considered morally wrong by many
*6,035 Canadian casualties; many people in Canada were beginning to oppose the war -
Battle of Gallipolli begins
Cause and Effect:
*Led to 250, 000 Allied casualties
*Allies suffered a heavy loss
Historical Perspective:
*Allied military command was largely discredited
*Censorship was being used to hide the number of losses so people wouldn't learn the truth -
The "Lusitania" is sunk by a German sub
Cause and Effect:
*Led to the deaths of 1,198 of the 1,959 people aboard; 128 Americans
*Primary cause for USA to join the war
Continuity and Change:
*Led to America's involvement in the war
*Turned American public opinion against the Germans -
Italy declares war on Germany and Austria
Historical Significance:
*Marked the start of the involvement of Italy in WWI
*Marked the beginning ofthe many losses that Italy would sustain Historical Perspective:
*Italy broke its alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary
*Caused tension between the two sides -
Germany captures Warsaw, Russia
Historical Significance:
*Ended a century of Russian control over Warsaw
*Gave Germany more land and power; Russian army is battered
Historical Perspective:
*Russian civilians are living in terror
*Germany believed it was right for them because they could now focus more on the Western Front -
Battle of Jutland begins
Historical Significance:
*Only major naval battle of WWI
*Although the Germans did better in the battle, the British was claimed victors
Historical Perspective:
*Britain fought because they believed they had naval supremancy -
The Battle of the Somme begins
Historical Significance:
*Marked the beginning of the "bloodbath"
*British army suffered 420, 000 casualties, about 60, 000 died on the first day alone
Ethical Dimension:
*Douglas Haig was heavily criticized
*Many people thought of this as morally wrong as so many unnecessary deaths were caused -
First use of tanks
Historical Significance:
*Marked the start of a whole new way of fighting
*Technology was becoming more efficient
Ethical Dimension:
*Might've been considered morally wrong because of all the work put into the operation with little success -
Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare
Historical Significance:
*Germany broke its promise of suspending submarine warfare
*More danger as German U-boats were known to be lethal
Historical Perspective:
*Germany wanted to win the war; broke their promise -
USA declares war on Germany
Historical Significance:
*Gave the Allies a new aid
*More support to defeat Germany
Historical Perspective:
*Propaganda was being introduced in USA to get recruits
**USA wanted compensation for the deaths Germany caused on the Lusitania -
Canada is successful in the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Historical Significance:
*First victory by Canada
*Gave Canada an identity as a trustworthy and brave nation
Cause and Effect:
*Nations now acknowledged Canada as a force to be reckoned with
*Canadians were rejoicing as it was the first good news heard after a span of death and massacre -
Mutiny erupts in French army
Historical Perspective:
*French soldiers were maddened by all the deaths caused throughout the war
*Promises for a quick victory had been broken
Ethical DImension:
*French mutineers were sentenced to death, deemed ethically wrong by some
*However, about 90% had their sentences commuted, also deemed ethically wrong by many, people thought the mutineers should suffer for their crimes -
The Battle of Passchendaele starts
Historical Significance:
*British army sustained 275, 000 casualties throughout the battle
* 15, 600 were Canadian
Ethical Dimension:
*People were angered because this was seen as ethically wrong; so many soldiers were dying for nothing -
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk is signed by the Central Powers and Russia
Historical Perspective:
*This treaty was signed so that Russia's involvement in the war would end
*Germans could now focus on the Eastern Front better
HIstorical Significance:
*Russia was no longer part of the war
*The allies had one less supporter -
Second Battle of the Marne begins; German army starts to collapse
Historical Significance:
*Germany's final major attempt to break through the Western Front
*The battle was a notable Allied victory
Cause and Effect:
*German forces were weakened; their army was collapsing
*A number of German military commanders were lost, including the Crown Prince Wilhelm -
Mutiny breaks out in German army
Historical Significance:
*A total of about 400 soldiers announced their unwillingness to fight
*German forces were already weakened and this just added salt to the wound
Cause and Effect:
*Germany was further incapacitated
*75 soldiers were arrested and the plotters of the mutiny were charged and executed -
Kaiser Wilhelm II is abdicated
Historical Perspective:
*Germans were sick and tired of the war and a revolution was being threatened
*German forces were calling for an armistice
*Kaiser abdicated because if he gave up his thron then, the new government would be blamed for the war when it was over
Cause and Effect:
*After Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated, the war ended faster
*He went into exile in Holland -
World War I ends
Historical Significance:
*One of the largest wars in history was over
*Germany signed an armistice
*There was now peace among the nations involved in the war
Cause and Effect:
*37 million casualties suffered in total
*Germany had a new government
