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Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was heir to the Austro-Hungarian Throne. As he and his wife visited Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, they were both shot to death by a Bosnian Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip. This ultimately leads to the outbreak of World War I.
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World War I Begins
The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand caused a chain of events that ultimately lead to the first world war. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia with Germany on their side. This created the Central Powers and marked the beginning of World War I.
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Battle of Gallipoli
The Battle of Gallipoli was a failed attempt by the Allied forces to take control of the sea route from Europe to Russia. It took place on the Gallipoli peninsula. The Ottoman Empire came out of victorious as a result of the battle.
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Lusitania Sinks
The Lusitania was a British cruise ship that departed New York City on May 1, 1915, and was on its way to Liverpool, England. As the ship was nearing the end of its voyage, it was struck by a torpedo from a German u-boat. The sinking killed 1,198 people out of 1,959 people. This lead to the support of the United States against Germany.
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Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was a siege ordered by Erich von Falkenhayn, a German General. Their goal was to evoke major bloodshed from the French defenses. This took place in Verdun, France. In the end, the French succeeded in their defenses.
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Battle of Somme
The Battle of Somme was one of the largest battles of World War I and one of the bloodiest battles in history. More than 1.5 million men died in this battle. This battle was the first great offensive for the British during the war. This took place at the Somme River in France.
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First Tanks
The first tanks ever used in battle were British. It was used during the Battle of Delville Wood in Longueval, France. Although they failed at being the decisive weapon they were thought to be, they were still useful at clearing out barbed wire and making a path for the infantry.
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Zimmermann Note
The Zimmermann Note was a telegram sent by Arthur Zimmermann, a German foreign secretary, and was sent to Heinrich von Eckardt, the German ambassador in Mexico. But on January 16, 1917, it was intercepted by British code breakers. The telegram gave instructions to Heinrich von Eckardt to offer the Mexican president an alliance with Germany if the US were to join the Allied forces. Germany would give Mexico resources to attack the US.
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Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was when the peasants and the working class revolted against the government led by Tsar Nicolas II. Life in Russia was very difficult for the peasants, so they Vladimir Lenin led the revolution and turned Russia communist. After the revolution, Russia became the Soviet Union.
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U.S. Enters War
After the sinking of the Lusitania, the U.S. was furious at the Germans. On April 6, 1917, the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives voted to declare war against Germany. After that, the U.S. had officially entered World War I.
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Russia Withdraws from War
As the new communist Soviet Union took the place of Russia, German and Soviet forces agreed to an armistice. This lead to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which was signed on March 3, 1918. This marked Russia's withdraw from World War I.
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Battle of Chateau-Thierry
The Battle of Chateau-Thierry was one of the first battles of the AEF (American Expeditionary Forces). They were under the command of General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing. The battle took place between the Marne and Aisne Rivers in France.
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Battle of Argonne
The Battle of Argonne was a major part of the final part of World War I and it was the also the last battle fought in the war. The battle went on for 47 days and ended on the day of the Armistice. The Allied powers won the battle and the war victoriously.
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Armistice
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month on November 11, 1918, the Allies and Germany come to an agreement to stop the fighting on the western front of Europe. This marked the end of World War I. It took another seven months to sign the Treaty of Versailles.
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Treaty of Versailles Signed
After the Armistice ended the war, the Allies and Germany signed a peace treaty in the Palace of Versailles. The treaty included 15 parts and 440 articles that assigned Germany's boundaries and reparations. This was the official end to the First World War.
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First Meeting of the League of Nations
After WWI and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations was formed. The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization whose main purpose was to maintain world peace. On January 16, 1920, the League of Nations had their first meeting in Paris, France six days after they formed.
First Meeting of the League of Nations Video
