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Zimmermann Note
The Zimmermann Note was a secret diplomatic communication sent in January 1917 by German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmermann to the German ambassador in Mexico. It proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico against the United States in the event of American entry into World War I. The note was intercepted and deciphered by British intelligence, leading to its exposure and publication in American newspapers in March 1917. -
Armistice of WWI
The Allies (France and Great Britain) and the German plenipotentiaries were involved on the western front “on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month”, the reason for the armistice was to stop the fighting on the western front while the terms of permanent peace were discussed. (memorial de I’armistice, 1918) -
Lusitania sinks
Lusitania, owned by the Cunard Shipping Line, was launched in 1906 to carry passengers on transatlantic voyages. The British Admiralty subsidized the ship’s construction with the understanding it would be pressed into military service if war broke out. After World War I began in 1914, Lusitania remained a passenger ship, although it was secretly modified for war. -
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were a series of conflicts that occurred in the Balkan Peninsula between 1912 and 1913. These wars were primarily fought over territorial disputes and the desire for independence from Ottoman rule among Balkan states. The First Balkan War took place from October 1912 to May 1913, involving alliances between Serbia, Montenegro, Greece, and Bulgaria against the Ottoman Empire. -
Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
Who? Archduke Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo by the use of a handgun, the reason why this assassination happened was because of his distinguished threat to Serbia's independence. (National WWI museum and memorial, 2024) -
Russian Revolution
World War I saw the crumbling of empires, and among those to collapse was the Russian empire of Czar Nicholas II. When Nicholas declared war against Germany and Austria-Hungary in July 1914, he was the absolute ruler of a realm of nearly 150 million people that stretched from Central Europe to the Pacific and the edge of Afghanistan to the Arctic. -
U.S. enters war
The United States, led by President Woodrow Wilson, entered World War I in 1917 after declaring war on Germany. This decision was primarily driven by Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare, which threatened American lives and interests, and the Zimmermann Telegram, revealing German plans to ally with Mexico against the U.S. The U.S. officially joined the war on April 6, 1917, marking its direct involvement in the conflict that had been ongoing in Europe since 1914. -
Battle of Argonne
The Battle of Argonne was a significant World War I engagement fought from September 26 to November 11, 1918, primarily in the Argonne Forest in northeastern France. It was one of the final major offensives by the Allied forces against the German Empire during the war. The battle's objectives included breaking through German defensive lines, capturing key strategic positions, and ultimately leading to the Armistice of 11 November 1918. -
The Treaty of Versailles signed
The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, France, marking the official end of World War I. It was primarily negotiated by the Allied powers, including the United States, Great Britain, France, and Italy, along with representatives from Germany. The treaty imposed significant penalties on Germany, including territorial losses, military restrictions, and reparations, aiming to weaken Germany and prevent future aggression. -
First meeting of the League of Nations
The League of Nations officially came into existence on 10 January 1920. On 15 November 1920, 41 member states gathered in Geneva for the opening of the first session of the Assembly. -
Russia withdraws from war
Russia, then part of the Soviet Union, officially withdrew from World War II in 1945 after defeating Nazi Germany (Tass, 2022). This withdrawal occurred following the German surrender on May 8, 1945 (BBC, 2021). The signing of the German Instrument of Surrender in Berlin marked the end of the war in Europe (History.com Editors, 2022). The Soviet Union's contribution, particularly in the Eastern Front, played a significant role in the defeat of the Axis powers (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2022).