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Germany officially unified
The third and final act of German unification was the Franco-Prussian War, planned by Bismarck to draw the western German states into alliance with the North German Confederation. -
Triple Alliance
The Triple Alliance, secret agreement between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy formed on 20 May 1882 and renewed periodically until World War I. -
Russo-Japanese War
Its impact was blunted by the greater conflict that broke out in Europe 10 years later. But it is still remembered in Japan and, to a lesser extent, in Russia. It is certainly not because the war was unimportant politically or militarily. -
Austria-Hungary annexes Bosnia
The announcement of Austria-Hungary’s annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina upset the balance of power in the Balkans, making countries upset, like Serbia and pan-Slavic nationalists throughout Europe. -
Revolution overthrows Austria-Hungaria Emperor
The Diet's liberal-dominated lower house demanded establishment of a national government responsible to an elected parliament, and on a new national cabinet took power. -
Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assasinated
The assassination of Franz-Ferdinand and Sophie set off a chain of events like Austria-Hungary like many in countries around the world, blamed the Serbian government for the attack and hoped to use the incident as justification. -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were killed by a Serbian nationalist the result was Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, beginning the First World War. -
Schlieffen Plan put into action
The objective of the alliance was to encourage co-operation against the perceived threat of Germany. As a result of these moves the German military began to fear the possibility of a combined attack from France, Britain and Russia. -
Battle of Marne
The World War I First Battle of the Marne featured the first use of radio intercepts and automotive transport of troops in wartime. -
Ottoman-Germany alliances formed
Ottoman Navy, including the two warships (under German command) attacked Russian sea ports in the Black Sea. Then Russians declared war on the Ottoman Empire in retaliation and the British followed suit three days later -
Battle of Verdun
Never before or since has there been such a lengthy battle, involving so many men, situated on such a tiny piece of land. -
unrestricted submarine warfare commence
Unrestricted submarine warfare was first introduced in World War I in early 1915, when Germany declared the area around the British war zone, in which all merchant ships, including those from other countries would be attacked by the German navy. -
Zimmerman Telegram found
n 1917, the text of the so-called Zimmermann Telegram, a message to the German ambassador to Mexico proposing a Mexican-German alliance in the case of war between the United States and Germany, is published on the front pages of newspapers across America. -
Tsar Nicholas II abdicates
Nicholas II Alexandrovich Romanov was the last Russian Emperor. After his abdication of the
throne the 300-year-old Romanov dynasty came to an end. The tsar's abdication came as a direct result
of the revolution that took place in February of 1917 in Russia. -
Bolsheviks emerge as a political group
Bolshevik member of a wing of the Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party which led by Lenin, seized control of the government in Russia and became the dominant political power. -
Stalin takes over Russia
The Bolsheviks seized power in Russia. Stalin had continued to move up the party ladder, and he became secretary general of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, a role that enabled him to appoint his allies to government jobs and grow a base of political support. -
Vladimir Lenin seizes power in Russia
Lenin was the founder of the Russian Communist Party, leader of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, and the architect, builder, and first head of the Soviet Union.Lenin spent the years leading up to the 1917 revolution in exile, within Russia and abroad. -
Russia signed treaty of Breast-Litovsk
. This discontent strengthened the cause of the Bolsheviks, a radical socialist group led by Vladimir Lenin that was working to harness opposition to the czar and turn it into a sweeping revolution that would begin in Russia. -
Lusitania Sinks
Sinking of the Lusitania played a significant role in turning public opinion against Germany, both in the United States and abroad. -
Battle of Somme
One of the largest battles in World War 1 and bloodiest one. -
Kaiser Wilhelm II Abdicts
Having instigated the Kaiser's abdication Prince Max resigned, handing power to incoming Chancellor Friedrich Ebert who in statements appealed for public calm and reassured the German public that the incoming government would be "a government of the people". -
France loses Alsace & Lorraine to Germany
The loss of Alsace-Lorraine was a major cause of anti-German feeling in France. -
Signing of Treaty of Versailles
World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles -
Fourteen points proposed
The Fourteen Points are a list of moral guidelines that were developed by Woodrow Wilson as a response to the various causes of World War I. -
Germany stops reparation payments to France
Germany made its last reparations payment for World War I settling its outstanding debt from the 1919 Versailles Treaty and quietly closing the final chapter of the conflict that shaped the 20th century. -
US declares war on Germany
The bombing of Pearl Harbor started this war. -
Japan declares war on Germany
Sir Edward Grey had requested limited naval assistance from the Japanese navy in hunting down armed German merchant ships and Japan agreed seeing the war as a great opportunity to pursue its own interests in the Far East
