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Franz Ferdinand Dies in Sarajevo
While visiting Sarajevo with his wife Sophie, the group known as the Black Hand, organized a plot to kill the couple while they traveled on a parade route through the country. After escaping a bombing attempt the couple was unlucky enough to stumbled into Gavrilo Princip, who fired two shots, killing both Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. -
Willy-Nicky Telegrams
Near the start of WWI, cousins Willy and Nicky, Russia's Czar Nicholas Romanoff and Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm Hohenzollern, had both been exchanging telegrams about how worried they were about how the war could escalate. With Nicky dealing with the Bolshevik Insurgence in Russia, Willy felt bad and recommended that he pull out of the war. Willy felt that going to war should be the last case scenario, and that they should deal with their problems diplomatically. In the end the war was inevitable. -
Different Countries Enter the War
Due to alliances multiple countries end up being pulled in a war that didn't initially involve them. In late July, Austria-Hungary was dissatisfied with Serbia's ultimatum and declared war. Russia was allied by a treaty with Serbia and began to mobilize troops. Germany was allied with Austria-Hungary, also by a treaty, which lead them to declare war on Russia. France beling allied with Russia, also ended up at war the Germany. Great Britain, being a nearby ally of France also went to war. -
First Battle of the Marne
The First Battle of the Marne, marked the beginning of a new kind of warfare, trench warfare. Fighting in northeastern of Paris, France, this battle began when the Germans were forced to retreat by French and British soldiers. Putting both sides into a stalemate that would only benefit the Germans tacitly and would hurt the Allies since they didn't gain any sort of an advantage. -
Dardanelles Campaign
An attempt by the British and French navies to take control of an important strait separating Europe from Asia. This was an utter failure for the Allied Powers as there was heavy losses and lack of faith in the command of Winston Churchill. In the end the Allied Powers would only suffer losses from attempting to sabotage the strait. -
Battle of Gallipoli
This a failed attempt by the Allied Powers to control the sea route from Europe to Russia. This attempt to cut off of Russia's resources would fail causing more deaths on the Allies side, rather than on the Triple Alliance. -
Battle of Jutland
This was one of the earliest naval battles, with 4 battle cruisers, 1 battleship, 4 light cruisers, 5 torpedos, and 8 destroyers being destroyed between both sides. Britain was able to dominate the North Sea, leaving the Germans falling behind since they hadn't done enough damage to make up for their losses. -
Battle of Somme
At the start of July, near the upper reaches of the River Somme, France, a battle was about to begin. This would be known as the most disastrous day in Britain's nations military history. With more than 19,000 casualties on the first day, and the battle ending with more than a million dying on both sides. But the British did end up winning after 140 days and forced the German forced to retreat. -
Battle of Caporetto
Germany and Austria-Hungary joined forced for this battle, and were able to make it one of the most crushing victories of WWI. The two countries infantries were able to push through with the use grenades and flamethrowers to make quick work of the Italian lines. In one day they had been able to advance 25 kilometers. With Italy hearing about the major losses, anti-war protests broke out, and forced its general to resign. Italy would be forced to rely on the stronger Allied Powers for help. -
Armistice was Signed
At 11 a.m. that morning, an armistice was officially signed ending any fighting that was due to the war. The Germans agreed to stop fighting after being beat by the Allies, running short on manpower and supplies, agreed to sign the armistice with the Allies in a roadcar outside of Compiégne, France. -
Treaty of Versailles Signed
At the Palace of Versailles outside of Pairs, France, was where Germany was held accountable for staring the war and causing the all of the losses. The document included harsh punishment for Germany and demand mass amounts of reparation payments in order to make up for the war damages. The entire document was far from what Woodrow Wilson had outlined in his Fourteen Points. But he was able to form the League of Nations of the the conference, his attendance didn't go completely unnoticed.