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Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated
The assassination of the Archduke had a snowball effect. The Serbian government wanted to use it as justification and alliances begin to fall in place. The assassination is deemed the starter of WWI. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
Germany waged submarine warfare against the United Kingdom because of the contraband naval blockade they set up. Germany sank a passenger ship killing 1,198 of the 1,959 people on board, claiming they believed the ship was carrying contraband, unknowingly they were right. This incident changed the United States opinion against Germany. -
The Zimmermann Telegram
British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to Mexico offering United States territory to Mexico if they joined the German cause and prevented the US from entering the war. Britain did not show the telegram to the US until February 24. -
United States enters WWI
The US enters with the allies and declares war on Germany, even though many Americans were against us entering the war and sending men to fight. -
Selective Service Act
The passing of the SSA authorized the draft which let any male as young as 18 be sent into war. President Wilson didn't want to put the SSA into action because he was hoping for volunteers, but that was not the case. -
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Also known as the Battle of the Argonne Forest was a big part of the final Allied offensive of WWI. It stretched along the entire Western Front, lasting a total of 47 days and including 3 phases. It was the largest and bloodiest operation of WWI for the AEF, commanded by General John J. Pershing. -
Treaty of Versailles
Most important peace treaty that brought WWI to an end. It was signed exactly 5 years after the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The treaty was written by the Allied powers with almost no German participation. It took apart Germany so the could not start a new war and it created the League of Nations, which Germany was not allowed to join until 1926. -
Japan bombs Pearl Harbor
Hundreds of Japanese bomber planes flew over and attacked the Pearl Harbor naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii. 5 of 8 battleships, 3 destroyers and 7 other ships were sunk or severely damaged during the attack. 2,400 Americans were killed and 1,200 were wounded. -
US enters war
The United States declares war on Japan for the bombings that took place in Pearl Harbor just the day before, entering the United States into World War II. -
United Nations
The Declaration by the United Nations was a document signed by 26 governments (including the Allied "Big Four"). This document would be the basis for the founding of the UN in 1945. The declaration said "that complete victory over their enemies is essential to defend life, liberty, independence and religious freedom, and to preserve human rights and justice in their own lands as well as in other lands,... against savage and brutal forces seeking to subjugate the world". -
Japanese-American Relocation Camps
FDR signed executive order 9066 forcing all Japanese-Americans to evacuate the West Coast, ending up in one of the 10 internment camps made for them. -
US lands in Africa
General Dwight D. Eisenhower gets US troops to land in Algiers, Oran, and Casablanca in North Africa. Operation Torch was a British-American invasion of French North Africa. Attack was intended to clear the Axis powers from North Africa to improve naval control of the Mediterranean Sea and prepare for the invasion of Southern Europe in 1943. Decisive Allied victory. -
Round the clock bombing of Germany
The Combined Bomber Offensive was against the Luftwaffe targets and other high priority target. The bombings were a joint effort between the Royal Air Force and U.S. Eighth Air Force. -
Allies invade Sicily
Over 250,000 American and British troops land on the island of Sicily and force the Germans and Italians to retreat back to the mainland of Italy. The invasion was code named Operation Husky. -
"Operation Overlord"
The Battle of Normandy resulted in the liberation of Western Europe from Germany's control. American, British and Canadian forces landed on a 5 beaches on 50 miles of heavily fortified coast in France. The invasion was the largest amphibious military assaults in history. This day is also known as D-Day. -
Paris is liberated
Paris was occupied by Nazis for more than four years, but was liberated by the French 2nd Armored Division an the US 4th Infantry Division. The 2nd Armored Division cleared the western half of Paris, while the 4th Infantry Division cleared the eastern part. -
Battle of the Bulge
The last major German offensive campaign of WWII in Belgium, France and Luxembourg on the Western Front. Americans faced the brunt of the attack and got the highest casualties of any operation during the war. Germans surprised attacked the Allied powers successfully but they were not able to hold, resulting in an Allied victory. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
A major battle, resulting in Americas victory, with the United States Marine Corps capturing the island of Iwo Jima from the Japanese Imperial Army. Known as Operation Detachment, America was to capture the entire island. A Japanese defeat was expected from the beginning of the 6 week bloody battle because of the United States superiority in arms, numbers and control of air power. -
Atomic Bombs
On August 6th the US drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and three days later the US drops another atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The Bombs were dropped to get Japan to surrender and end the second world war. -
38th parallel
After Japan's surrender in WW2, the 38th parallel was established between Soviet and American troop occupation zones. This divides Korea roughly in half. -
Start of Korean War
75,000 North Korean soldiers went over the 38th parallel into South Korea to establish communism. -
Ordered into battle
President Truman ordered the first US ground troops into battle. -
First US troop killed
Kenneth Shadrick, a 19 years old infantryman became the first American reported killed in the Korean War. He had shot at a Soviet tank when he went to check his aim but was shot at by enemy machine gun fire. -
Battle of Inchon
Invasion and battle commanded by Commander Douglas MacArthur. U.N. forces was able to recapture Seoul, which changed the course of the war. -
Demilitarized Zone
North Korea, Chinese People's Volunteers and the UN sign an armistice agreement. However the Republic of Korea wont sign and a DMZ is formed. -
Vietcong Formed
Communist guerrilla movement in Vietnam that fought South Vietnam and the US. -
Counter Insurgency Plan
JFK wants to help South Vietnam, so he sends money and train troops. -
General Maxwell Taylor
General Maxwell Taylor was sent to Vietnam and suggests sending combat troops, but his request was not approved by Kennedy. -
Operation Chopper
The United States sent helicopters to sweep a stronghold near Saigon. This is the first combat mission against the Vietcong. -
Neutrality of Laos
14 nations, including the United States, agreed on the neutrality of Laos. -
Kennedy supports struggle against communism
President Kennedy goes on television and says he supports the struggle against communism in Vietnam, but skeptical of the Diem government. -
Kennedy Assassinated
JFK was assassinated riding in a motorcade in Dallas, they were already preparing for the next presidential campaign. -
Tonkin Gulf
South Vietnamese commandos attack two small islands in the Gulf of Tonkin. The U.S. destroyer Maddox simulated an air attack to draw away the North Vietnamese boats. -
U.S.S. Maddox
The U.S.S. Maddox claimed that the vessel was fired upon and that an attack was "imminent". President Johnson ordered a retaliation attack, but later the captain claims they were not fired on. -
Battle of Ia Drang
1st Battalion, 7th Regiment from November 14-15 at LZ X-ray in the Ia Drang Valley. -
Tet Offensive
One of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. It was a series of attacks by the Vietcong and North Vietnamese forces on towns throughout South Vietnam. Considered to be a turning point in the Vietnam War. -
Hamburger Hill
Battle of the Vietnam War that was fought by the United States and South Vietnam against North Vietnam. The battle lasted 10 days. -
Woodstock
Music and Peace festival that lasted three days. Close to 500,000 people attended. MAJOR drug use, and only a small amount of people died. -
Kent State Incident
Protesters in the United States set fire to the ROTC building at Kent State, so guardsmen were sent out. Later, the guardsmen opened fire on a crowd of kids, killing four and injuring nine. -
Jackson State Incident
10 days after the Kent State shooting, a shooting occurred at a predominantly black school. Police fired on a crowd of students, killing 2 and injuring 12 others. -
Hussein invades Kuwait
This event started the Persian Gulf War. Iraq decided to attack Kuwait because they suspected Kuwait was stealing Iraqi petroleum. -
Operation Desert Shield
An attempt to prevent an attack on Saudi Arabia, where Iraq was given until January 15th, 1991 to withdraw. -
Jihad is declared
Hussein declared Holy War against the coalition and created a peace treaty with Iran to beef up military strength. -
"All means necessary"
The UN Security Council authorizes the use of any means necessary to eject Iraq from Kuwait. -
Operation Desert Storm
42 days of attack ended on February 28th with a cease fire order from George H. W. Bush. -
Operation Desert Sabre
Ground offensive where Kuwait and the southern part of Iraq was stormed/invaded. -
Break up of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia was a large country made after WW1, but was split into 6 smaller countries after WW2, one of which was Bosnia. -
Bosnia is independent
Bosnia was recognized as its own country, separated from Yugoslavia. Although because of this, Milosevic retaliated. -
UN Resolution 751
Humanitarian relief efforts, UNOSOM set up to get supplies where they needed to go. United States offers to air lift the supplies. -
Operation Restore Hope
U.S. Marine and Navy Seals help secure the city, which was successful and had cooperation for the time being. -
U.S. attacks Aidid
The U.S. attacked Aidid's compound by helicopter, and as a result 4 western journalists are killed and displayed. -
Fighting in Mogadishu
U.S. troops were killed or wounded in a fight in the capital of Somalia. -
Black Hawk Down
U.S. humanitarians tried to bring food and resources to Somalia, but Somalians ambushed them, shooting down a Black Hawk Helicopter. -
Sarajevo attacked
68 people were killed and 200 were wounded on an attack at Bosnia's capital, an international call for help went out. -
Clinton orders withdrawal
President Bill Clinton ordered the withdrawal of the 30,000 troops in Somalia. -
Bosnia genocide
The Bosnian Serbs started "ethnic cleansing" against Bosnian Muslims. The genocide entailed mass shootings, re-population of cities, and rape of females. -
The US gets involved
William Clinton promises to end the "cleansing". He set up 6 Muslim safe havens, but they were eventually attacked. Military forces take charge and massive NATO bombing forces take place. -
Milosevic talks peace
Peace treaty was discussed about at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (Ohio). An agreement was made with two portions, Bosnia Serb Republic and Muslim-Croat Federation.
