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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand the heir to the Austrian Throne was scheduled to visit Sarejevo, but on the way a bomb was thrown at the Archduke's carriage but they managed to dodge it on time. But the other people who were there were not so lucky, so he made time to go visit the hospital they were at but didn't notice that there was a gunman who spotted him and shot both him and his wife. The assassin was a part of a group of Blackhands who perceived Franz as a threat to Serbian Independence. -
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WW1 Timeline
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Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
A month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie on July 28, 1914, the Austro-Hungarian government declared war on Serbia. Immediately, and within six days, European countries declared war upon one another. -
The invasion Of Belgium
On August 4, 1914, German troops crossed the border into Belgium. In the first battle of World War I, the Germans assaulted the heavily fortified city of Liege, using the most powerful weapons in their arsenal enormous siege cannons to capture the city by August 15. -
Battle of Mons
The first European clash since 1815’s Battle of Waterloo, the Battle of Mons takes place in Mons, Belgium, with a British Expeditionary Force that numbers about 75,000 fighting an estimated 150,000 Germans in an attempt to hold the Mons-Conde Canal. In the final of four “Battles of the Frontier” held in the first weeks of World War I, the British forces are overpowered and forced to retreat, handing the Germans a strategic victory. Some 1,600 British and 5,000 German casualties are reported. -
Ottoman Empire Joins The War
Due to the stalemate in Europe, the Allies tried to score a victory against the Ottoman Empire, which resulted in them joining the Central Powers. This event is significant because now Germany and Austria have another ally and more soldiers fighting against the Allied forces. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania was a Britain ship that was travelling from New York to Liverpool, England when it was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sank. This event is significant because it helped turn Americans against Germany. -
Battles of the Isonzo
The 12 battles held along the Italian Front at the Isonzo River at the Adriatic Sea, see the Italians repeatedly attacking the Austrians to gain control of the area and entry to Vienna. After Italy made some progress after multiple failed attempts, Germany eventually joined the Austrian troops, forcing Italy into retreat. -
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun became World War I’s longest single battle. It lasted nearly a year as the French Army fended off a surprise German offensive attack. To cripple France’s part in the war and cause a massive blow to its army’s morale, the Germans choose to attack the fort of Verdun, along the banks of the Meuse River. The Germans make advances in the bloody conflict until July when their offensive is called off. -
The Battle of the Somme
During one of history's bloodiest battles, on the first day alone of the first Battle of the Somme, British forces suffered more than 57,000 casualties, including 20,000 deaths, as they attempted to overrun German trenches and were easily gunned down.The Allies soon changed tactics in their attempt to fight back the Germans on the Western Front along the Somme River in France, Notable for the first use of tanks, the battle finally ended with more than a million casualties. -
Battle of Vimy Ridge
In its first attack as a unified force, the Canadian Corps, consisting of the four Canadian divisions, launches an Easter Sunday offensive at Vimy Ridge in northern France, claiming a quick and decisive victory over the Germans in three days. Part of the Allied Battle of Arras, the well-planned battle uses new artillery tactics and marks the corps as an elite force. -
The June Offensive
In an attack by Russian forces against the Austro-Hungarians and Germans in Galicia, the June Offensive (also called the Kerensky Offensive and the July Offensive) took place, ordered by Russian Minister of War Alexander Kerensky against the nation's popular calls for peace. Despite early gains, Russian troops suffered mass casualties and soon revolted. They are quickly overtaken by an Austro-German counterattack and the Russian army essentially disintegrates. -
Battle of Caporetto
Immortalized by Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, the Battle of Caporetto, also called the 12th Battle of the Isonzo, is waged on the Italian Front near Kobarid (now part of Slovenia). German and Austro-Hungarian forces soundly defeated the Italian front line, resulting in nearly 700,000 Italian casualties and seriously diminishing morale. -
The Russian Revolution
After two years of defeat, the Russian population grew discontent with the war and were unhappy with Russia's leaders. They then revolted, led by Vladimir Lenin, which forced Russia to form an armistice with the Central Powers, therefore, allowing them to move their forces towards Russia's allies on the Western Front. This event is significant because it shows the views of the public during WWI. -
The Armistice
The Armistice was the ceasefire that ended hostilities between the Allies and Germany on 11 November 1918. The Armistice did not end the First World War itself, but it was the agreement that stopped the fighting on the Western Front while the terms of the permanent peace were discussed. -
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.