-
Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania, a passenger ship traveling from America to Great Britian, was sunk by a German U-boat. The ship was sunk as it was suspected of carrying munitions to the Allies. However even though 128 US citizens were killed in this incident America didn't declare war just yet. -
Period: to
American Involvement in World War I
-
Zimmerman Telegraph
Alfred Zimmermann, the German Foreign Secretary, sent a telegraph to the Mexican Government. The telegraph proposed a treaty that if America went to war against Germany then Mexico would declare war on America with German support. The telegraph was intercepted by British sode breakers and sent to Congress where it was made public. -
America Declares War
President Woodrow Wilson adressed the Congress anoucing that the US would declare war on the Central Powers. This was in respone to greviences such as the Zimmerman telegraph and the sinking of the Lusitania. Even though the anouncment was taken well by congress and the public, Wilson later said, "My message was a message of death for our young men. How strange it seems that they would applaud that." -
The first troops arrive in Paris
The first troops in the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) arrived in Paris. These were the first troops to corss the Atlantic to assist in the fighting. During the event Captian Charles Stanton stepped in front of the tomb of Marquis de Lafayette and said, "Lafayette, we are here." -
Bois de Belleau, Belleau Wood
An important staging area for the Germans, Belleau Wood was the most famous American battle in the first world war. The 5th and 6th Marine divisions were sent to capture this natural fortress which came complete with rough terrain, poor visability and an entreched enemy. Tha battle was won on the 26th but at the cost of 52 hundred killed or wounded Marines. -
Battle of Chateau-Thierry
After an attack at Chemin de Dames, German troops routed the Allies up to 40 miles southwest of Paris. American troops were the only ones close enough to assist and moved to hold off the Germans at Chateau-Thierry. Arriving at the only bridge crossing they dug in and held off the advancing German troops until the birdge was destroyed. This was the closet the Germans would get to Paris in the entire war. -
Battle of St. Mihiel
The biggest battle in American history up to that point, the battle of St. Mihiel was one of the final offensive during that war. The town of St. Mihiel was demmed unimportant during the war but General "Balck Jack" Pershing said otherwise. Because of this the American troops not only had to win this battle but also move up to join the major offensive in only ten days. Not only was this accomplished but the battle was one of the most succesful with only 7,000 American casualties. -
The "Lost Battalion" of Argonne forest
The six-day ordeal of the six-hundred man battalion. During the push against the Hindenburg Line the battalion commanded by Charles "Galloping Charles" Whittlesey had broken through a small hole in the enemy line only to be trapped and surrounded. The battalion dug in and held its position during the ordeal in which it suffered through, low supplies, friendly fire and being stuck in the worst possible terrain. But despite this the battalion held its ground until it was rescued by freindly troops -
The Armistice
The end of the fighting in the first world war. On the eleveth hour of the eleventh day of the eleveth month, the now Republic of Germany asked for an armistice or ceasefire. This is the day that all fighting between the Allies and the Central Powers stopped although the war would offially end with the Treaty of Versailles. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles marked the end of World War 1. The fighting officail stopped on Armistance day but this is when the offical peace treaty was signed. In this document was Woodrow Willson's 14 points were introduced but were mever included in the treaty.
