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Development of Alliances
The Development of Alliances was important because countries couldn't survive on their own and they needed help when times were tough so they joined another country in an alliance. Each country and their alliance signed a document, making a promise that they would each give each other military support and aid in case of war. Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
Triple Entente: were France, Great Britain, and Russia. -
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand sparked a series of events that led to an outbreak into the cause of World War I. The assassination was important because it angered Austria towards Serbia and declared war against them. Ferdinand and his wife were killed by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian terrorist. Without their Archduke, Austria was confused on where to go next after the loss of their ruler. -
Austria Declares War on Serbia
Austria declaring war on Serbia started WWI because of Serbia declined the ultimatum that Austria gave them. The ultimatum was that Austria could take over Serbia and get rid of all the militants that they thought helped the Archduke assassination. The death of the Archduke was the main cause of why Austria declared war on Serbia. -
Stalemate on the Western Front
Trench warfare emerged when the Schlieffen Plan failed. Developed along the Western Front because their tactics of offensive warfare had not been created. Trench warfare meant that each country would be fighting each other in different trenches. Fighting in trenches was good and bad. It was good because you were underground and protected from enemies and it was bad because if something bad happened and someone was injured, it was hard to get out of the trench without being seen and shot. -
The First Battle of the Marne
The significance of the Battle of the Marne was that the Germans were getting very close to Paris. The battle itself was the turning point in the war because it pushed the Germans back and away from Paris. Germany also left the Schlieffen Plan to be able to conquer the Western Front and they were stopped by the British and the French when they disrupted the Schlieffen Plan. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The sinking of the Lusitania is considered the 'turning point' of WWI when Germany torpedoed and sank the RMS Lusitania that was carrying American citizens. The Lusitania was carrying munitions when the Germans sunk it. On February 4, 1915, Germany announced unrestricted submarine warfare in the waters around Britain. -
Techonology in WWI
New technology in WWI was gave countries different advantages because some countries did not have the same thing. The tank was big because men could sit in there and shoot/bomb their enemies. Machine guns was big because it allowed soldiers to shoot more than one bullet rapidly within seconds. The invention of mustard gas harmed and killed thousands because it was poisonous. The invention of the u-boat was important because countries could go underwater to sneak up and attack their enemies. -
Zimmerman Telegraph
Arthur Zimmerman, a German foreign secretary, created The Zimmerman Telegraph. The telegraph was a message to Mexico and it asked them to join in a war fighting against the United States, promising to help them recover territory lost in the Mexican War. The importance of the telegraph is that President Woodrow Wilson went behind Congress's back to ask for a declaration of war against Germany. -
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was led by Bolshevik leader, Vladimir Lenin. The cause of the revolution was Tsar Nicholas II ruling over the Russian empire and it resulted in overthrowing Tsar Nicholas II and the creation of a communist state. Causes: WWI and the many deaths in the Russian army, Tsar Nicholas's mistakes when he took over the army, many Russian army men were tired of Tsar so they left him. Effects: the spread of communism through the world, transformation of Russian society. -
America Joins the War
Even though America was considered a neutrality, the Americans entered WWI because of Germany's decision to resume the policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, and the Zimmerman telegram. America's role prior to 1917 was fighting with their allies after the Senate declared war on Germany. America joining the war impacted the outcome by speeding up the end of WWI, brought resources, and it allowed them to bring more troops in to fight the Germans. -
Selective Service Act
The Selective Service Act was a law that was passed and authorized by Congress in 1971 to create a national draft. The requirements for the draft was men ages 21 to 30 and they were to register for military service at local polling stations. This was the first time the U.S. government had created a draft before entering a war. -
Wilhelm Adicates
Kaiser Wilhelm resigns and it ends all German hope for a victory. He and his entourage quietly fled over the border of Germany and into the Netherlands. Wilhelm lived the remainder of his life in peace and even wrote a memoir defending his actions in the war. Wilhelm fled so that nobody could hurt him and his company. -
Armistice
The Armistice was when Britain, German, and France all agreed to stop fighting to end the war, ending four long years of fighting in the First World War. All of the countries reached an agreement and promised to stop fighting and mutually agreed to end the war. The Allied Powers (Russia, France, Britain, and the USA) won WWI. The Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey) lost WWI.
