World War One Timeline

World War One Timeline

By Sophie Lopez

1919

1915

Sinking of The Luisitania

Assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

zimmermann telegram

Lberty Bonds

Committee on public Information

USA enters WW1

Espionage Act

War Industries Board

Wilsons 14 Points Speech

meuse argonne offensive

Sedition Act

Spanish Flu

1918

1920

Armistice Day

Treaty of Versailes

Leauge of Nations FOrmations

1917

1914

Russian Revolution

Selective Service Act

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

This marked the begining of world war one because the future heir to the Austrian Hungarian Emprie was assassinated by a Serbian Revolutionary. This brought attention to Germany who supported Austria Hungary when Serbia was given and ultimatum, and in response serbia developed an arbitration; which Austria Hungary refused and declared war a month later on July, 28. Through this chain of events numerous European countres were brought into the dispute and eventually the USA.

June 28

1914

Sinking of the Lusitania

Whilst the US wanted to stay neutral, a German submarine torpedoed a ship traveling from New York to Liverpool. While the ship was regestered under britsh control there were some Amercans aboard that perrished due the sinking. While this didn't imeadiately alter the neutrality, it played a factor in deciding whter the US should join the war effort.

May 7

1915

Zimmermann Telegram

While the telegram was sent in January of 1917, the general publc of America did not know of the telegram till March of the Same year. The telegram from Germany asked Mexico to join forces in the war effort (in return for getting back the present day sates from california to texas) in addtion to unrestricted submarine warfare. This message was intercepted by British military inteligence, and on March 29 the writer of the telegram confirmed the message to be true which ceased conspiracies and caused the american public to gain distaste towards germany.

March 1

1917

Russian Revolution

The downfall of the Russian Military caused its Monarchy to be less powerful and in return as Russias military forces suffered and decided to retreat from the war. Germany viewed this retreat as promising so they could focus the battle on European powers like britian and France, and even decided to push a communist leader to lead the Russian revolution which is also known as the bolshevik revolution. The communist leader, Vladimir Lenin, was then able to form a coup against the government causing the signage of a treaty with the centeral powers to appease germany, which caused the future of the allied powers to look down thus causing the US to sympathize with its earliest allies.

March 8

1917

USa Enters World War One

The continuations of unrestricted submarines warfare of germany as outlined in the zimmermann telegram in january of 1917 caused the number of american lives lost due to the war to increase therefore causing the relations with the US and Germany to cease. Through Woodrow WIlsons persuasion to join the war, he referenced the telegram numerous times to prove the point of neutaliity not being the best decision because of the threats to the democracy of the US. Thus leading to the addition of the US in WWI.

April 4

1917

Committee on Public Information

President Woodrow WIlson created this committe inorder to inform the public on the war, however it was done in a censord way inorder to control the news that was released to the public. Through this committee anti german and pro war and allies propoganda was created to help promote the public opinion in the war effort.

April 13

1917

Liberty Bonds

The creation of liberty bonds was made in an effort to fund the war while keeping the economy strong by avoiding taxation and the printing of more money. The bonds were also a sign of patriotism and a promotion of good morals to everyone who bought them as advertised by the Committee on Public Informaiton, it was in a way to show off pride for the US. There was fear of little to no people buying the bonds, however that turned to be unnessessary when many people showed their patiotism through the bonds.

April 28

1917

Selective Service Act

This act made it mandatory for men ages 21 to 45 to sign up to be drafted into war even though not all men were sent into war. WHile there were many volunteers for the war effort, this made it easier for the miliery forces to have enough troops to gain advantage over the opposing powers. In future years the draft was reduced to 18.

May 18

1917

Espionage Act

the espionage act aimed to prevent any disloyal actions toawrds the US during the time of war, the disloyal actions included the intent to harm the us, passing of intel to the opposition, interfearance with military operations and recrument of troops, downgarde the sucess of the US, and promote the sucess of the enemies. If any of these were to occur the offender could face a great fine and 20 to 30 years in prison or even the death penalty.

June 15

1917

War Industries Board

THe war industries board was made to not only promote the war efforts, but also promote the economy of the us inspite of the war. This was done to provide aid for the war and increase positive public opinion for the war because of the continued avaliblity for manufactured goods. This also opened up job opportunities to replace those who had been drafted by the selective service act.

July 28

1917

Wilson's 14 points Speech

THis was a speech given to congress by president Woodrow Wilson, on his plan to acheive world peace. In the speech he outlined the reasons that caused war and what to look for in the future to help all nations invlove flourish which included the removal of economic barriers and the abolishment of any and all secret treaties. THis was done to create a cohesive idea of peace in the US and in the other nations involved in the war while disscluding germany due to the agreement that they were the ones who were mainly at fault for the war.

January 8

1918

Spanish Flu

The spanish flu was initially founded in a military camp in Kansas, and as soldiers got shipped to the east coast and people came and went from the many camps that had been affected the virus spread rapidly. This lead to military camps shutting down and not taking in new draftees; they also had the ideas of not sending any more soldiers over seas to fight on the battle fronts untile the spread died down but president Wilson decided against it. Dispite this there was still disease on the battle fronts causing more soldiers to be evacuated from the fronts from illness than injury.

February

1918

Sedition Act

While similar to the espionage act it expanded the rules and regulations when having disscusions about war. The main offense that this act regulated was the nagative association of the US in the war or the interefernce with government bonds that could inevitably damage the war effort. The convicted would face simliar sentences and crimes as the espionage act outlined.

May 16

1918

Meuse Argonne Offensive

The Meuse Argonne Offensive was a military effort to push germany to retreat out of France and go back into germany. During this, the allies had a greater advantage due to the addition of new soldiers that america brought to the battle fronts that contiuously was able to gain german land; however in response to this germany developed large reinfocements to counter attacks that cause their front to be pushed back. And after the second phase of this offensive the allies came out victourious in the endng from germany signing an armistice.

September 26

1918

Armistice Day

The signing of the Armistice occured on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, and this day became known as armistice day. During armistice day a poppy represents a symbol of rememberance because despite the trecherous battle being fought there were still fields of poppies that brought faith to many soldiers. This day was also the first step into the ending of the war that eventually lead to the signing of the treaty of versailles.

November 11

1918

Treaty Of Versailles

During the conference to form the treaty, the nations who had been on the side with germany were not able to speak up for their country because they were not even invited. This treaty also did not benefit germany at all, it mainly put them at fault for all of the destruction and caused them to recive the most backlash and punishments through the treaty; The punishments included were to forefit land and pay a large sum. This ultimatley framed germany as the bad guy which had unforseen consquence that led to the second world war.

June 28

1919

German Protest to the Treaty of Versaille translation: Day of versaille, day of dishonor We want to be free from Versaille

Formation of The League of Nations

The formation of this group was intended to solve disputes between countires before it could develope into a war, and the ideas for this leauge was outline in Woodrow Wilsons 14 points speech. Despite it being outlined by a US president, the US senate refused to become apart of The League of NAtions. While the league helped with some disputes, it ultmiatley was not as successful as envisioned and stopped operations during world war two.

January 10

1920

Sources

https://www.history.com/news/the-assassination-of-archduke-franz-ferdinandhttps://www.iwm.org.uk/history/18-minutes-that-shocked-the-worldhttps://www.theworldwar.org/learn/about-wwi/zimmermann-telegramhttps://www.history.com/news/world-war-i-russian-revolutionhttps://www.theworldwar.org/learn/about-wwi/us-enters-warhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-woodrow-wilsons-propaganda-machine-changed-american-journalism-180963082/https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/liberty-bondshttps://www.archivesfoundation.org/documents/mobilizing-war-selective-service-act-world-war/#:~:text=On%20May%2018%2C%201917%2C%20Congress,to%20register%20for%20military%20service.https://www.intelligence.gov/evolution-of-espionage/world-war-1/america-declares-war/espionage-acthttps://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/war_industries_boardhttps://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/president-woodrow-wilsons-14-https://www.army.mil/article/210420/worldwide_flu_outbreak_killed_45000_american_soldiers_during_world_war_ihttps://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/sedition-act-1918/#:~:text=The%20Sedition%20Act%20of%201918%20was%20enacted%20on%20May%2016,the%20sale%20of%20government%20bonds.https://www.armyheritage.org/soldier-stories-information/blood-mud-concrete-and-barbed-wire-the-meuse-argonne-offensive/https://www.history.com/news/world-war-i-poppy-remembrance-symbol-veterans-dayhttps://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/world-war-i-endshttps://www.history.com/news/treaty-of-versailles-world-war-ii-german-guilt-effectshttps://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/league-of-nations