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WWI
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Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. A 19 year-old named Gavrilo Princip, part of the Black Hand, shot both Ferdinand and his wife. Princip was sent to jail for 20 years and died in his cell. -
Austria Declares War on Serbia
On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary Declared War on Serbia. This occurred exactly one month after Franz Ferdinand and his wife were killed. This was the official, violent start of the "Great War". -
Germany Declares War on Russia
On August 1, 1914, Germany and Russia both declared war on each other. Germany, Austria's ally, mobilized their forces. They came up with the Schlieffen Plan which would help them attack Russia to the east. -
Britain Declares War on Germany
On August 4, 1914, Britain declared war on Germany because Germany, controlling Belgium, was close to Britain's coast and a serious threat. Britain and Belgium also had a treaty to support each other, so Britain didn't have much of a choice. After Germany attacked Belgium, Britain declared war. -
Lusitania Sinks
On May 7, 1915, a British ship, the Lusitania, was sunk by German torpedoes. The ship was carrying military weapons and ammunition and sank within 20 minutes. Only 761 people survived and 1,198 drowned. -
Italy Declares War on Germany and Austria
Italy initially decided to remain neutral in WWI. However, they eventually decided to join forces with the United States and Britain. Their decision was based on the Treaty of London, which they thought would benefit them. -
Tanks Make an Appearance
At Delville Wood, a place where the British and German fought, the British brought in 150 tanks. Tanks had never before been used in a battle. They were not as successful as the British thought they would be, but the tanks cleared paths for their soldiers and they were able to get through. -
USA Declares War on Germany
At first, President Wilson wanted the U.S. to stay out of the war, because he felt involvement in the war would change the United States. However, Germany sunk the ship, the Lusitania, which was carrying American women and children. Because of this and the public outcry, Wilson declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. -
Germany Signs Armistice with Allies
On November 11, 1918, Germany signs an armistice agreement with the Allies. Germany was suffering terrible losses in people and weapons. This was the end of the "Great War". -
Germany Signs Treaty of Versailles
The Allies wrote the Treaty of Versailles without Germany's help. The final copy of the treaty contained 15 parts split up into 440 articles. After expressing their objection, Germany signed the treaty and ended WWI officially.
