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Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungry, along with his wife Sophia, are shot while visiting the city of Serajevo, which was recently annexed to the Empire. They were shot by Gavrilo Princip, a 19 year old Serbian nationalist and memberber of "Union or Death". -
Austria-Hungry delivers ultimatum to Serbia
Austria drafted an ultimatum but did not deliver it to Serbia until July 23. The ultimatum demanded Serbia stop producing anti-Austrian propoganda and allow Austrian officials to participate in the investigation of the assassination. It gave Serbia 48 hours to agree to the demands or face war. -
Serbia Responds
Serbia refused to agree to the Austrian demands after seeing signs that Russia would support them. Serbia begins mobilzing their troops. After recieving the reply, Austria-Hungry severed diplomatic relations and began mobilizing their own troops. Russia also began mobilizing. -
Austria-Hungry declares war on Serbia
Austria declares war on Serbia and begins artillary bombardments -
Beginning of World War I
Germany mobilizes troops and declares war on Russia. France begins mobilizing troops. Italy delclares its nuetrality. Germany and the Ottomom Empire sign a secret alliance. -
Germany declares war on France
Germany declares war on France. Britain orders mobilization of troops. -
Britain declares war on Germany
Germany declares war on nuetral Belgium. Germany invades Belgium. Great Britain declares war on Germany.
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson declares U.S. nuetrality. -
Austria-Hungry Declares war on Russia
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Serbia Declares war on Germany
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Austria-Hungary invades Serbia
Austria-Hungary invades Serbia. France declares war on Austria-Hungary -
Britain Declares War on Austria-Hungary
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French Offensive in Lorraine and Alsace
The French launch 4 offensive attacks in hopes of taking the formally French territorries of Lorraine and Alsace. It was a failure and both the French and Germans lost around 200,000 troops -
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Battle of the Frontiers
First major German attack of the war. The Germans used "monster guns" to defeat Belgian forts (city of Liege fell Aug. 7 and Namur fell Aug. 24). After the forts fell, a series of small battles between French and Germans began Aug 14 and didnt end until the Battle of the Marne on Sep. 6. Involved over 2 million soldiers, making it the largest battle in history at the time. -
Russia Invades East Prussia
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Germans occupy Brussels
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Battle of Gumbinnen
A Russian victory over Germans in East Prussia. This battle convinced the Germans to split the German army in half, taking troops away from the western front and move them to the east to fight the Russians, and thereby saving France -
Austria-Hungary declares War on Belgium
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Austria-Hungary Invades Russian Poland (Galicia)
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Japan Declares War on Germany
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Battle of Tannenberg
The Russians are defeated at the Battle of Tannenberg. On Aug. 24 the Germans attacked Russia's 2nd army. 50,000 Russians were killed or wounded and 100,000 were taken prisoner. Nearly the entire 2nd army was destroyed. Greatest German victory on the eastern front. -
Battle of Tannenberg
The Russians are defeated at the Battle of Tannenberg. On Aug. 24 the Germans attacked Russia's 2nd army. 50,000 Russians were killed or wounded and 100,000 were taken prisoner. Nearly the entire 2nd army was destroyed. Greatest German victory on the eastern front. -
Battle of Lwow
First Entente victory of the war. Russia invades Austria-Hungary and takes the city of Lwow, now in present day Ukrain. -
Battle of the Marne
600 Parisian taxicabes brought the reserve troops to the front in preparation for the French offinsive which later became known as "The Miricle of the Marne" -
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Battle of the Marne
The Belgians and French blew up rainroads and bridges, forcing the Germans to march on foot. The Germans were forced to retreat 50 miles to the Aisne river. Marked the end of the Schlieffen plan and the beggining of the stalemate on the western front. 34 German generals reseined after the defeat -
Race to the Sea begins
After the Battle of the Marne, both sides began marching north towards the sea, trying to outflank and loop around each other. They dug trenches, set up machine guns, laid barbed wire. This began trench warfare and the stalemate on the western front. Ends after the First Battle of Ypres -
Autro-German forces attack Western Poland
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Austrian Invasion of Serbia
Austria-Hungary sent twenty devisions to attack Serbia, leaving only 28 to protect the border with Russia. When the Germans found out, they demanded that ther troops be sent back to the Russian front. This meant 10 divisions were just shuttled back and forth without fighting. The 10 divisions left to attack Serbia failed. -
Belgians abandon Antwerp to the Germans
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Ottomon Empire joins the Central Powers
The Ottomon Empire enters the war on the side of Austria-Hungary and Germany -
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First Battle of Ypres
The Germans nearly broke through the barriers near the coastline, but the Belgians opened the sluice gates of the Yser river, flooding the path the Germans were taking. This was the last "battle of movement" on the western front -
Ottomon Ships Attack Russian Ports
The Goeben, Breslau, and a few other Ottomon ships begin bombarding Russian port cities and sank a few Russian ships -
Russia declares War on Ottomon Empire
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2nd Austrian invasion of Serbia
Austria-Hungary invades Serbia a 2nd time. This time they succeed in taking the Serbian capital of Belgrade on Nov. 30, but two weeks laters the Serbians take the city back and for the most part drive the Austrians out of Serbia again -
French and British launch offensive
The French and British forced launch a general offensive along the Western front -
First German Air Raids on Britain Begin
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Battle of Sarikamish
Ottomon forces deside to attck the Russians. The temperature dropped to -30 and many Ottomons got frostbite. Forced the Ottomons to retreat. Russian forces remained on Turkish soil until the end of the war
