| Date |
Event |
| 28th June 1914
|
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife assassinated in Serbia.
|
| 23rd July 1914
|
Austria-Hungary presents ultimatum to Serbia as punishment for the assassination.
|
| 28th July 1914
|
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
|
| 31st July 1914
|
Germany sends ultimatum to Russia demanding they halt their military preparations within 12 hours.
|
| 1st August 1914
|
Germany declares war against Russia.
|
| 2nd August 1914
|
Germany sends ultimatum to Belgium demanding they remain neutral.
|
| 3rd August 1914
|
Belgiums decline Germany's ultimatum.
Britain state that will fight to defend Belgium if necessary.
Germany declares war on France.
|
| 4th August 1914
|
Germany invades Belgium and Britain declares war on Germany.
|
| 6th August 1914
|
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia.
Lord Kitchener asks for recruits in Britain to join the Pals Battalions.
|
| 5th September 1914
|
The Battle of Marne starts. Six hundred Paris taxicabs are used to transport French troops to the battle.
|
| 9th September 1914
|
Germans begin retreating - they abandon their Schlieffen Plan.
|
| 16th September 1914
|
Trench warfare begins on the Western Front.
|
| 19th October 1914
|
First Battle of Ypres begins.
|
| 22nd November 1914 |
First Battle of Ypres ends.
|
| 25th December 1914
|
Christmas truce takes place. German and British soldiers play games of football together.
|
| 31st January 1915
|
Germany makes the first large-scale use of gas as a weapon against the Russians.
|
| 13th January 1915
|
Germans use Zeppelins for the first time in an air raid on Britain. They kill 4 people in East Anglia.
|
| 29th April 1915
|
First Zepplin air raid on London.
|
| 7th May 1915
|
Sinking of the Lusitania ocean liner by a German U-Boat. It rolled over and sunk in 18 minutes killing 1,198 people onboard.
|
| May 1915
|
Mills Bomb (hand grenade) introduced.
|
| 8th September 1915
|
Mark I tank tested by the British Army.
|
| 1st July 1916
|
Somme Offensive begins with 60,000 British soldiers wounded on the first day.
|
| August 1916
|
A tank is used for the first time in a battle at the Somme.
|
| 13th November 1916
|
Somme Offensive ends.
|
| 8th January 1918
|
US President Wilson announces 14 Points Peace Program to end the war.
|
| 29th September 1918
|
German Supreme Command informs Kaiser Wilhelm II that they should accept the demands of US President Woodrow Wilson for a ceasefire.
|
| 28th October 1918
|
Revolt begins amongst German sailors.
|
| 9th November 1918
|
Kaiser Wilhelm II forced to abdicate.
|
| 11th November 1918
|
The Armistice agreement is signed to mark the end of fighting on the Western Front.
|
| 28th June 1919
|
Treaty of Versailles peace treaty signed to formally end the state of war between Germany and the Allied powers.
|
