British 55th division gas casualties 10 april 1918

The Great War

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    The Great War

    Allies Powers: France, Britain, Italy, Russia, United States, Japan, Serbia, Portugal, Belgium, Greece, and Montenegro Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria
  • Archduke Francis Ferdinand was assassinated.

    Archduke Francis Ferdinand was assassinated.
    A Bosnian activist who worked for the Black Hand, a Serbian terrorist group dedicated to the creation of a pan-Slavic kingdom, killed the Archduke.
    https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/Assassin-of-Archduke-Franz-Ferdinand-Gavrilo-Princip
  • French president left Russia.

  • Austria-Hungary declared war!

    Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
  • Germany declared war!

    Germany declared war on Russia for mobilizing into Austria-Hungary. Germany officially joined the war. They also signed a secret alliance with the Ottoman Empire.
  • Germany invades Luxemburg!

    Germany invades Luxemburg!
    Germany justied this action with needing to support their troops because of the neighboring enemy, France,
  • Germany declares war!

    Germany declares war on France. Belgium refused to give permission to Germany to go through Belgium in order to attack France.
  • Britain declares war!

    Britain declares war on Germany.
  • Montenegro declares war!

    Montenegro declares war on Austria-Hungary.
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    Rape of Belgium!

    German invasion and occupation of Belgium known as the Schlieffen Plan
    German soldiers killed thousands and destroyed properties; 6,000 Belgians were killed, 25,000 homes and other buildings in 837 communities destroyed. 20% of the Belgian population fled the German armies.
  • First Battle of Ypres

    First Battle of Ypres
    French troops fought and prevented Germany from taking Ypres.
  • The Battle of Heligoland Bight

    The Battle of Heligoland Bight
    The British navy won against Germany. This proved that the British navy was superior.
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    First Battle of Marne

    Germany attempted to advancce through Belgium. French and Bitish troops held the German troops off in this battle.
    Trench warfare first appeared in this battle.
  • Christmas Truce!

    Christmas Truce!
    Both sides agreed to cease fire for the holiday.
  • First Zeppelin Used

    Germany armied Zeppelins with bombs and bombarded Enlgand.
  • Start of the "Gallippoli Campaign"

    Start of the "Gallippoli Campaign"
    French and British joined together to increase the odds of their survival. Their navies attacked Dardanelles, Gallipoli (the Ottoman Empire).
  • Second Battle of Ypres

    Second Battle of Ypres
    France, Belgium, and England fought for Ypres. The first mass use of poison gas occurred by Germany. The battle resulted in a stalemate and Germany continued to hold Ypres.
  • Another attack on Gallipoli

    Italy, England, and France joined together to attack Gallipoli. Because of this battle, the Allied Powers formed. This caused Germany discomfort.
  • Germany limits submarines!

    Reacting to international outrage at the sinking of the Lusitania and other neutral passenger lines, Kaiser Wilhelm suspends unrestricted submarine warfare. This is an attempt to keep the United States out of the war, but it severely hampers German efforts to prevent American supplies from reaching France and Britain.
  • Serbia Invasion

    Serbia Invasion
    Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Bulgaria invaded Serbia. Bulgarua joined the war during the beginning of this invasion. Germany hoped to access railroads for supplies.
  • Serbia Army Falls

    Serbia's numbers were significantly reduced which pushed them to pull out of the war.
  • End of the Gallipoli Campaign

    The Ottoman Empire defeated the Allied forces.
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    Battle of Verdun

    Germany continuously attacked the French troops in Verdun, trying to weaken the French army. This was the longest battle of World War I. France ended victorious.
  • Porutgal enters war!

    Portugal enters on the Allied Forces side. Became a major target for Germany.
  • RMS Lusitania sunk!

    RMS Lusitania sunk!
    A german U-boat torpedoed and sunk the British ocean liner and passenger ship Lusitania, killing 1,198 passengers.
    This pushed public opinion in the United States in favor of joining the Great War.
  • Batlle of Juland

    Batlle of Juland
    This was the largest naval battle of the war. The German fleet hoped to lure out and destroy the British fleet that had created a blockade of German supplies. The Germans failed.
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    Battle of Somme

    The Allied Forces attacked Germany on their Western forces to ease the blow on the French from the Battle of Verdun. On the first day, 1/3 of British troops were killed which remains as the highest casualties in one day. One of he bloodiest battles in human history. The tank was first used durng this battle.
  • German submarines are back!

    Germany resumes to use unrestricted submarine warfare which will eventually push the United States to enter war.
  • Zimmerman Telegram

    Zimmerman Telegram
    British intelligence gives Wilson the Zimmermann Telegram, a message from German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmermann proposing that Mexico side with Germany in case of war between Germany and the United States. In return, Germany promises to return to Mexico the "lost provinces" of Texas and much of the rest of the American Southwest. Mexico declined the offer, but this pushed Americans to want to join the war.
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    Russian Revolution!

    Discontent from the reign of czar Nicholas II and the loses and lack of supplies from the war led the Russians to overthrow the monarchy, and the Bolsheiks gain power.
    Russia withdrew from the Great War during ths time to focus on internal struggles.
  • United Sates joins the war!

    United Sates joins the war!
    The United States declared war on Germany which meant they joined the Allied Forces.
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    Battle of Passchendale

    Also known as the Third Battle of Ypres
    Allied Forces hoped to shut down the German supply lines.
  • Peace between Russia and Germany!

    Russia and Germany sign a peace treaty. Germany then turns its focus of troops to the Western front. Now only having to fight on one front, Germany has the advantage.
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    Second Battle of Marne

    Last major German offensive attack on the western front
    Allied Forces were victorious.
  • Armistice of Compiègne

    Armistice of Compiègne
    An agreement betweened the Allied and Central Powers to stop fighting
    Allied forces had won, and Central forces were completely defeated.
  • Treaty of Versailles

    Treaty of Versailles
    Officially ended World War I.
    German took responsibility for the war and paid the expenses.
    The League of Nations was formed.