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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand, an Austrian official, and his wife were assassinated by Gavrilo Princip. Franz was the heir to the throne and Gavrilo was a Serbian nationalist and terrorist. Gavrilo wanted his country to be free from Austrian control.This ignited the war between Austria and Serbia. With the Alliance System, other countries had to choose sides.
https://www.theworldwar.org/explore/interactive-wwi-timeline -
CRB (Commision for Relief in Belgium) Founded
Herbert Hoover starts the foundation in the United States for Belgium. The CRB distributed “millions of tons” of supplies to people all over Belgium and even northern France. Money was raised throughout the world and with it, the CRB purchased “foodstuffs” from North and South America and Australia. Herbert Hoover served the shell-shocked Belgium in the wartime.
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1989/spring/hoover-belgium.html -
Christmas Truce
It is thought that one hundred thousand troops participated in the Christmas Truce. They stopped the fighting and climbed out of their trenches onto no man's land.They celebrated with their enemies and it is seen as a miracle. The Pope had asked for a Christmas Truce but officials denied it. It was the good hearts of the men that made the Christmas Truce possible.
http://time.com/3643889/christmas-truce-1914/ -
Germany sinks Lusitania
A German u-boat sinks a British passenger ship. Killing almost 1,200 people and 128 Americans. This angered the american people very much. However, President Wilson still tried to keep the country out of the war. Germany continued to sink more ships including six more American ships. -
Marie Curie's Contribution to the War
Marie Curie was very brilliant and she was generous. She had discovered the radioactive elements radium and polonium. And, prepared ambulances with X-ray equipment. This allowed doctors to see injuries. She won two Nobel Prizes and tried to donate them to the French government but they turned her down. So, she used most of her prize money on French war bonds.
http://theinstitute.ieee.org/tech-history/technology-history/how-marie-curie-helped-save-a-million-soldiers-during-world-war-i -
Germany takes Belgian people as forced labor
In Belgium, Germany rounds up people. They take men and women to be used a forced labor. People are deported daily. They are taken in “batches” of 1,400. -
Anti-war Demonstrations in Germany
German cities have an outbreak of anti-war demonstrations. In several cities including Berlin, Jena, and Dresden. These demonstrations were happening everywhere all the time. And, in front of the German Reichstag (Parliament), women protest for peace during world war one. -
Battle of the Somme Begins
In France, the Allies fought German troops. The Allies are the offense, trying to get Germany to give up Verdun. In the trenches, they are bombarded by artillery. The Allies achieve six miles. The battle last till November with 1,263,000 overall deaths. -
The United States and the Zimmerman Telegram
The British crack the German’s code and told the United States of Germany’s plan. Germany wanted to team up with Mexico. If the United States was to enter the war, Germany promised Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico to Mexico for siding with them. This convinced the U.S. to join the Allies. -
The Chicago Sets Sail
Harold W. Riley was with a crowd of excited boys. He recalls thinking that if they new what was coming, they would not have been so excited. He went across the Atlantic on the Chicago for two weeks. In that time, he got to know fellow passengers.
http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.02165/ -
Sworn into U.S. Army
Harold was released from the French Army and sworn into the U.S. Army. He was now a Cadet in the Air Corps. Harold did not like being a Cadet because it involved some “kicking-around.” Soon went to camp Issoudun to start flying. -
Plane Shot Down
Four German planes snuck up behind Harold and his observer. They started firing and Harold was shot in the leg. Sam, his observer, was shot too and the plane was really beat up. They crashed but were not hurt. -
Prison Hospital
Harold and Sam were both captured by their German enemies. He was taken and kept at a prison hospital. He meet many other Americans there and friendly Germans. Sadly, Sam did not make it. Harold survived his wounds. -
Germany Signs Armistice
Germany signed the Allies’ agreement to cease fire. It ended fighting on sea, land, and air. It brought an end to the Great War. Germany accepted that they lost and the harsh punishments.
https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2014/07/28/battle-scars -
Free Again
Harold was discharged from the hospital in New York. He wrote that he was relieved and a “free man” once again. Harold took a train out of NYC and headed home. He wrote about how he was making war part of his past and memory.
