Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, his wife Sophie, and unborn child visit the capital of Bosnia, Sarajevo.The area was very hostile. Bosnia was a battlefield for Austrians and Serbs. While in Sarajevo the couple was shot at point blank range by Gavrilo Princip, 19, who was a Serbian member of the Blackhand. The Blackhand was a secret society committed to ridding Bosnia of Austrian rule.
Austria sends Serbia an ultimatum due to the recent assassination of Franz Ferdinand. An ultimatum is a list of demands that if not met will lead to serious consequences. Serbian leaders agreed to most of Austria's demands, and other demands were to be settled by an international conforence. Austria did not negotiate.
Austria rejects Serbia's offers and declares war. Russia, an ally of Serbia, that contains a large Slavic population ordesrs the mobilization of troops toward the Austrian border.
Germany's government declares war on Russia because Russia mobolized along the German border. Russia, an ally of Serbia, expected Germany to join Austria
Germany declares war on France as well, because Russia looked to its ally France for help
Allies regroup and attack invading Germans Northeast of Paris in 1st Battle of the Marne River. The German invasion of N. France was part of the Schlieffen Plan. The Schlieffen Plan called for Germans to attack France in the west and HURRY back across Germany to fight with Russia.
Allies began their effort to take Dardanelles. Dardanelles is a region in the Ottoman empire. It is a narrow sea strait that was the gateway to Constantinople, capital of the Ottoman empire. By securing Dardanelles, the allies could take Constantinople and establish a supply line to Russia.
The Gallipoli Campaign was a bloody stalemate. Both sides dug trenches and battled from them for the rest of the year.
Allies gave up the Gallipoli Campaign and began to evacuate. They suffered about 250,000 casualties.
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare announced by Germany that said their submarines would sink, without warning, any ship in the waters around Britain
Germany was pushing the US closer to war. US officials intercepted a telegram written by Germany's foreign secretary, Arthur Zimmerman, saying Germany would help Mexico "reconquer" land it had lost to US if Mexico joins Germany. This was the last straw for Germany. A large American population favore the Allies. American economies were strong with Allies' nations than with nations of the Central Powers.
Czar Nicholas of Russia steps down because of civil unrest of war related shortages of food and fuel. A provisional government was established and the pledged to continue fighting in the war, but by 1917 nearly 5.5 million Russian soldiers were wounded, killed, or either taken prisoner. The weary Russian army refused to fight any longer.
President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. US enters war on Allies side.
Communist Leader Vladimir Ilyich Lenin seized power in Russia. He insisted on ending Russia's involvement in the war. One of his first acts was to offer Germany a truce.
Germany and Russia sign the treaty of Brest-Litovisk, which ended the war between them. Due to Russia's withdrawal, Germany sended nearly all of its forces to the Western Front. German concentrated their forces on an attack on France.
Germans reach Marne River again. Victory SEEMED withing reach, but German military had exhausted its resources in effort to reach Marne River. Allies had 140,000 fresh US troops to counter exhausted German soldiers.
Allies and Germans clash at 2nd Battle of the Marne. 350 Allied tanks led the attack that smashed through German lines. Afterwards 2 million US troops arrive, and Allies advance to Germany. At this time the Central Powers were beginning to breakdown. Bulgarians surrended first, then the Ottoman Turks surrendered.
Revolution swept through Austria-Hungary. In Germany, soldiers mutinied and the public turned on the Kaiser.
Kaiser Wilhelm II stepped down. Germany declared itself a republic. A representative of new German government met with French Commander Marshal Foch in railway car near Paris.
World War 1 comes to an end.
The Paris Peace Conference was a conference to establish terms of peace held at the Palace of Versailles, just outside of Paris. Thirty-two countries were represented by delegates from those countries. Paris Peace Conference was a scene of vigorous, often bitter debate for a year. Allied powers struggle to solve their conflicting aims in various peace treaties.
This day marked the five year anniversary of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. The Treaty of Versailles was signed between Germany and the Allied Powers. The League of Nations was also created. It was an international peace organization.
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