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Triple Alliance
In an attempt to islolate France Austria-Hungary, Italy, and Germany formed a secret alliance -
Triple Entente
Britain joins up with Russia and Franc e to form a secret alliance called the Triple Entente -
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
While visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia the heir to Austria-Hungary's throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were shot and killed by Gavrilo Princip a member of the Serbian group, Black Hand -
USSR mobilizes military
USSR is the first country to mobilize their military which caused the other countries in Europe to also mobilize, they declared war against Austria-Hungry in defense of Serbia -
Change of war
Germans fire off chlorine filled bullet shells on the French front, causing them to nearly collapse. This was the first change of the way war was fought that the allies were not prepared for -
Sinking of the RMS Lusitania
German U-boats sank a British ocean liner called the Lusitania killing 1,198 passengers and crew. This turned many previous neutral countries against Germany and their unrestricted warfare, meaning that they targeted and attacked any ships they could without any warning. -
Italy switches sides
Italy joins the Allies switching sides from fighting against their previous group and declare war against Germany and Austria-Hungary -
British Tanks
As a way to further their lines advance the British employed the first tanks, although they were very primative the tanks had two machine guns from the sides and could break down barbed wire without any injury -
Zimmerman Telegram Intercepted
A message from the Germany to Mexico proposing an alliance, in return for their alliance if they were victorius Germany would return Texas territory to Mexico. Once the American public learned of its authenticty from Arthur Zimmerman, the German official who sent it, support went from neutrailty to the entrance of the war against Germany. -
U.S.A enters WWI
America was pushed into fighting in the first World War after Germany attacked and killed 128 innocent citizens on the Lusitania and threats of returning the state of Texas to Mexico in return for joining the Central Powers -
USSR withdraws from war
The Soviet Union withdrew from the war because of revolts within their own country, soon after they withdrew their government collapsed -
Wilhelm abdicates
Kaiser Wilhelm leaves office and goes to live in the Netherlands, this is symbolic for German people as no hope of victory in the war -
Armistice of Compiègne
A ceasefire between the Allies and Central Powers, went into effect at 11am that ended the fighting in the First World War on the western front, also this ended the fighting peace terms were not reached until 6 months later at the Paris Peace Conference -
Paris Peace Convention
The "Big Four" led the conference on the responsibility of the war, Germany was not invited to participate in the conference and from France and Britains frustrations Germany was harshly punished for the war -
Treaty of Versailles
The official peace sentiment that came from the Paris Peace Conference, it was very harsh on Germany and was written in their absence. It caused the country to accept full responsbility of the war, pay back reparations and reduced their army even removing it in some places. Many credit WW2 to this, it was signed in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles where Germany originally declared war which was another form of humiliation.
