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Triple Alliance
The German Empire signed an agreement with Austria-Hungary and Italy, known as the Triple Alliance. -
Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party was founded, led by Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin). The party soon split into two wings, the Mensheviks (or minority) and the Bolsheviks (or majority) who were unconvinced by the tsar's reforms and favored a revolutionary path. -
The Moroccan crises | The 1905 revolution
The German Empire offered to help Morocco against France, who wanted to establish a protectorate in the region. In 1905, a revolution broke out in Russia demanding the end of autocracy. A peaceful demonstration led to brutal repression (Bloody Sunday). Strikes and protests continued, with workers, peasants, and soldiers forming Soviets. The tsar agreed to elections and agrarian reforms but later dissolved the Duma and restored autocracy. -
The Algeciras Conference
The Algeciras Conference, which authorized a Franco-Spanish protectorate, forced the Germans to back down. -
Triple Entente
The Triple Entente was formed, an alliance between France, Russia, and Britain. This alliance aimed to counter the growing power of the Triple Alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, increasing tensions in Europe and contributing to the causes of World War I. -
Ottoman control
Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina, regions previously under Ottoman control. This move angered Serbia and increased tensions in the Balkans, contributing to the instability that would eventually lead to World War I. -
Uprising in southern Morocco
In 1911, because of an uprising in southern Morocco, the Germans sent gunboats to the port of Agadir under the pretext of protecting German trade interests. France had Great Britain's support, but ceded Kamerun (present-day Cameroon) to the Germans. -
Balkan Wars
The annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary (1908) increased tensions in the Balkans, which would result in the Balkan Wars in 1912 and 1913. -
Second Balkan War
In 1913, the winners of the First Balkan War turned against each other. Bulgaria attacked Serbia and Greece but was quickly defeated when Romania and the Ottoman Empire joined in. The Treaty of Bucharest reduced Bulgaria’s gains. -
Assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb nationalist. This event triggered a chain reaction of diplomatic crises, leading to the outbreak of World War I. -
Declaration of war
Austria-Hungary, encouraged by Germany, accused Serbia of the assassination and declared war on 28 July. This was the trigger for the First World War, as it led to a series of events where alliances were activated, resulting in a global conflict. -
Germany - France
On August 3, 1914, Germany declared war on France. This was part of the escalation following Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war on Serbia. Germany’s declaration came after France, an ally of Russia (which was already at war with Austria-Hungary), mobilized its military forces. This action further expanded the conflict, leading to the broader outbreak of World War I. -
Italy and Germany | The sinking of the Lusitania
In 1915, Italy joined the Allies after being promised territorial gains, while Bulgaria joined the Central Powers, seeking to recover land lost in the First Balkan War.
The Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine on May 7, 1915, killing 1,198 people, including 128 Americans. This event angered the U.S. and swayed public opinion against Germany. -
New Offensive
The Germans launched a new offensive on the Western Front in 1916 but were stopped by the French at the Battle of Verdun. The French and British then attacked the German lines at the Battle of the Somme.
Both offensives achieved very little despite enormous casualties on both sides. -
The Russian Revolution: February
The February Revolution in Russia overthrew Tsar Nicholas II due to dissatisfaction with poor living conditions, the ongoing war, and lack of reforms. A provisional government was established, but the country remained in turmoil. -
Abdication of Tsar Nicholas II
In March 1917, February Revolution in Russia led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, ending the Romanov dynasty and establishing a provisional government. This marked the beginning of political upheaval in Russia, eventually leading to the Bolshevik Revolution later that year. -
Entry of the United States
The United States officially entered World War I after President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. This was largely in response to Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare, including the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, and the Zimmermann Telegram, in which Germany proposed a military alliance with Mexico against the U.S. -
The Russian Revolution: October
The October Revolution (also known as the Bolshevik Revolution) led by Vladimir Lenin and the Bolshevik Party resulted in the overthrow of the provisional government. The Bolsheviks took control, leading to Russia’s withdrawal from World War I and the eventual establishment of a communist government. -
Constituent Assembly
In November 1917, elections were held for the Constituent Assembly, convened by the provisional government. The Bolsheviks got only 25% of the seats, although they won a majority in cities and industrial regions. Fearing that groups opposing the revolution could take over the Duma, Lenin dissolved the Assembly and put an end to political pluralism in the new Soviet Russia. -
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, in the Belarusian city of Brest-Litovsk between Germany, Bulgaria, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and Soviet Russia. -
Armistice signed
Germany signed an agreement with the Allied powers, ending World War I and leading to the surrender of Germany and the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires. -
Paris Conference
In January 1919, a conference was held in Paris to establish the terms for peace. The Treaty of Versailles imposed the terms of peace with Germany, while other treaties were signed with Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. Together, they broke up Europe's empires and drew new borders. -
The Treaty of Versailles | League of Nations
The Treaty of Versailles was signed, officially ending World War I. The treaty imposed heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany, redrew European borders, and established the League of Nations in an effort to prevent future conflicts. -
Washington Naval Conference | The Consolidation of Bolshevik Power.
In 1921, the Washington Naval Conference took place, where major world powers, including the United States, Britain, Japan, France, and Italy, agreed to limit naval armament to prevent an arms race. The Russian Civil War was nearing its end, with the Bolsheviks consolidating power. -
Soviet Union (URSS)
The Soviet Union (USSR) was officially established after the Bolshevik victory in the Russian Civil War. The Treaty of Rapallo was also signed between Germany and the Soviet Union, restoring diplomatic relations and cooperating economically despite their political differences.