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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The major cause of the first World War, was when Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and nephew of Emperor Franz Josef and his wife were shot by the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. -
Austria-Hungary Declares War
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, causing the tenuous peace between Europe's great powers collapsed. -
Germany Breaks the Truce
Germany invaded France and Russia in the Schlieffen Plan. German Troops under Erich Ludendorff crossed the border into Belgium, breaking that country's neutrality. -
The First Battle of the Marne
French and British forces confronted the invading German army, which had by then penetrated deep into Northeastern France, within 30 miles of Paris. Allied troops managed to drive Germany back to North of the Aisne River. -
Gallipoli Peninsula
Britain launched a large-scale land invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula, which was a complete failure. -
Allies Retreat
Allied forces were forced to retreat from the shores of the peninsula, after suffering 250,000 casualties. -
Russia Exits WWI
Vladimir Lenin removes Russia from the First World War, freeing German troops to fight other allied nations on the Western Front. -
End of WWI
Due to a lack of resources on the battlefield, discontent of the home front and the surrender of its allies, Germany was forced to seek an armistice with the Allies, ending World War I.
