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Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife are assassinated. -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. -
The Ottoman Empire signs secret treaty with Germany
The Ottoman Empire signs a secret alliance with Germany agreeing to enter the war once Germany declares war on Russia. They formally entered the war several months later on October 28, 1914, when they bombed Russian seaports. Bulgaria joined the Central Powers on October 15, 1915. -
Germany invaded Belgium and Luxembourg
Germany declares war on neutral Belgium and invades Belgium and Luxembourg as part of the Schlieffen Plan. As a result, Britain declares war on Germany. -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia.
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia. -
The USA declares neutrality
The United States declares neutrality in the war. -
Germany wins the Battle of Tannenberg
The German army defeats Russia at the Battle of Tannenberg. -
German invasion of France is stopped
the German invasion of France is halted at the First Battle of Marne. -
The race to the sea ends
The Race to the Sea ends when the Germans withdraw at the 1st Battle of Ypres. -
Christmas truce unofficially declared
An unofficial Christmas truce was declared by German and Allied soldiers in the trenches along the Western Front. -
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Germans first use poison gas
The Germans use poison gas at the 2nd battle of Ypres. -
Armenian genocide begins
Armenian Genocide begins. -
RMS Lusitania sunk by German U-boat
A German U-boat sinks the RMS Lusitania killing 1,198 civilians, including 128 Americans. -
Italy joins the Allies
Italy Joins the Allies. -
Nine-month battle for Gallipoli begins
Allies begin a nine-month battle for the Turkish peninsula of Gallipoli. -
Edith Cavell is executed
British nurse, Edith Cavell, is executed by the Germans. -
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The Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun is fought resulting in an estimated one million casualties. -
Period: to
Tank introduced
The British introduced the tank -
President Wilson is re-elected
Woodrow Wilson is re-elected President of the United States. -
Telegram from Germany to Mexico deciphered by British
British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman to the German Minister of Mexico. -
Germans resume unrestricted submarine warfare
Unrestricted submarine warfare is resumed by the Germans. -
Russian tsar Nicholas II abdicates
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia abdicates. -
President Wilson requests war on Germany
President Wilson asks the U.S. Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. -
American forces stop Germans at Chateau-Thierry
Germans on the banks of the Marne near Paris are stopped by American forces at Chateau-Thierry -
Period: to
The 3rd battle of Ypres
The 3rd battle of Ypres, also known as Passchendaele, results in minor gains for the Allies and a total of 700,000 casualties. -
Balfour Declaration presented
The Balfour Declaration is presented in London. -
Wilson gives speech to congress
President Wilson outlines his Fourteen Points in a speech before Congress. -
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk is signed
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk is signed between Russia and Germany. -
Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany abdicates. -
Austrian Emperor Karl abdicates
Emperor Karl of Austria abdicates. -
Germany and The Allies sign an armistice
At eleven o’clock on this day, the war on the Western Front ends as Germany and the Allies sign an Armistice. -
Germany and The Allies sign the Treaty of Versailles
Germany and The Allies sign the Treaty of Versailles. The U.S. Senate later refuses to ratify it. -
The Treaty of Sevres is signed
The Treaty of Sevres ends the war on the Eastern Front with the Ottoman Empire.