-
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand was next to sit in the throne for Austro-Hungarian Empire. He and his wife were in town, Sarajevo, Bosnia, in their open car. A gunman attacked, and they both died. -
Declaration of War
Gavrilo Princip killed Franz Ferdinand. Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia. They tried to give Serbia a list of demands, with the help of Germany. Serbia refused. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. -
Alliance Systems
Russia was Serbia's protector and prepared for war. Germany sided with Austria-Hungary. Germany then declared war on Russia, and then they declared war on France because they were Russia's ally. A day after, Germany invaded Belgium. Great Britain honored their pledge to protect Belgium and declared war on Germany. -
Battle of Marne
The British and French met the Germans at the Marne River. This battle stopped the German advance. It made it clear that neither side can win the war easily or quickly. The war became a stalemate. -
U-Boat
To stop American help to Britain, Germany threatened to sink any ship leaving or entering British ports. Wilson, president of the U.S, warned that any death caused by Germans, they would be help responsible. A German U-boat torpedoed the British passenger called the Lusitania near the coast of Ireland. More than 1,000 people died when it sank. -
The Battle of Verdun
Germany launched this battle. It was one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the war. When it ended in December, over 750,000 French and German soldiers were dead. -
Revolution
Russia had a revolution. Russians overthrew their monarchy. They set up a temporary government that promised free elections. It also vowed to continue to defeat the Germans. -
United States Joins the War
President Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany because he thought the U.S could no longer remain neutral. -
Russians Quit the War
Lenin signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany. Peace had arrived to the Eastern Front. In the treaty, Russians lost a big amount of territory to the Germans. -
End of War
Germany's allies faced defeat. The Ottoman Empire was close to collapsing. Austria-Hungary broke apart. Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia declared independence. Governments of Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire had surrendered to Allied Powers. -
Armistice
The German government asked President Wilson for a truce. Wilson agreed but only if Germany accepted his plan for peace and promise to stop fighting for good. All German troops had to leave Belgium and France. -
Final Peace
The armistice started at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month. Germany withdrew all forces west of the Rhine River. They surrendered huge amounts of equipment. The guns grew quiet, and the fighting stopped. The Great War, the most destructive conflict in human history to that time, was over at last.
