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Archduke Assassination
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by a teenage Serbian nationalist on June 28, 1914. This event took place during a motorcade in Sarajero. It is highly regarded as one of the key events that caused the war. -
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World War I
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World War I Begins
On this date, Germany invaded Belgium and started World War I. The original powers were the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente. The Triple Alliance included Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, whereas the Triple Entente included Britain, France, and Russia. -
Schreklichkeit in Aerschot
On this date, German troops shot and killed 150 civillians at Aerschot. The purpose of this act of terrorism was to ensure that civillians in occupied areas would not rebel. This massacre was part of War policy know as "Schrecklichkeit" meaning "frightfulness." -
Christmas Truce
On Christmas Day in 1914, troops along 2/3 of the front declared a truce. In some places, this truce lasted up to a week. Soldiers on either side of the Western Front sang carols to each other and celebrated the holiday as if they were all allies. A year later, Centries on both sides were ordered to shoot anyone who tried to bring back the tradition of yesteryear. -
First Tanks
The British employed the first tanks used in WWI in the battle at Delville Wood. They proved useful for breaking through barbed wire and cleaning a path for infantry. Although the designers of this weapon believed that it would be the decisicive weapon of WWI, it turned out to be much too primitive and less useful than was hoped. -
Joining the War
James Woolsey joined the Army to fight in WWI when he was only 17 years old. When the war ended, he was 22. He is quoted as saying, "When you joined the Army, you weren't handed a gun; you were thrown a gun. And if you couldn't catch it, you were out." -
US Enters the War
This was the day that Congress authorized a declaration of war against Germany. The US entered on the side of France and Britain. The majority of Americans believed it would be best if the US stayed nuetral, but more than 2 million US soldiers ended up fighting within the span of the war. -
"He Kept Us Out of War"
Woodrow Wilson was reelected as president during the time of WWI. His campaign slogan for his second term was "He kept us out of war." Roughly one month after he took office, the US declared war on Germany. -
Selective Service Act
To increase the size of the US Army during WWI, Congress passed this act; it was also known as the Conscription of Draft. This act made it so that you didn't have to willingly join the Army; you could be drafted into it by force. By the end of the war, 2.7 million men were drafted and only 1.3 million volunteered. -
First US Battle
The United States fought it's first battle of WWI in the trenches of Barthelemont, France. A raiding party of 213 Germans attacked from a Bavarian regiment. The American troops were outnumbered 4 to 1 and ended up losing their first fight. -
Armistice Day
The Battle of St. Mihiel ultimately ended the war, with American troops flinging themselves into German lines. This meant that the Triple Alliance lost and the Triple Entente won. An Armistice was signed to end fighting on the Western Front; this day was celebrated for decades as 'Armistice Day,' before it became known as 'Veteran's Day.' -
Witnessing Pearl Harbor
Woolsey was on vacation in Honolulu, Hawaii, to visit a friend who was in the Marines. While on Diamond Head with his friend, he heard a roar and looked up to see several groups of planes. After alerting the others that he knew they were not US planes, because of the star symbol on the side, he could hear the screaming and bombing five miles away. The Marines escorted them off of the island by ship and back to the contiguous US. -
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World War II
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Reenlisting
James Woolsey joined WWII under Admiral Nibbits at the age of 41. He was inspired to join the war after he witnessed the attacks on Pearl Harbor and decided that he wanted to join the Navy. Because of his history in the US Army, they told him that, due to rules and regulations, it was only possible for him to rejoin the Army. After arguing for some time, Woolsey was able to join the Navy as a volunteer. He reenlisted in the US Navy and became a radar decoder. -
Wounded in Okinawa
During his service in the Pacific Theater, Woolsey and other troops were ordered to blow up coral via submarine so ships could come in. An enemy plane dived at Woolsey's ship and managed to make it through a shower of bullets with all but it's left wing. It ended up going down through the ship to the storage unit below. Woolsey woke up in a hospital and was told that he only had six months to live. He ended up living until November of 2003, just short of his 103rd birthday. -
USO Boogie
Woolsey began playing piano after the war and became a talented musician. He even performed with the USO. Glenn Miller was a capitain in the US Army Air Corps during WWII, and approached Woolsey asking him to "write up a score for a boogie woogie." Neither of them had any idea how to do so, but together they ended up composing "USO Boogie."
