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Archduke Franz Ferdinand shot and killed
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg visit Sarajevo in Bosnia. Someone tries to bomb them and misses. They are shortly later assassinated by Serbian nationalist.
It's important to the US because our allies are involved in the war. -
Great Britain declares war on Germany
The declaration is binding on all Dominions within the British Empire including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. The US declares its neutrality. The Siege of Liege occurs as Germans attack the Belgian fortress city but meet resistance from Belgian troops inside the Liege Forts.
This is important to the US because we were in a war. -
Lusitania Sunk
German U-Boat torpedoes the British passenger liner Lusitania off the Irish coast. It sinks in 18 minutes, drowning 1,201 persons, including 128 Americans. President Woodrow Wilson subsequently sends four diplomatic protests to Germany.
It's important to the US because there was too many Americans on the ship. -
President Woodrow Wilson is re-elected
He had campaigned on the slogan, "He kept us out of war." That helped him become re-elected everyone loved that slogan and agreed with it. -
The British intercept a telegram
The telegram was sent by by Alfred Zimmermann in the German Foreign Office to the German embassies in Washington, D.C., and Mexico City. Its message outlines plans for an alliance between Germany and Mexico against the United States.
It was helpful for the British because it was used to try and make peace. -
The US declares war on Germany
The US started war with Germany, it's important because U.S. went into war to protect shipping and the freedom of trade while in international waters. -
The first American troops land in France.
Our troops land in France for war. It's important to the US because it's a war they were involved in and wanted to win. -
The Germans sign the Armistice
The Armistice which is effective at 11 am--the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Fighting continues all along the Western Front until precisely 11 o'clock, with 2,000 casualties experienced that day by all sides. It wa important to the US, It was a war that was fought “to end all wars.” More than 200,000 soldiers were wounded, and 116,516 Americans made the ultimate sacrifice. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was signed by Germany and the Allied Nations on June 28, 1919, formally ending World War One. The terms of the treaty required that Germany pay financial reparations, disarm, lose territory, and give up all of its overseas colonies. It's important to the US because it ended war for everyone.