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Period: to
First World War
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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist. This triggered a chain reaction of alliances and declarations of war, starting the conflict. -
Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia
In response to the assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Other countries were soon pulled in due to alliances, causing the war to spread quickly. -
Germany Invades Belgium and France
Germany followed the Schlieffen Plan to avoid fighting on two fronts. It invaded neutral Belgium to attack France. This act caused Britain to declare war on Germany. -
First Battle of the Marne
France and Britain stopped the German advance near Paris. It ended hopes of a quick German victory and led to trench warfare, which lasted for most of the war. -
Gallipoli Campaign Begins
The Allies (Britain, France, Australia, and New Zealand) tried to capture the Dardanelles in Turkey to open a route to Russia. The campaign failed after months of fighting, with heavy casualties. -
Battle of Verdun
One of the longest and bloodiest battles in history. Fought between France and Germany, it symbolized the horror of trench warfare and resulted in over 700,000 casualties. -
Battle of the Somme
Another massive and deadly battle. The British and French attacked German positions but gained very little. This battle showed how hard it was to win ground and introduced tanks for the first time. -
United States Enters the War
After Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmermann Telegram was revealed (a German offer to help Mexico attack the US), America declared war on Germany, boosting the Allies. -
Russia Withdraws from the War
After the Bolshevik Revolution, the new communist government signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany, ending Russia’s involvement. This let Germany focus on the Western Front. -
Armistice Signed – End of War
Germany was pushed back by Allied offensives and faced internal collapse. On 11 November 1918, Germany signed the armistice, ending the fighting at 11:00 a.m. This date is remembered as Armistice Day.