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HMS Dreadnought Launched
The Britain’s started the development of big-gun class battleships. This started an all-out arms race with Germany and Britain. The German's battleships were produced in about 1908. -
Austria-Hungary Annexed Bosnia
Russia saw the annexation as a threatening and aggressive action. This resulted in Russia encouraging pro-Russian, ant-Austrian sentiment in Serbia and other Balkan provinces. This caused the Austrians to fear that Slavic expansion would continue. -
Archduke Franz Ferdinand was Assasinated.
Ferdinand and his wife were killed by a secret Serbian military society, the Black Hand on June 28, 1914. Ferdinand was the future heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. The assassination led to Austria-Hungary declaring war against Serbia. -
Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia
Austria-Hungary gave Serbia an ultimatum on July 23, 1914, demanding that all anti-Austrian propaganda within Serbia be suppressed, and that Austria-Hungary be allowed to conduct its own investigation into the archduke's killing. Serbia accepted most of Austria's demands. However, the Austrian government broke diplomatic relations with Serbia and on July 25th they started military preparations and then actually declared war against Serbia on July 28th. -
Germeny Declares War on Russia
Four days after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Germany and Russia declared war against each other. The first German army crossed into Luxembourg in preparation for the German invasion of France. Germany was the most prepared country for war and even had a military strategy called the "Schlieffen Plan." This plan was to conquer France by going through Belgium and then into Northern France. (This plan eventually failed.) -
Britain Declares War on Germany
Britain had garenteed Belgium's neutrality clear back in 1839. So when German troops crossed into Belgium, Britain declared war on Germany because of it's promise to Belgium. Great Britain was part of group fighting for the Triple Entente which were called Allies. -
Battle of Mulhouse
British Expeditionary Force (BEF) arrived in France and on this date the French began their first battle against Germany. The French lost 27,000 soldiers in a single day. The French then fell back towards Paris. -
Russia Invades Germany
Russia attacked Germany from the east to relieve pressure on France. The battle lasted until September. The Germans were outnumbered but still delivered a crushing blow to the Russians in a ratio of 9:1. -
Japan Enters the War
Japan declared war on Germany. They were committed to helping their ally, Great Britain. Japan also saw this as a way of expanding their navy and their influence in the Far East. -
The Battle of Mons
The Battle of Mons was the first battle between the British and German on the Western Front. The British attempted to hold the line of the Mons–Condé Canal against the advancing Germans. The British fought well and many Germans died but the Germans were stronger and forced the British to retreat. (There were about 1,600 British troops killed and about 5,000 German troops killed.) -
First Trenches of the War
Trenches were a major element of the war. There were three different types of trenches: firing trenches, communication trenches, and "saps," that were shallower positions and observation posts used for grenade-throwing and machine gun-firing. The trenches were miserable, muddy and became rat infested. -
The Ottoman Empire Enters the War
The Ottoman Empire joins in the war siding with Germany. Russia declares war on Turkey three days later. They battle along their common borders of Russian Caucasus and the Ottoman Empire. -
RMS Lusitania is Torpedoed
A German U-boat torpedoed and sank the RMS Lusitania which was a British ocean liner headed from New York to Liverpool, England. More than 1,100 people were killed. Most people in the U.S. did not want to get involved in the war. But, the sinking of the Lusitania played a major role in turning public opinion against Germany. -
Uncle Sam Poster Appears
This poster was created by James Montgomery Flagg. It was the cover on Leslie’s Weekly and was titled "What Are You Doing for Preparedness?" This is considered the most famous poster in the world! -
Tanks Used in Battle of Flers-Courcelette
This was the first time tanks were used in the war. The tanks could only go about 4 miles an hour. Even though the early tanks were very unreliable, tank eventually played an important part by increasing mobility on the Western Front and eventually braking the stalemate of trench warfare. -
United States Joins the War
The United States tried to stay neutral during the war. But because Germany violated its pledge to end unrestricted submarine ware in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and also attempted to get Mexico against the United States. On April 4, 1917 the U.S. Senate voted to support President Wilson’s measure to declare war. The House agreed two days later. and on April 6th the United States officially joined its ally’s, Britain, France, and Russia, to fight in World War I. -
World War I Comes to a End
On November 9, 1918 the German people rose up in rebellion and forced the German empire to step down. Then on the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends and Germany signed an armistice that ended the war. Nine million soldiers lost their lives, 21 million were wounded, and at least at least five million civilians died from disease, starvation, or exposure. -
The Treaty of Versailles
On June 28, 1919, exactly five years after Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated this treaty was signed in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles near Paris, France. It was the peace settlement signed after World War I had ended in 1918. The treaty declared that Germany was entirely to blame for the war and angered most German people. The treaty imposed steep war reparations or payments on Germany, which caused a huge financial burden.
