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Archduke Francis Ferdinand Assassinated
The assassination of Austria's Archduke Ferdinand set into motion a series of international events that led to World War I. This one event is widely considered the most important event in leading up to war. -
Russian Army Mobilizes
This is when the Russians mobilize which cause WW1.This made Russia declare war on Germany. -
The Battle of Tannenberg
The Battle of Tannenberg was fought between the German Eighth Army and the Russian Second Army. There were around 166,000 German soldiers and 206,000 Russian soldiers -
First Battle of the Marne
The armies on both sides of the First Battle of the Marne suffered heavy casualties. The Allies had around 263,000 soldiers wounded including 81,000 that died. Around 220,000 Germans were injured or killed. The battle was considered a major victory, however, for the Allies. By holding off the German army, they had forced Germany to fight the war on two fronts. -
Battle of Gallipoli
The Allies attack the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Gallipoli. This campaign will last over eight months and will end as a victory for the Ottomans and the retreat of the Allies. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania was a British luxury cruise ship. At one point in 1907, it held the title as the largest ship in the world. It mostly traveled across the Atlantic Ocean between Britain and the United States carrying passengers and cargo. The ship was 787 feet long and could carry 3,048 passengers and crew -
Battle of Verdun
February 21 1916 - The Battle of Verdun begins between France and Germany. This battle will last until December of 1916 and will finally result in a French victory, -
The Zimmerman Telegram
In January of 1917, the British intercepted and decoded a secret telegram sent from German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman to the German ambassador in Mexico. He proposed that Mexico ally with Germany against the United States. He promised them the territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona -
United States Enters War
When war broke out in 1914, the United States had a policy of neutrality. Many people in the U.S. saw the war as a dispute between "old world" powers that had nothing to do with them. Also, public opinion on the war was often split as there were many immigrants who had ties to both sides -
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
A peace treaty between the Central Powers and Russia. After the Russian Revolution the new communist government wanted out of the war and made peace with Germany -
Second Battle of the Marne
The Second Battle of the Marne begins. This battle will end on August 6 as a decisive victory for the Allies. -
Armistice
By the end of the Hundred Days Offensive, the German forces were exhausted and running out of food and supplies. On November 11, 1918 they requested an armistice. An armistice is when both sides agree to stop fighting while a peace treaty is negotiated. The Allies agreed to the armistice and at 11 AM on November 11, 1918 the fighting in World War I came to an end -
Paris Peace Conference
The Allied Nations met in Paris at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 to decide the fate of Germany and the Central Powers. Although a number of nations took part in the negotiations, the major decisions and discussions were between the leaders of the "Big Four" nations which included Georges Clemenceau (Prime Minister of France), David Lloyd George (Prime Minister of Great Britain), Woodrow Wilson (President of the United States), and Vittorio Orlando (Prime Minister of Italy) -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I between Germany and the Allied Powers. Because Germany had lost the war, the treaty was very harsh against Germany. Germany was forced to "accept the responsibility" of the war damages suffered by the Allies. The treaty required that Germany pay a huge sum of money called reparations -
League of Nations Formed
As part of the Paris Peace Conference, an organization called the League of Nations was formed. The League of Nations was formed in an effort to establish world peace. Its member countries hoped to prevent wars by helping to settle disputes between countries.