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Period: to
Franco-Prussian War
France lost the regions of Alsace and Lorraine and was forced to pay a huge indemnity to Germany (Prussia) and the French wanted revenge. -
Accession of Wilhelm II to the German Throne
With the accession of Wilhelm II to the German throne in 1888, the German foreign policy became more bellicose. He dismissed the skillful Otto von Bismarck as Chancellor and refused to renew the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia that maintained the fragile peace between Russia and Austria-Hungary as well as kept France isolated. Wilhelm II helped create an alliance between France and Russia. -
Period: to
Russo-Japanese War
The Russians lost almost the entire Baltic and Pacific fleet. The defeat also provoked a serious political crisis that led to the Russian Revolution of 1905 and and intensified the rivalry with Austria-Hungary. -
Entente Cordiale
Great Britain became paraniod about Germany, and formed an alliance with France, who was currently in an alliance with Russia. -
Period: to
Morrocan Crises
Tangier Crisis: March 1905 through May 1906
Agadir Crisis: April 1911 through July 1, 1911
Instead of ‘softening’ Britain and bring it closer to the Central Powers, the Moroccan Crises further reinforced the Entente Cordiale and increased the British hostility towards Germany. -
Bosnian Annexation Crisis
In 1908, Austria-Hungary decided to annex Bosnia and Herzegovina that was formerly an integral part of the Ottoman Empire. It permanently damaged the relationship between Russia and Serbia on the one hand and Austria-Hungary on the other and humiliated the Russian government. -
Period: to
Italo-Turkish War
The Turkish defeat revealed the weakness of the Ottoman army and disagreement between the European powers about the so-called Eastern Questions - the fate of the decaying Ottoman Empire. -
Period: to
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars made Austro-Hungarian statesmen even more determined to take concrete action to prevent further strengthening of Serbia. -
Assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
The archduke's assasination was not the sole cause of WWI, but it did trigger the chain of events that led to the war. -
July Ultimatum
Austria-Hungary presented an ultimatum to Serbia with intentionally impossible demands. -
Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia
A month after the assassination of the archduke, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. -
Ottoman Empire and Germany's Secret Alliance
The Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and Germany sign a secret treaty of alliance. -
Germany Declares War on France
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Britain Declares War on Germany
After Germany invades Belgium, Britain declares war on Germany. -
Austria-Hungary invades Russia
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First Chemical Weapons Used
In the first month of the war, August 1914, the French fired tear-gas grenades (xylyl bromide) against the Germans. -
First Naval Battle
The first naval battle, the Battle of Heligoland Bight, of World War I was between British and German ships in the North Sea. -
U-Boat First Victim
Otto Hersing from SM U 21 hit the British light cruiser HMS Pathfinder. -
First Trenches Are Dug on the Western Front
In the Battle of the Marne, the first trenches are dug on the Western Front by the Allies and Germans. -
Christmas Truce
Starting on Christmas Eve, many German and British troops sang Christmas carols to each other across the lines, and at certain points the Allied soldiers even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing. On Christmas Day there was an unofficial truce on the Western Front between the Germans and Allies. -
Outer Banks
German ships and U-Boats would lurk off the coast of North Carolina, causing numerous skirmishes on American territory, and providing more victims for the Outer Banks' Graveyard of the Atlantic. -
French Fighter Plane
French pilot Roland Garros took to the air in an airplane armed with a machine gun that fired through its propeller. -
The Lusitania Sinks
On May 7, the Lusitania was torpedoed without warning just off the coast of Ireland. Of the 1,959 passengers, 1,198 were killed, including 128 Americans -
First Tank Was Used
The tank was first used in the little known Battle of Flers. -
The Zimmerman Telegram
It was a 1917 diplomatic proposal from the German Empire offering a military alliance with Mexico, in the event of the United States entering World War I against Germany. The proposal was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence. -
German Renewal of Unrestricted Sumbarine Warfare
Germany announces the renewal of unrestricted submarine warfare in the Atlantic as German torpedo-armed submarines prepare to attack any and all ships, including civilian passenger carriers, said to be sighted in war-zone waters. -
Russian Revolution on the Eastern Front
The Russian Revolution was when the Russians dismantled the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of communism in Russia. Thr Russians fought on the Eastern Front. -
America Enters the War
After years of trying to stay out of European conflict, America finally felt as if they had to enter the war and join the Allies. -
Wilson's Fourteen Points
A couple of points: no more secret agreements; international seas will be free to navigate at all times; there will be a worldwide reduction in weapons and armies; a League of Nations will be formed that protects the independence of all countries. -
The Red Baron
Manfred von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron, was an ace fighter pilot who died in action. -
Beginning of the Meuse-Argonne-USA Contributions
It was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire Western Front. It was fought from September 26, 1918, until the Armistice on November 11, a total of 47 days. The Americans played a large role in cutting off scores of German troops and severing critical supply routes. -
Private Gunther's Death
The last American soldier killed was Private Henry Gunter who was killed at 10.59. His unit had been ordered to advance and take a German machine gun post, and he was shot in the process. -
Armistice Day
At 11:00 am on Novermber 11, 1918 the war officially ended. The terms of Armistice Day included the immediate German withdrawal from enemy territories, disarmament and demobilization of the German military, and the release of Allied prisoners. -
Economic Costs
USA: $22,625,253,000
Great Britain: $35,334,012,000
France: $24,265,583,000
Russia: $22,293,950,000
Germany: $37,775,000,000
Austria-Hungary: $20,622,960,000 -
Soldiers Dead, Wounded, or Missing
USA: 262,725
Germany: 5,768,000
Russia: 6,700,000
France: 5,920,650
Serbia: 331,106
Great Britain: 3,050,000
Japan: 1,210 -
Personal Conclusion
I honestly think the entire war was just pointless bloodshed. There was a lot of distrust and a lot of countries seeking vengeance. I feel like the countries were just looking to pick a fight, waiting for each other to mess up. I also think that secrets and lies between the countries also contributed to the feelings of distrust and miscommunication. This thirst for vengenace led people to do stupid, reckless things and others blew it out of proportion and soon everyone was involved, -
Kiffin Rockwell
Kiffin Rockwell was an ace fighter pilot from Tennessee who was killed in action.