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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
After building tensions for quite some time, things fell apart. Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist and member of the terrorist group known as the Black Hand, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. As one can imagine, Austria Hungary didn't take kindly to this. This event was responsible for the ensuing war. -
Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia
Austria-Hungary wanted justice for the Archduke's assassination. Since Gavrilo Princip was a nationalist from Serbia, much of the blame fell on them. After securing the support of Germany, Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum demanding a number of things, most of which Serbia accepted. However, military action was taken anyways. This was effectively the beginning of WWI. -
First Days of War
Declarations came very quickly in the days following Austria-Hungary going to war with Serbia. Germany began making advances on Russia to distract Serbia's ally from the conflict with Austria-Hungary. They then declared war on France, and moved through Belgium to flank their forces. Belgium was a British colony, and Germany's advances upset Great Britain. They declared war on Germany in rebuttal. -
The First Battle of the Marnes
This battle was responsible for really opening up the war, which had reached the outskirts of Paris by this time. It was an Allied victory that forced the Germans to give up up their push towards Paris and instead retreat to the northeast. This retreat involved the building of fortifications, to which the allies responded mutually. The result was the beginning of trench warfare. -
The Second Battle of Ypres
The only offensive launched by the Germans in 1915, the Second Battle of Ypres, was one of significance. Little progress was made on either side; the significance of this battle lay within the introduction of a new weapon. It marked the first major use of chemical warfare, and had a large impact on the war. By the end of the ordeal, over 100,000 tons of chemical weapons agents were used. They were responsible for killing 30,000 troops, as well as injuring another 500,000. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The United States had hoped to stay out of the war, and on an official level did for quite some time. However, they provided assistance to Britain through supplies. The Lusitania was one ship that was secretly carrying war munitions along with its passengers. A German U-Boat sunk the ship, killing a number of Americans. This, along with other similar events, turned public opinion in the US against Germany. -
The Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was a French victory that allowed them to retake much of the ground lost to the Germans. The battle lasted until December 18, 1916. During this time, over 40 million artillery shells were exchanged, leaving craters that are still visible today. The Battle of Verdun is to the French and Germans what the Somme was to the British. With 975,000 casualties, it was yet another example of the horrors of war. -
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme is one of the most well known battles of WWI. It endured until November 18, 1916, and had a high cost of 1,220,000 casualties. It was an Allies victory, pushing the Germans back 40 miles and setting the stage for the final victory in 1918. The Battle of the Somme is remembered today as an example of the senseless slaughter of war. -
The Zimmerman Note
Germany sent a telegram, composed by their Foreign Minister, Arthur Zimmerman, to Mexico. They proposed an offer of United States territory if Mexico would join the German cause. The hope was that if the US decided to enter the war with the Allies, Mexico would attack the US as to split their attention. Mexico declined this offer, and the telegram was intercepted and decoded by the British and sent to the US. The United States were infuriated, and this pushed them to join the war. -
Arriving in France
Riley decided that he would join Norton Harjes Ambulance Corps in order to join the war. Through this occupation he was able to go to France. His trip there took about 2 weeks, and in this time the shipmates became quite well acquainted. One of whom was Alan Winslow, who Riley would meet again later. Eventually they reached Bordeaux. From there they traveled to Paris, granting them their first introduction to a new country. -
Harold W. Riley's Crash
Sent to scout the Bois de Consenvoye (a heavy woods) that stood in front of the French’s advance, he expected no resistance. Upon turning to make for the airfield, he saw four German airplanes. He fought them off the best he could, taking one out, but he was shot down. He and his observer were taken prisoner by the Germans. Keesler would later die from his wounds in the room next to where Riley was being treated for his. -
Time as a Prisoner of War
Shortly after some treatment for his crash, Riley was moved to Montmedy. Here he stayed in what seemed to be the death room, as not a single patient survived during his time there, except for himself. After some more treatment he was moved yet again to Trier. The trip was short, and upon arriving met with fellow American and friend Alan Winslow. The two would spend the rest of their time as prisoners together. During their time, they were treated less as prisoners, and more so as patients. -
Armistice
The Armistice of Compiègne ended the fighting on the Western Front. This wasn’t its only purpose however, as it had a number of other effects as well. Beyond ceasing hostilities, German troops were withdrawn behind their borders, the exchange of prisoners, and a promise of reparations. The exchange of prisoners was incredibly important for Riley, as it allowed him to return home. He heard of this news while in Kronenberg. There were some complications, but he was sent home after some delay. -
The Trip Home
After much time in Kronenberg, Riley was finally able to board a ship to head to Denmark. With the help of a Colonel Solbert, he was able to leave for France much earlier than expected. From there, he was finally able to return to the US, New York in particular. He made stops in many cities along the way. -
The Treaty of Versailles (1919)
Though Armistice brought an end to many aspects of the war, it did not officially end it as a whole. The terms of the treaty were negotiated by the Allies, with no involvement from Germany. Under the treaty, Germany was placed under many restrictions and war reparations were pushed upon them. Germany agreed to these reparations and set plans in place for them, though these plans were cancelled during Hitler's rise to power.
