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Hiram Maxim Invents the Machine Gun
The first machine gun was built in 1884 by American inventor Hiram Maxim. In 1885, the new weapon was rejected by the British Army High Command, who saw no major benefits over the Gatling Gun already in use. The Germans, however, replicated the design, and began stockpiling thousands of their improved M 8 machine guns. -
The Berlin Conference
Concluding in 1885, the Berlin Conference set in place rules that European powers must follow in claiming and colonizing Africa. The most notable rule, Article 34, stated that for a nation's claim of African land to be valid, the other signers of the Berlin Act must be informed of it. This resulted in a 'scramble for Africa,' in which colonial nations raced to claim as much land as they could. -
The Triple Entente Forms
Threatened by the Triple Alliance that had taken shape in Central Europe, Russia joins the alliance of Great Britain and France to form the Triple Entente. The three countries pledged that they would support each other in the case of war. -
Bosnian Crisis of 1908
In 1908, taking advantage of political unrest in the Ottoman Empire, the Empire of Austria-Hungary annexed the Ottoman territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, the Slavic culture present in the territory had little in common with it's Austrian rulers. This caused outrage in the nearby Slavic countries of Serbia and Russia, who supported a Serbian claim to the territory. -
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Heir to the Austrian Throne
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, traveled to Sarajevo to inspect the Austro-Hungarian army stationed in the newly annexed territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After their car took a wrong turn, the couple fatally shot by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. The Austro-Hungarian government quickly blamed Serbia for the attack. -
Germany's Blank Check to Austria-Hungary
In what became known as the 'blank check,' Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany (pictured above) promised unconditional German support for Austria-Hungary in any future conflict with Serbia, knowing that it may lead to war with Russia and her allies. This promise contributed heavily to turning a regional conflict into a global war. -
The War Begins
On July 28,1914, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia for refusing to cooperate fully in the investigation of Franz Ferdinand's murder. Russia declares war on Austria-Hungary the next month, prompting Germany to declare war on Russia. France, a Russian ally, goes to war with Germany, and Germany invades Belgium to attack France. Great Britain is drawn into the war as an ally of Belgium and Russia. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
On May 7, 1915, the Lusitania, a British cruise ship, was sunk by a German U-boat submarine under the suspicion that it was carrying military supplies. Over 1,400 passengers die in total, including over 100 Americans. The attack outraged the US government to the point where Germany promised not to attack any more passenger ships in order to avoid war. -
Germany Resumes Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
By 1917, Germany is faced with a critical supply shortage caused by a British naval blockade. In response, German U-boats (pictured above) resume the practice of sinking British passenger ships, breaking Germany's pledge to the United States. -
The Zimmermann Telegram
In January of 1917, Germany sent Mexico a coded message, proposing an alliance if the US were to enter the war on the side of the Allies. In return, Germany would help Mexico take back American land it had lost in the Mexican-American War. After being intercepted and decoded by British code breakers, the message was delivered to the US government, who now felt there was no other choice but to go to war. -
The US Enters the War
On April 6, 1917, Congress declared war against Germany. The war-weary Allies in France were soon bolstered by fresh American troops, drafted and recruited from the country's large population. The US navy protected Allied ships in convoys and delivered American supplies to troops on the front lines. The Allies pressed their advantage in several successful battles in France up until the German surrender on November 11, 1918 -
Effects of World War 1
World War 1 was one of the most devastating conflicts in human history, with over 18 million deaths, both military and civilian, and a total of over 41 million people wounded. New nations were carved out of the remains of Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and the western provinces of the Russian Empire, though many of them faced instability due to ethnic divisions. The horrors of war inspired a cynical outlook of the world that was demonstrated in the literary movement of modernism. -
The Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was drafted by Allied leaders to decide the fate of the defeated Central Powers. The treaty named Germany as the aggressor of the war and demanded that it pay reparations for war damages. These war reparations bankrupted Germany and led to widespread poverty and inflation. Germany also had to disband its army and give up its overseas colonies. These factors led the German people to feel weak and powerless, and many saw themselves as the victims of the war. -
The Dawes Plan
With Germany unable to pay their reparations to the Allies, and with Allied countries such as France and the UK unable to repay their debt to the United States, Europe was faced with a crisis. American banker Charles G. Dawes resolved the issue temporarily by creating the Dawes Plan. Under the plan, US banks would loan money to Germany, which it would use to pay its reparations to the Allies. In turn, Allied countries would use the reparation money to repay debts to the US. -
The Young Plan
In 1929, a committee led by American Owen D. Young created the Young Plan to finally resolve the reparations issue. Under the plan, the amount of reparations Germany had to pay was lowered, and it received another large loan. However, once the Great Depression began, no more money came from the US. The German economy was unable to stand on its own and the government of the new Weimar Republic became increasingly weak and unpopular. -
The Great Depression Begins
Throughout the 1920s, the American stock market had grown at a rapid pace. Eventually, the price of stocks grew higher than than the value of the businesses that they represent, and people bought stocks based on confidence alone. After 2 months of steady decline, the stock market collapsed on October 29, 1929, or Black Tuesday. This collapse led to the closure of banks and businesses as well as the loss of billion of dollars. The Great Depression had begun and soon spread around the world. -
The Rise of Hitler
Adolf Hitler, leader of the German Nazi Party, took advantage of the suffering German economy and unpopularity of the Weimar government. Hitler blamed the democratic government, as well as socialists and Jews, for Germany's problems and promised to make Germany a strong and proud nation again. By appealing to the struggling lower and middle classes and making powerful alliances, Hitler's party grew in strength. On January 30, 1933, Hitler was made chancellor of Germany.
