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Archduke assassinated
Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary is assassinated by a Serbian nationalist. -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. -
Russia mobilizes troops
As an ally of Serbia, Russia fully mobilizes its armed forces. -
Germany declares war on Russia
Germany declares war on Russia. -
Germany declares war on France
Germany declares war on France. -
Britain declares war on Germany
In an effort to capture Paris quickly, Germany invades neutral Belgium. Britain responds by declaring war on Germany. -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia. -
Wilson declares U.S. neutral
President Woodrow Wilson declares the the U.S. will remain neutral in the Great War. -
Germany blockades Britain
Germany blockades Britain using submarines. -
Germany torpedos Lusitania
A German U-boat torpedoed the massive passenger ship that they believed was loaded with ammunitions, killing 1,198 passengers, including 128 Americans. -
bomb detonated in U.S. Senate reception room
Erich Muenter, a German instructor at Cornell University, commits suicide after detonating a bomb in the U.S. Senate reception room and shooting financier J. Pierpont Morgan. -
Germany ends sinking ships without warning
Germany responds to U.S. anger by ending its policy of sinking ships without warning. -
Henry Ford's "peace Ship"
Henry Ford charters a "Peace Ship," in an effort to end World War I. -
Pancho Villa crosses U.S. border
Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, along with 1,500 men, crosses the U.S. border to attack Columbus, N. Mex. Pres. Wilson orders Brig. Gen. John "Black Jack" Pershing to capture Villa. -
Wilson demands Germany end sub warfare
President Woodrow Wilson publicly demands that Germany end unrestricted submarine warfare. -
Bomb explodes in San Fransisco
A bomb explodes at a pro-war preparedness parade in San Francisco, killing ten. -
Wilson re-elected
Woodrow Wilson re-elected President of the United States with campaign slogan: "He kept us out of the war". -
Britain intercepts Zimmermann Telegram to Mexico urging war with U.S.
Britain intercepts and translates German Foreign Secretary Zimmermann's telegram to Mexico urging its entry into war against the United States. -
Zimmermann Telegram published
The Associated Press publishes the "Zimmermann Telegram," which proposed a German alliance with Mexico and promised Mexico recovery of lost territory in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. -
Wilson asks congress for a declaration of war
President Woodrow Wilson asks congress for a declaration of war against Germany. All but two Senators and fifty Representatives voted against the war resolution. President Wilson says, "The world must be made safe for democracy." -
U.S. declares war
President Woodrow Wilson declares war on Germany, officially entering the U.S. into WW1.
