-
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Serbian Archduke Ferdinand is assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia by a Bosnian nationalist protesting Serbian expansion. -
Start of WWI
The official start of WWI with Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war against Serbia. -
Battle of the Marne
The first battle of the war - Allied forces and German forces clash over the invasion of Belgium. -
German U-boat threat
The start of German pressure on Allies in the Atlantic through submarine warfare against merchant vessels. -
Sinking of the RMS Lusitania
British passenger ship RMS Lusitania is sunk by German U-boats in the Atlantic, killing 1,200 civilians. -
Battle of Verdun
One of the longest and bloodiest battles of the war where French troops repulsed a major German attack. -
Battle of Jutland
The only large-scale naval battle of WWI, fought between Britain's Royal Navy Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet where neither side won a decisive victory. -
Battle of the Somme
One of the bloodiest battles of WWI, fought between Allied and German forces on the banks of the River Somme in France. -
Zimmerman Note
A German telegram intercepted by British code-breakers meant for Mexican leaders that asked Mexico to declare war on the US. -
US declares war
The United States declares war on Germany and the rest of the Central Powers. -
Selective Service Act
The United States passes the Selective Service Act, which drafted men in the US military. -
Treaty of Versailles
The armistice indicating the end of the war was signed in France, officially ending World War One.
