Royal irish rifles ration party somme july 1916

WWI Timeline

  • France Loses Alsace and Lorraine to Germany

    This loss was a major cause of anti-German feeling in France, and also caused many economic problems.
  • Germany Officially Unified

    The Franco-Prussian War ended in French defeat, which resulted in the unification of Germany.
  • Triple Alliance Formed

    An alliance between Germany, Austria–Hungary, and Italy, opposing the Triple Entente between Britain, France, and Russia
  • Russo Japanese War

    A very important and pivotal war of the twentieth century that resulted in Japanese victory.
  • Triple Entente Alliance Formed

    The alliance linking the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente.
  • Austria-Hungary annexes Bosnia

    Bosnia, normally under Ottoman control, was now under the control of Austria and Hungarian power. This created a crisis caused by tension.
  • Bolsheviks emerge as a Political Group

    A faction of the Marxist social party who split away and formed the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
  • Trotsky Flees Russia

    Leon Trotsky was a communist leader and writer who was forced to flee Russia in the beginning of WWI.
  • Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assasinated

    The assasination of the archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, of Austria, triggered a chain reaction of events that led to WWI.
  • Austria Declares War on Serbia

    This war was in response to the assasination of the Austrian archduke and his wife. This war ultimately triggered WWI.
  • Ottoman–German Alliance

    An alliance between the Ottoman and Germanic powers created shortly after the outbreak of WWI. It was made as a mutual benefit for military security and safe entrances.
  • Schlieffen Plan Put into Action

    The put into operation when the German Army invaded Luxembourg and Belgium
  • Japan Declares War on Germany

    This event declared war on Germany, and requested that all German ships be removed from Japanese ports.
  • Battle of Tannenberg

    One of the earliest WWI battles fought between Germany and Russia, this battle ended in the decisive victory of Germany, and the weakening of Russian forces.
  • Battle of Marne

    One of the First World War battles that resulted in the victory of the Allies against Germany.
  • Russian Army Ran Out of Ammunition

    Massive death took place when Russia ran out of ammunition, and also experienced a lack of surgeons.
  • Unrestricted Submarine Warfare Commences

    Starting in 1915, this type of warfare involves the sinking of ships by submarines without warning. Germany started this warefare, which went against may customary rules.
  • Battle of Gallipoli

    An unsuccessful attempt during WWI by the Allied Powers to control the sea route from Europe to Russia.
  • Lusitania Sinks

    This British vessel was torpedoed by a German submarine and sunk within minutes.
  • Battle of Verdun

    A WWI battle between Germany and France that resulted in French victory, after attack upon their defensive forces.
  • Battle of Jutland

    A naval battle fought in the North Sea that ended in the probable victory of Britain.
  • Zimmerman Telegram Found

    A diplomatic proposal from the German Empire for Mexico to join an alliance with Germany in the event of the United States entering World War I against Germany.
  • Revolution Overthrows Austro-Hungarian Emperor

    The February Revolution allowed the weakening and disbandment of the Hungarian powers.
  • US Declares War on Germany

    War was declared on Germany only hours after Germany declared war on the United States.
  • Battle of Passchendaele

    A battle between Germnay and the Allied Forces.
  • October Revolution

    A seizure of state power in Russia that was very instrunmental to the larger picture of the Russian Revolution.
  • Vladimir Lenin Seized Control of Russia

    The leader of the Bolsheviks, who seized control during monumental revolutions that occured in Russia.
  • Balfour Declaration

    This was a letter that declared that the British favored a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
  • Influenza Epedemic

    This was a pandemic that swept the world, causing massive amounts of death and disease.
  • Fourteen Points Proposed

    A speech by President Wilson, he stated that the war was being fought for peace and moral causes in Europe.
  • Russia Signed Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

    This was a peace treaty signed between Germany and the Allies.
  • Battle of Somme

    One of the biggest and most bloody WWI battles, that resulted in the improvment of British offesnvie tactics.
  • Kaiser Wilhelm II Abdicates

    He was the last German emeror, and he resignation was heavily relied upon.
  • Armistice Signed

    The armistice was a contract between Germany and the Allies to create peace.
  • Treaty of Versailles Signed

    A treaty presented to Germany which ended WWI.
  • Treaty of Saint-Germain

    A peace treaty between the Allies and the Republic of German-Austria, which was not ratified by the United States.
  • New Economic Policy

    This policy was instituted to combat the harmful effects of War Communism.
  • Germany Stops Reparation Payments to France

    The payments that were required by Germany to repair the damage of WWI. When Germany decided to stop paying these, French and Belgian troops invaded the country.
  • Stalin Takes Power

    An important Russian dictator's whose seizue of control took place through the gradaual progression of many years.
  • Russia-Germany Pact Violated Versailles

    The treaty was violated by Germany while reoccupying the demilitarized zone in the Rhineland.