WWI Timeline by Natalie Torres

Assassination of Franz Ferdinand - June 28, 1914.

12368559 — 2025-02-25 19:39:17 UTC

On June 28th, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb and a member of the "Black Hand", which was a secret military society that arranged political murders. The two gunshots that were fired in Sarajevo are believed to have started WWI.

The assassination of Franz Ferdinand significantly impacted European people as it put the continent into the first World War. The assassination caused social upset across several nations due to the different alliance systems between European powers at the time.

Battle of the Marne - September 5, 1914

12368559 — 2025-02-25 19:39:17 UTC

Between September 5th and 12th of 1914, a battle was held along the Marne River in France and is considered a turning point in the War. The battle was a decisive allied victory where the French stopped the Germans. It destroyed the Schlieffen Plan, which was to quickly attack and defeat France in the west, then to rush east right away to fight Russia. The plan caused a stalemate on the Western Front.

The Battle of the Marne impacted Europeans by shattering their belief in quick war, and ultimately leading to a devastating trench warfare across the continent.

Battle of the Somme - July 1, 1916

12368559 — 2025-02-25 19:39:17 UTC

From July 1st to November 18th of 1916, a battle was fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the Germans. On both sides of the upper reaches of the river Somme in France, the battle was fought to relieve pressure on the French defenders of Verdun, as well as to inflict heavy losses on German forces.

The battle affected the people by causing trauma and issues such as "shell shock" , which was a feeling of helplessness with panic, fear and an inability to sleep, walk or talk. The Battle also was one of the costliest battles of WWI with approximately 1.2 million casualties.

US Enters the War - April 6, 1917

12368559 — 2025-02-25 19:39:17 UTC

On April 6th 1917, the United States passed the Declaration of War against Germany, which entered them in World War I, the declaration was signed in the White House in Washington D.C at 1:18 PM. Germany's submarine attacks on the Allies had convinced the US to enter, as well as intercepted messages from Germany to Mexico, which proposed an alliance where Mexico would regain lost territory if they fought against the United States. The telegram was seen as a threat to the Americans.

As the US entered the war, it boosted the American economy by quickly shifting from civilian goods to war materials. With the millions of men joining the US military, civilian jobs had opened up for women, which led to very low unemployment rates.

Russia Withdraws From the War - March 3, 1918

12368559 — 2025-02-25 19:39:17 UTC

"Peace, land, and bread" is what the Russians wanted in the year of 1918 as they withdrew from World War I due to political changes and a lack of resources. As the Bolsheviks, a communist group, took power in November of 1917, they prioritized fighting their domestic opponents, the White Guard, instead of continuing the war. The Bolsheviks promised "peace, land, and bread" to war soldiers and civilians.

By withdrawing, they impacted the war by allowing Germany to focus its military on the Western Front, which gave them a major advantage against the allies. It triggered the Russian Revolution with led to the overthrow of the Tsar and the establishment of the Soviet Union.

Treaty of Versailles - June 28, 1919

12368559 — 2025-02-25 19:39:17 UTC

On June 28th, 1919, a treaty of peace was signed to officially end the first world war. Germany was forced to accept full responsibility for the war, pay large reparations, reduce its military, and was banned from having an air force or tanks. The Treaty of Versailles was signed in the Palace of Versailles, France. Germany lost territory to neighboring countries like France, Belgium and Poland.

The Treaty of Versailles led to widespread resentment and essentially contributed to the rise of groups like the Nazi Party, which set the stage for World War II. It established the League of Nations and failed to prevent future conflicts.