Timeline of WWI

1914Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary) is assassinated by a Serbian terrorist

Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia

Russia prepares to help SerbiaGermany declares war on RussiaFrance declares war on GermanyGermany invades Belgium and FranceGreat Britain declares war on Germany

America declares neutrality

1915 - 1916Italy joins AlliesCentral Powers win many battles

1917Russian RevolutionRussia withdraws from the warThe United States enters the war, turning the tide for the Allies

The Russian Revolution (1917)Before the Revolution:

Most Russians were poor and many were starving

Russia was exhausted by WWIThe Revolution:

Czar Nicholas II (the last emperor of Russia) was forced by the Russian people to give up his throneHe wanted to keep fighting in WWIHe ignored the peasants and city

workersCivil War

The Bolsheviks (Communists), led by Vladimir Lenin, defeated their enemies and took control of Russia

Russia withdrew from WWIRussia was transformed into a

communist nation and was renamed the Soviet Union (a.k.a. the U.S.S.R.)

1918Woodrow Wilson (President of the United States) delivers “14-Points” speech

Germany agrees to stop fighting

WWI ends1919The Treaty of Versailles is written

The United States and WWIAt the beginning of the war:

America declared neutrality (didn’t take sides)

Reasons for U.S. entry into the war:Economic relationships with the Allies

The U.S. had been selling many products and loaning a lot of money to the Allies and (privately) wanted them to win the war

Unrestricted submarine warfareTo prevent supplies from getting to the Allies,

German U-boats sunk boats without warningSinking of the Lusitania – 128 Americans killed!

The Zimmermann TelegramA note from the German government asking Mexico

to attack the U.S. was intercepted and published in newspapers

Effects of U.S. entry into WWI:Arrival of fresh US troops helped the Allies win

war