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Archduke Franz Ferdinand was Assassinated
The Archduke was assassinated on June 28 1914 while touring Sarajevo in an open car with very little security when Serbian Nationalist Nedjelko Cabrinovic threw a bomb at the car but instead of hitting Franz and his wife Sophie it rolled off the back of the car and injured a police officer and some citizens. Then later that day Gavrilo Princip saw his opportunity and shot both the Archduke and his wife Sophie killing the both of them. This event was the spark to WWI. -
WWI begins
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie ignited WWI. Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire also known as the Central Powers fought against Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan, and the Untied States best known as the Allied Powers or the Allies. Due to new military technology we had trench warfare. The Allies won WWI and more than 16 million soldiers and civilians were dead. -
Germany Shoots Allies with Chlorine Gas
The Allies were in for a surprise when the Germans decided to creat a poison gas known as Chlorine Gas. The Germans struck the Allied Forces with over 150 tons of Chlorine Gas against two French colonial divisons in Belgium. This was the only day the Germans used this poison gas during this year. The gas went into no-mans land and into the Allies trenches and they begun to suffocate, over 500,000 troops were injured and at least 30,000 died from it, including 2,000 Americans. -
Lusitania has been sunk
The RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat. The Germans torpedoed the Lusitania and then it sank. Out of the 1,900 passengers and workers on the boat more than 1,100 died, including over 120 Americans. This event pressured the U.S. President Woodrow Wilson to enter World War I. -
The first tanks were made for the World War
The first tank was used in the Battle of Flers in WWi and the second time they were used was in the Battle of the Somme with less success. The machine was unreliable and was expected because it is a new machine but it did a good job to end the trench warfare and brought back "mobility" to the Western Front. -
Edwin Bowden worked at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
Edwin Bowden after graduating college got a job at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. He went to Akron, Ohio to work there and to start his life. -
Bowden volunteered for World War I
Edwin was one of the thousands of other college graduates that volunteered for war. The graduating classes of 1916 and 1917 all volunteered. He then started his training and was sent to war as soon as training was finished. -
The Regiment was moved to Columbus
Bowden and his regiment were moved to Columbus, New Mexico by marching. Bowden said they made the 200 mile trip from Douglas to Columbus in only ten days. Negros had foot trouble because they had flattened arch feet. They had 700 officers and 30 dogs on the march to Douglas. -
Zimmerman Telegram Was created
The British found a telegram from the German Foreign Minister, Arthur Zimmerman to the German Minister to Mexico, von Eckhardt. The telegram was an offer to the United States, the U.S. would get territory to Mexico in return for joining the German cause. This telegram helped the United States join WWI. -
The United States entered World War I
Two days before April6, 1917 the U.S. Senate voted 82 to 6 to declare war agains Germany, then the U.S. House of Representatives supported the U.S. Senate with votes of 373 to 50, the United States then entered the War. -
Edwin was ordered to the 24th Infantry in Houston, Texas
As time went by E. Bowden was ordered to the 24th Infantry and was sent to Houston, Texas. Edwin said "The 24th was one of the four negro regiments in the Army and the fifteen second lieutenants ordered to it were disappointed. All had secretly hoped to be ordered to France." -
The Third Battalion of the 24th Infantry
The Third Battalion of the 24th Infantry happened in Houston, Texas. During this battle, every policeman that could be found were killed. Bowden stated, "Actual and fancied injusticed, perpetrated by the Houston police, and the half-crazed, fanatical leadership of a negro first sergeant, resulted in the death of many policemen." (page 13) About 100 of the "ringleaders" of the negro soldiers were tried and 19 were hung and the rest had life in prison. -
The Selective Service Act was passed
This Act was passed six weeks after the U.S. entered the war. The Selective Service Act gave the President of the U.S. the authority to draft soldiers for the war. At least 10 million men volunteered after just a few months. By the end of WWI there were at least 4.8 million Americans who served in the war, but only 2.8 million were drafted. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I. The Allies made the Treaty for Germany to sign but Germany didn't sign it until protests broke out and the had to. -
Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles ended World War I officially. The Allied powers had Germany sign the treaty for peace and to end the war. -
The first Armistice Day
The Armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany at Compiegne, France. It's now known as Veterans Day instead of Armistice Day. It ended World War I. -
First Armistice Day
This is the day the War ended. The Armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany in France.
