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Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
When Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serbian citizen by the name of, Gavrilo Princip, Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the assassination. Germany then gave Serbia a list of demands on behalf of Austria-Hungary, that Serbia refused. Causing Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia. -
Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated while visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia. He was next in line for the Austro-Hungarian throne. The killings set off decades of old tensions in Europe and started WWI. -
First use of gas as a weapon by the Germans
The first use of gas in WWI was by the Germans. The gas they use could severely injure or anyone who breathed it in. This forced the Allied troops to get gas masks for not only themselves but their horses too. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
A Greman U-boat torpedoed the British passenger ship, the Lusitania. Killing more than 1,000 people. Of those 128 were American citizens. -
The Zimmermann Note
A telegram sent by German foreign minister, Arthur Zimmermann was intercepted on its way to Mexico. In the telegram, it said that Germany was willing to have an alliance with Mexico if the US ever entered the war. -
US enters WWI
On the rainy evening of 4.2.17, President Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. Congress passed the declaration of war. Wilson quickly signed it. -
Treaty of Versailles
Germany had to take full responsibility for WWI, and had to pay the Allies BILLIONS of dollars. Finally, it had to completely disarm its overseas colonies and give up some. -
Senate rejects League of Nations
The US Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles. In 1921 the US signed a treaty with the Central Powers and never joined the League of Nations
