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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire was assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist. This triggered the beginning of the war. -
Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia
This marked the official start of World War I. Military alliances caused many other countries to join the conflict. -
Germany Invades Belgium
Germany launched the Schlieffen Plan by attacking France through Belgium. This led the United Kingdom to enter the war. -
Italy Joins the Allie
Italy switched sides and joined the Allies in exchange for promised territory. -
Battle of Verdun and the Somme
Two of the longest and deadliest battles of the war. Millions died in brutal trench warfare. -
Russian Revolution and Withdrawal from the War
After the Bolshevik Revolution, Russia signed a peace treaty with Germany in 1918 and exited the war. -
United States Enters the War
The U.S. declared war on Germany after repeated submarine attacks on its ships. American support helped turn the tide. -
Armistice Signed
Germany signed the armistice in Companie. Fighting stopped at 11 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month. -
Treaty of Versailles
The treaty officially ended the war. It imposed harsh penalties and territorial losses on Germany. -
Germany Invades Poland
Nazi Germany invades Poland, marking the official start of World War II. This causes Britain and France to declare war on Germany. -
D-Day (Allied Invasion of Normandy)
Allied forces land on the beaches of Normandy, France, in the largest amphibious invasion in history, beginning the liberation of Western Europe. -
Britain and France Declare War on Germany
In response to Germany’s invasion of Poland, the United Kingdom and France declare war, beginning the conflict in Western Europe. -
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Battle of Britain
The German Luftwaffe attacks the UK in an attempt to gain air superiority, but the Royal Air Force successfully defends Britain. -
Germany Invades France
Germany launches an invasion of France through the Ardennes forest. Paris falls within weeks, and France surrenders in June.º -
Operation Barbarossa (Invasion of the Soviet Union)
Hitler breaks the Nazi-Soviet Pact and invades the Soviet Union, opening the Eastern Front. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Japan attacks the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, prompting the United States to enter the war. -
Liberation of Paris
After months of fighting, Allied forces and the French Resistance free Paris from German occupation. -
Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The U.S. drops atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to massive destruction and civilian casualties. -
Japan Surrenders (V-J Day)
Japan announces its surrender, and the war officially ends. The formal signing occurs on September 2 aboard the USS Missouri.