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World War 1
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Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, after dodging a first assassination attempt, decides to go back to the public to make sure the people are safe. On his way to the people, the car driver makes a wrong turn that led straight to a member of the Black Hand, a Nationalist group, who would carry the act of shooting Archduke Franz Ferdinand. This event would be the spark of World War 1. -
Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia
With the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, lying in the hands of a Serbian terrorist, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. In this war, the Hungarians would not come out with the results expected. Instead, they were met with a long battle that wrecked Europe and ended the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This event will mark the first of many declarations of war. -
Big Bertha
On August 8th, 1914, the weaponry of World War 1 would change forever. Gustav Krupp's creation, named Big Bertha, was a weapon like none seen before. It weighed around 175 tons, 15 ft tall, and could fire a 12,000 lb shell over 16,000 yards! The weapon had to be transported in 5 sections and, in good conditions, took 200 men and over 6 hours to move and reassemble. This weapon easily destroyed anything it aimed at and gave the Germans a big advantage. -
The Western Front is Born
The Western Front was fought along four-hundred miles between the British channel and the Swiss Alps. This front contained a lot more trench warfare than the Eastern Front did and was harder to break through. The Western Front held some very important battles such as The Battle of Verdun and The Battle of the Somme. Additionally, the Western Front was one of the highest number of casualties. -
Trench Warfare
Trench Warfare played a vital role in World War 1. Trench Warfare is a type of fighting in which both sides dig deep, long tunnels for shelter. These tunnels were often protected by mines and barbed wire to keep out enemy soldiers. Above the trenches is an area called "No man's land" because if you stayed in there for too long, you risked being an easy target for the enemy. Staying in the trenches provided shelter and safety, which is why they would stretch over 440 miles and 6-8 ft deep. -
The Eastern Front is Born
The Eastern Front held some of the most important battles of World War 1 and was responsible for most of the deaths too. This is primarily due to the fact the Russia and Germany would be the main nations fighting, Russia having the most troops who were underprepared. The Eastern Front was long (over 800 miles) and moved frequently, making it easy to break through the front. -
Blockade of Germany
Once Germany got involved in the war, they created a blockade against Great Britain in hopes of cutting off valuable supplies that allies would send over seas. The creation of this blockade not only raised tension between Germany and America, with America being an ally of Britain, but it also made the ocean waters unsafe for all ships, including those that were not hostile. -
The Sinking of The Lusitania
The Lusitania was a non-hostile, British cruise ship that was traveling from New York to Liverpool, England. With the ocean waters infested with German ships, because of their blockade, trying to travel on seas was risky. When the Germans saw the British cruise, they immediately fired a torpedo, and sunk the cruise. The event claimed the lives of over 1,200 people. And while the Germans said they mistook the cruise for a supply ship, the public opinions on Germany went down. -
The Battle of Verdun
In the Battle of Verdun, the German used a tactic called total war. This meant that they would use anything and everything against their enemies. The Germans plan was to destroy the French morale and get them to give up by destroying all their resources. This Battle took around ten months and claimed the lives of over 400,000 troops for each side (Germany and France). Because of this, the Battle of Verdun was the longest and deadliest Battle of World War 1. -
The Battle of The Somme
The Battle of The Somme is known to some as the bloodiest battle of World War 1 and has mostly to do with the bombardment of shells. This is when all sorts of artillery and shells is used against an enemy to cause mass destruction. On the first day of the battle, the British troops lost a whopping 19,000 men and in the end, over a million casualties on both sides of the battle. -
The Zimmerman Telegram
The Zimmerman Telegram was an encrypted coded message sent from Germany to Mexico. In the encrypted message, Germany tries to bribe Mexico to join their side by offering land. Germany says that if Mexico sides with them, they'll give them the land that they lost against America. The telegram was intercepted by British Intelligence, inflaming America and increasing tension between Germany. -
The Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a great turning point in War War 1. During this time, the government was not very stable, especially after having been overthrown by the Bolsheviks and because of major losses on the Eastern Front. In the end, it was because of the Russian Revolution that Russia decided to bow out of the war. And even while Russia left the war pretty early, it still led in the highest number of casualties by a landslide, losing over 2,300,00 troops. -
America Joins the War
After periods of waiting to see how things play out, America finally decides to enter the war. The choice to enter war was heavily influenced by previous events such as the sinking of The Lusitania and the interception of the Zimmerman Telegram. And though America joined the war rather late, it inevitably led itself and allies out of trench warfare and into victory. -
Armistice
The Armistice was signed on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh month, on the eleventh day and marked the end of the fighting in World War 1. The official end of World War 1 wouldn't come until later but the signing of the Armistice meant that no more men had to fight in the war and people would begin to feel safe at home again. The Armistice was signed by Germany, France, America, Great Britain, and other nations. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles originally began in January of 1919 but continued until June. The signing of the Treaty marked the official end of World War 1 and beginning of punishments for Germany. Because the US opted out of the treaty, due to many disagreements, the punishments of Germany were left in the hands of France and Great Britain. These punishments included demilitarization, having to return land, paying for reparations, and agreeing to the war guilt clause.