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Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assassinated
One of the main things that people think started World War I was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo. They had gone to City Hall for lunch and were headed to check on their troops when they were killed. They were killed by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian activist. This gave Hungary a reason to attack Serbia. -
The US Declares Neutrality
President Woodrow Wilson declared that the United States would remain neutral to the War. A great Majority of Americans supported this stance. -
Germans Sink the Lusitania
A German U-boat sinks the passenger liner called the Lusitania just off the Irish Coast. It sunk in just 18 minutes and killed 1201 people - 128 of the people killed were Americans. President Woodrow Wilson sent four diplomatic protests to Germany. -
The Germans Sink the Sussex
President Woodrow Wilson threatens to cut off diplomatic ties with Germany because Germany sunk a passenger ferry called the Sussex in the English Channel. The German U-boats were responsible for sinking the ship. The Germans called off their U-boats in response to President Wilson. The Germans did not want to provoke the US to join the Allied Forces. -
Zimmerman Telegram
Germany declared unrestricted submarine warfare on February 1st 1917. In response, President Wilson broke off diplomatic relations on February 3rd. On February 24th the UK released a telegram that they intercepted from the Germans. The Germans were trying to make an alliance with Mexico against the US. -
President Woodrow Wilson Declares War
On April 2nd President Woodrow Wilson asked a joint session of congress to declare war on Germany. Both houses of congress offered overwhelming support and the United States officially declared war on Germany on the 6th of April. -
The First US Troops Arrive in France
Five million Americans were called into military service during WWI out of the 24 million who registered for the draft. Their general was "Black Jack" Pershing. He did a good job. -
The First American Action in WWI
The troops from the 1st Infantry Division of the US capture the village of Cantigny from the Germans. They manage to hold it after they capture it. -
The Marne-Reims Offensive
This was the last major offensive by the Germans but the Allied Forces were ready and waiting for them. On the East the French beat the Germans and on the West of Reims the US 3rd Infantry Division stops the Germans from advancing. Then the French and American armies successfully attack the Germans. This was the first coordinated offensive attack made by the Allied Forces and they won it. -
First Stand-Alone Attack by the Americans
This was the first offensive attack made by just the Americans. The American 1st Army coordinated a air/ground attack that captured 15,000 prisoners and over 400 pieces of artillery in just 36 hours. This attack was in the southernmost part of the Western Front in France at St. Mihiel. The Germans retreated. -
Many Casualties
The US 1st Army and the French begin a joint offensive to clear out the corridor between the Meuse River and the Argonne Forest that has been a stronghold of the Germans. The battle does not go well and the Americans lose 75,000 soldiers over the six weeks of battle that ensued. -
Breaking Through the Hindenburg Line
The US 2nd Corps along with Britain and Australia finally break through the Hindenburg Line. This was a massive allied attack that finally broke through the German stronghold. This was a huge victory and the German command now realized they were being defeated. -
The End of the War Nears
Allied armies continued their eastward march as the U.S. 1st Army and the U.S. 2nd Army attacked the remaining German positions along the Meuse River near southern Belgium. The Germans were retreating and mutiny was happening in the German army. -
Germany Signs the Armistice
The Germans finally agreed to sign the Armistice. They agreed to evacuate of all occupied territory and give up all their weapons, artillery, subs, and battleships. It was signed 5:10am and was to take affect at 11:00am. So at precisely 11:00am the fighting stoped. Over 2000 soldiers died in those last six hours. The fighting was over. -
The Treaty of Versailles
A German delegation signs the Treaty formally ending the war at the Palace of Versailles in France. The Germans were not happy with it but they had little choice. The German people did not like the fact that the Treaty blamed the war on Germany.
