december 18, 1863 - June 28, 1914

Archduke Francis Ferdinand was an ardent foe of nationalist aspirations among the empire’s many ethnic groups.

The assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand plunged the continent into WW1.

July 25th, 1894 - April 28, 1918

Princip came to be regarded as a national hero.

On June 28, 1914, a South Slav nationalist named Gavrilo Princip shot and killed Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie.

April 10, 1870 - January 21, 1924

Vladimir Lenin was one of the greatest revolutionary leaders of all time (Head of State)

many Russians supported the war but Vladimir Lenin did not.

January 27, 1859 - June 4, 1941

Wilhelm II, the last emperor of Germany, pursued policies that contributed to the outbreak of World War I.

On his mother's side, he was the grandson of Queen Victoria, who ruled Great Britain and its Empire from 1837 until her death in 1901.

May 18th, 1868 - July 17th, 1918

Tsar Nicholas II ordered the mobilization of Russian forces on July 30, 1914, to deter Austria-Hungary from invading Serbia.

Nicholas was the first Russian sovereign to show personal interest in Asia

September 28, 1841 - November 24, 1929

He led France through the critical days of World War I and headed the French delegation to the Paris Peace Conference

near the end of WW1, Georges Clemenceau accepted the post of premier of France

June 03, 1865 - January 20, 1936

During the war the King had no direct responsibility but he had a lot of duties.

He made some 450 recorded inspections of military and naval installations and some 300 visits to hospitals, as well as personally distributing 58,000 decorations

November 10, 1871 - March 12, 1947

helped orchestrate the disastrous Dardanelles naval campaign and was also involved in the planning of the military landings on Gallipoli

Churchill was once hit by a car on New York's Fifth Avenue when he glanced the wrong direction before crossing.

December 28, 1856 - February 03, 1924

he asked Congress for a declaration of war on Germany

His earliest memory as a child was hearing that Abraham Lincoln had been elected president and that war was coming.

September 13, 1860 - July 15, 1948

commander in chief of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe during World War I.

He graduated from West Point in 1886 with an outstanding record.

October 02, 1851 - March 20, 1929

commander in chief of the Allied armies in World War I.

He enlisted in the infantry during the Franco-Prussian War but did not see active service.

June 19, 1861 - January 29, 1928

commanded British forces on the Western front in Europe during World War I.

He was nicknamed "Butcher Haig" for the two million British casualties under his command.