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Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife are assassinated in Sarajevo, which triggers the beginning of World War 1. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania, a British ocean liner, was torpedoed deliberately by a German U-Boat. More than 1,100 passengers and crew members perished. It played a significant role in the United States' entry in the war. -
The Zimmerman Telegram
A telegram from German foreign secretary, Arthur Zimmerman, was intercepted by the United States. It was found that the Germans wanted Mexico to declare war on the United States. -
War is Declared
The United States declares war on the German Empire. Americans were enraged at the Zimmerman telegram in which Germany sought an alliance with Mexico and the unrestricted attacks from German submarines. -
United States Troops Arrive
By June of 1917, United States troops begin arriving in France. Only 14,000 United States soldiers had arrived. By May of 1918 over one million United States troops were stationed in France. -
U-Boats in U.S. Waters
U-Boats appear in United States water for the first time in May of 1918 -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was the most important of the peace treaties that brought World War I to an end. The treaty was signed exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. -
Pearl Harbor
Hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attack the American naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu. More than 2,000 American soldiers and sailors died in the attack and another 1,000 were wounded. -
Germany Declares War
Nazi Germany and its Axis partners declare war on the United States after the U.S. declared war against the Japanese Empire because Hitler believed that it was an opportunity to be seized. -
Roosevelt Orders Internment Camps
During World War II, President Roosevelt ordered that the Japanese Americans were to be relocated into internment camps in the interior of the country. Most of the people of Japanese Ancestry had lived on the Pacific Coast at the time, being forced to relocate. -
Battle of Midway
The United States Navy defeats Japan in the Battle of Midway, winning the most important battle of the Pacific campaign. -
Allies Invade Italy
The Allied troops invade Italy at Salerno, Calabria, and Taranto. Italy signs a secret armistice which agrees for them to stop fighting and not help German troops. -
D-Day
100,000 Allied forces land on the beaches of Normandy, France to fight German forces. The Allies won, however there were over 10,000 casualties. -
Allies Liberate Paris
The Liberation of Paris was a military action that took place from the 19th of August until the 25th when the German garrison surrendered the French capital. -
Germany Surrenders
The German army surrenders to the allies as Soviet troops reach Berlin, bringing an end to the European conflict in World War II. -
Korea is Divided
After World War Two, Korea is divided into North Korea and South Korea at the 38th parallel. Russia controls communist North Korea and the United States controls anti-communist South Korea. -
Atomic Bombs Dropped
The United States drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 40,000 people are killed. Days later Emperor Hirohito announces that Japan will surrender. -
Japan Surrenders
After the bombing on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrenders to the Allied forces, allowing World War II to come to an end. -
Ho Chi Minh Declares Independence
Vietnamese communist Ho Chi Minh declares independence in Vietnam hours after Japan's surrender in World War II. -
Indochina War Begins
The Indochina War started in December of 1946 and lasted until August of 1954. The first Indochina war was virtually a stalemate between the French and the Viet Minh. -
Truman Promises to Fight Communism
President Harry Truman gives a speech known as the Truman Doctrine that promises that the United States will help any country that is threatened by communism. -
Korean War Begins
North Korea's army marched across the 38th Parallel which separated the communist, Soviet-backed North Korea from South Korea with 135,000 men. -
US Joins Korean War
President Harry Truman sends United States troops to Korea. The U.S. and other countries in the United Nations join the war in hope to stop the spread of communism from reaching South Korea. -
"Home by Christmas" Offensive is launched
General Douglas MacArthur orders the United Nations forces to move to the border between North Korea and Northeast China. He claims that the troops will be home by Christmas, however they are attacked by Chinese soldiers and are forced to retreat. -
General Douglas MacArthur is Fired
General Douglas MacArthur publicly disagreed with President Truman about the decision to bomb China, which led to MacArthur being fired. Truman believed that bombing China would only create more problems and lead to a much bigger war. -
Ho Chi Minh Trail
The Ho Chi Minh trail is used to transport weapons for the North Vietnamese army sent from North Vietnam to South Vietnam. -
Viet Cong is Formed
The People's Liberation Armed Forces, also known as the Viet Cong, was the military arm of the National Liberation Front, established by the North Vietnamese communists to escalate the armed struggle in South Vietnam. -
US Military employs Agent Orange
The United States Air Force begins using Agent Orange. Agent Orange was a herbicide mixture used by U.S. military during the Vietnam War which contained a dangerous chemical called dioxin. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
The U.S. destroyer Maddox exchanged shots with North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. By the end of the day, President Lyndon B. Johnson had ordered retaliatory air strikes. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was the gradual and sustained aerial bombardment campaign conducted by the U.S. 2nd Air Division, U.S Navy, and Republic of Vietnam Air Force against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. -
Operation Cedar Falls
Operation Cedar Falls is a military operation of the Vietnam War that was launched on January 8th of 1967 and was conducted primarily by U.S. forces. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War consisting of a series of surprise attacks by the Viet Cong. It was launched by forces of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese People's Army. -
My Lai Massacre
The My Lai Massacre took place during the Vietnam War when there was a mass killing between 347 and 504 unarmed civilians in South Vietnam in March of 1968. -
Nixon Elected President
On November 5th of 1968, President Richard Nixon was elected into office. -
Operation Breakfast
In an effort to destroy Communist supply routes and base camps, President Nixon allows "Operation Breakfast" to go through. Operation Breakfast was the secretive bombing of Cambodia which was conducted without the knowledge of Congress or the American public. -
Kent State
The Kent State University shootings was also known as the Kent State Massacre. It was the shooting of unarmed college students who were protesting the Vietnam War. Four students were killed and nine others were wounded. -
Watergate Scandal
Several burglars were arrested inside the office of the Democratic National Committee. These burglars were connected to Nixon's reelection campaign and had been caught while trying to wiretap phones and steal secret documents. -
U.S Withdraws From Vietnam
The last United States troops left Vietnam on March 29th of 1973, ending American involvement in the Vietnam War. -
Iraq accuses Kuwait
Saddam Hussein, the dictator of Iraq, accused Kuwait of stealing Iraqi oil through slant drilling. However, there are some sources that say Hussein's decision to attack was made months before the actual invasion. -
Iraq invades Kuwait
To strike back against Kuwait, Hussein has ordered Iraq troops to invade Kuwait. This initiates the Gulf War. -
The United Nations Blocks Iraq
The United Nations demanded that Iraq back down, however were unsuccessful in their attempt. The United Nations declared a trade embargo on Iraq called Resolution 661. -
24-hour Ultimatum
President Bush issued a 24-hour ultimatum stating that Iraq must withdraw from Kuwait to avoid the start of ground war. If Iraq did not withdraw then they would face military action. -
Operation Desert Storm
The United States officially launches Operation Desert Storm. Operation Desert Storm was a war waged by coalition forces from 35 nations led by the United States against Iraq. -
Iraq Withdraws
Saddam Hussein ordered Iraqi troops to withdraw from Kuwait when a coalition aircraft bombed the retreating troops. President Bush declared a ceasefire, which ended the war. -
Bosnia and Herzegovina Declare Independence
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Operation Restore Hope
A United States initiative where UNITAF was charged with carrying out United Nations Security Council Resolution 794 to create a protected environment for conducting humanitarian operations in the southern half of the country -
Bush Orders Emergency Airlifts of Food
Somalia was suffering from severe famine and factional warfare, so on August 14th of 1992, President Bush ordered the Pentagon to begin emergency airlifts of food to Somalia. -
First American Forces Arrive
The first American forces arrived to Somalia to protect the Unite States food airlift, however an aid agency predicted disaster if the U.S. sends a large military force to Somalia. -
Bush Visits Somalia
President Bush visits Somalia and sees the famine that is sweeping the east African nation. He praises United States troops who have provided relief to the starving population. -
UN Declares Safe Zones
The United Nations declares that there are six safe zones for muslims. Those zones are Sarajevo, Tuzla, Bihac, Srebrenica, Zepa, and Gorazde. -
Four U.S. Soldiers Killed
Four United states soldiers are killed when a land mine was detonated under their vehicle. President Clinton was prompted to order Army Rangers to try and capture Somalian warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. -
Jimmy Carter Brokers Peace Agreement
Former United States President Jimmy Carter brokers peace agreement between Bosnian Serbs and Muslims. -
NATO Takes Over Peace-Keeping
On December 20th of 1995, NATO takes over peace-keeping duties from the UN.
