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Archduke Assassination
Archduke Francis Ferdinand was visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia. Bosnia was under the rule of Austria-Hungary and home of many Serbs and Slavs. They viewed the Austrians as foreign oppressors. Archduke and his wife ignored the warnings as he rode through Sarajevo, and as he passed by Gavrilo Princip, a conspirator. He seized his chance and fried twice at the car. Archduke and his wife were dead. -
Russia Mobilize
Russia was the champion of Slavic nations. Russia began to mobilize when the plea failed. It starts a chain reaction that leads to the mobilization of the rest of the European Great Powers. August 1st is when Germany responded by declaring war on Russia. -
Germans Fire
The Germans started using a new weapon, poison gas at the Allied lines. It was the first time where large amounts of gas was used in battle. The poison gas blinded or choked its victims or caused agonizing burns and blisters. It was an uncertain weapon. Shifting winds would blow the gas back on the soldiers who launched it. -
Limits Submaine
Germany used U-boats to create its own blockade. Germany declared that it would sink all ships, that were carrying goods to Britain. A German submarine torpedoed the British liner, Lusitania off the coast of Ireland. There was about 1,200 passengers that were killed, including 128 Americans. Before any attacking any ships, U-boats would surface and give warning, allowing neutral passengers to escape to the lifeboats. -
War Around the World
In late October 1914, the Turks joined the Central Powers. They then cut off crucial Allied supply lines to Russia through the Dardanelles. In 1915, the Allies sent a massive force of British, Indian, Australian, and New Zealander troops to attempt to open up the strait. -
Women Join War Effort
The women took over the men's jobs as they left to fight. They kept national economies going. Many women worked in war industries, manufacturing weapons and supplies. Volunteers in the Women's Land Army went to the fields to grow their nation's food when food shortages threatened Britain. War work gave women a new sense of pride and confidence. When war was over, most women had to give up their jobs to men returning home. -
Tsar Steps Down
There was disasters on the battlefield, combined with food and fuel shortages on the home front. In St. Petersburg, workers were going on strike. After the troops refused to fire, the advice of military and political leaders, the tsar abdicated. There was then a provisional, or temporary, government set up by the Duma politicians. -
United States Declared War
Wilson asked the Congress to declare war on Germany. The United States had to takes months to recruit, train, supply, and transport a modern army across the Atlantic. Allies was American financial aid. -
The Bolshevik Takeover
Squads of Red Guards, armed factory workers, joined mutinous sailors from Russian fleet in attacking the provisional government. The Bolshevik didn't hesitate and they seized power in the other cities. It took a week of fighting to blast the local government out of the walled Kremlin in Moscow. -
Germany and Russia Peace
At first there was problems with the peace. Many people that were with Russia, Austria-Hungary, or the Ottoman empire now demanded national states of their own. The Germans signed because they had no choice. German resentment of the Treaty of Versailles would poison the international climate for 20 years. -
Battle of Belleau Wood
The Battle of Belleau Wood began as the U.S. Marine Corps attacks the Germans across an open field of wheat. It caused suffering huge casualties. -
War Under Communism
Trotsky turned the Red Army into an effective fighting force. Communist party officials assigned to the army to teach party principles and ensure party loyalty. -
Paris Peace Conference
The Central Powers and Russia weren't allowed to take part of any of the negotiations. Wilson was one of the three strongest leaders who dominated the Paris Peace Conference. Someone insisted that the Allies honor their secret agreement to give former Austro-Hungarian lands to Italy. -
Building the Communist Soviet Union
Lenin's Communist government united much of the old Russian empire into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was a multinational state made up of European and Asian peoples. All the member republics shared certain equal rights. -
Stalin Takes Over
When Lenin died in 1924, the chief contenders were Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. Stalin was a shrewd political operator and behind-the-scenes organizer. Stalin wanted more cautions to concentrate on building socialism at home first.
