Timeline of events

  • 1879: The Dual Alliance is formed between Germany and Austria-Hungary.

  • 1882: Italy joins the Dual Alliance, creating the Triple Alliance.

  • 1907: The Triple Entente is formed between France, Russia, and Great Britain.

  • 1914:

    • June 28: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is assassinated in Sarajevo.

    • July 28: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.

    • August 1-4: Germany declares war on Russia, followed by France; the UK enters the war after Germany invades Belgium.

    • August 28: The Battle of Heligoland Bight takes place, marking the first naval battle of the war.

    • September 6 - November 1914: The First Battle of the Marne stops the German advance into France.

    • December 16: Raids at Whitby, Scarborough, and Hartlepool occur.

  • 1915:

    • January 24: The Battle of Dogger Bank occurs, a significant naval engagement.

    • April 22 - May 25: The Second Battle of Ypres sees the first large-scale use of chemical weapons by Germany.

    • May 23: Italy enters the war on the side of the Allies.

    • April 1915 - January 1916: The Gallipoli Campaign, an Allied operation against the Ottoman Empire, unfolds, showcasing significant battles and heavy losses.

  • 1916:

    • February 21 - December 18: The Battle of Verdun, one of the longest battles in history, with heavy casualties on both sides.

    • May 31 - June 1: The Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle in WWI, takes place.

    • July 1 - November 18: The Battle of the Somme exemplifies the horrors of trench warfare, with tanks introduced.

  • 1917:

    • January 31: Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare, aiming to cut off supplies to the Allies.

    • April 6: The United States formally enters the war, declaring war on Germany.

    • July-November 1917: The Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres, characterized by high casualties and harsh battlefield conditions.