WWI timeline
June 28 1914
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, are assassinated by a Bosnian Serb nationalist in Sarajevo.
Cause: To free Bosnia and Herzegovina of Austria-Hungarian rule and establish a common South Slav ("Yugoslav") state
Consequence: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia and Europe rapidly descends into chaos.
September 6 1914
August 1st 1914
Multiple countries (Germany, Austria, Britain, Montenegro, France and Japan) declare war on each other
Cause: The assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, carried out by a group of Serbian extremist
Consequence: Many consequences were carried out. These include: economic, political, social, cultural.
All these consequences altered the world’s financial equilibrium.
First battle of the Marne begins
Cause: The Germans had invaded Belgium and were getting close to Paris
Consequence: The Germans succeeded in capturing a large part of the industrial north east of France.
November 15,1914
Britain and france declare war on the Ottoman empire
Cause:The Ottoman Empire launched the Black Sea Raid against Russian ports. (Britian and France were allies of Russia)
Consequence:
The Ottomans declared a jihad later that month and started the Caucasus Campaign with an offensive against the Russians to regain their former provinces.
April 22 1915
The second battle of Ypres begins.The german army initiates the modern era of chemical warfare.
Cause:In order to control the tactically important high ground to the east and south of the Flemish town of Ypres in western Belgium.
Consequence:The possession of Ypres remained, but the salient was constricted and valuable high ground had been lost. There were many casualties (around 55,000)
April 25 1915
The Gallipoli campaign. Allied troops landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in Ottoman Turkey.
Cause: It was a military operation that was fought on the Gallipoli peninsula in the Dardanelles Straits between the Entente powers and the Ottoman empire. The Entente’s goal was to weaken the Ottoman Empire by taking control of the straits.
Consequence: The campaign was a was a costly failure for the allies, while the turks suffered almost as many casualties. The ottoman empire eventually went on to win the battle.
May 7, 1915
The British Ocean-Liner Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-Boat.
Cause:The Germans believed that Lusitania was ‘carrying minions for Great Britain’ and the waters were declared a war zone
Consequence:Lusitania sank and around 1200 people were killed, and many weapons were lost.
February 21 1916
Battle of Verdun begins
Cause:The French fortress of Verdun, with its surrounding fortifications along the Meuse River, threatened the main German communication lines
Consequence:Around 800,000 soldiers died and there was no military gain. There was also a manpower crisis created for Germany.
May 31,1916
The British and German fleets meet 60 miles off the coast of Jutland, Denmark in ‘The Battle of Jutland”
Cause: German High Seas Fleet's attempted to weaken the Royal Navy by ambushing an isolated British detachment
Consequence:The British succeeded and deterred German warships from most actions in the North Sea.
July 1,1916
Battle of the Somme
Cause:Allied strategy to relieve pressure on the French and weaken the German army. Aimed to iinflict heavy losses on the Germans and draw their reserves into the battle.
Consequence:The Battle of the Somme led to massive casualties, little territorial gain, tactical innovations, and deep psychological and social impacts.e
March 15,1917
Tsar Nicholas II abdicates the throne after a week of riots in the Russian capital of St. Petersburg.
Cause: In order to facilitate the closest union possible so that Russia's war effort would be victorious. And because his own soldiers refused to follow his orders.
Consequence: Romanov Dynasty Ended.
April 6 1917
The United States Declares War on Germany
Cause: President Wilson called Germany's renewed submarine policy "a war against mankind. It is a war against all nations".
Consequence :Within a few months, thousands of U.S. men were being drafted into the military and sent to intensive training.it made the eventual defeat of Germany possible
November 20,1917
A British offensive at Cambrai, France, marks the first large-scale use of tanks in combat.(The Battle of Cambrai)
Cause:The plan for the battle came about as a result of an idea initially put forward by the Tank Corps. He initially devised an Anglo-French attack supported by tanks, to capture St Quentin.
Consequence: The Allies had gained in some areas and lost in others. Overall, the Allies had gained little territory from the battle. British casualties numbered more than 40 000 while German casualties were estimated to be about 45 000.
March 3 1918
After months of delay the Soviet government had concluded separate peace with the central powers
Cause:Russia had redrawed from World war I.
(Ended Russia’s participation in WWI.)
Consequence:Russia surrends its claim to Ukraine, Polish, Baltic territories and Finland
November 11 1918
World War I ended when the Allies and Germany signed an armistice in Compiègne, France.
Cause: There was an Allied offensive that stretched over 400 miles on the western front, forcing the Germans back from their territory. The armistice's terms were harsh to prevent Germany from continuing to fight
Consequence: Germany had to return annexed territories like Alsace-Lorraine to France, The Start of the Russian Revolution, along with the fall of the Habsburg Monarchy.