Timeline of World War I
The war began after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. After the assassination, there was a frenzy of of diplomatic activities which led to war.
*June 28, 1914- Franz Ferdinand was assassinated.
*July 23, 1914- The Austrians issued an ultimatum to the Serbian government. This ultimatum was nearly unacceaptable, but the Serbians agreed to all of the terms except one.
*July 28, 1914- Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
*July 29, 1914- The Russian troops mobilized to defent its Serbian ally and also to defend itself from Austria. The tsar of Russia then declared mobilization against Germany.
*July 31, 1914- The German ultimatum was issued to Russia deamanding the cession of the Russian Army.
*August 1, 1914- Germans declared war on Russia, causing France to mobilize.
*August 3, 1914- Germans declared war on France. On the same day, the German troops invaded Belgium, which broke the neutrality treaty that Belgium had signed.
*June 28, 1914- Franz Ferdinand was assassinated.
*July 23, 1914- The Austrians issued an ultimatum to the Serbian government. This ultimatum was nearly unacceaptable, but the Serbians agreed to all of the terms except one.
*July 28, 1914- Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
*July 29, 1914- The Russian troops mobilized to defent its Serbian ally and also to defend itself from Austria. The tsar of Russia then declared mobilization against Germany.
*July 31, 1914- The German ultimatum was issued to Russia deamanding the cession of the Russian Army.
*August 1, 1914- Germans declared war on Russia, causing France to mobilize.
*August 3, 1914- Germans declared war on France. On the same day, the German troops invaded Belgium, which broke the neutrality treaty that Belgium had signed.
Stalemate During the War and Horrors of the Trenches
War fell into a stalemate quickly because battle lines were
virtually stationary, lasting until the autumn of 1918. Everyone tried to wear
down the enemy by causing serious damage and casualties, only to be given the
same in return. This tended to show the technological developments that favored
defensive tactics. They used barbed wire and machine guns the most often in
trench warfare. Since trench warfare was immobile, there was a new desire to
develop weapons that supplied enough power to break through the stalemate. This
brought the production of poisonous gas upon troops.
virtually stationary, lasting until the autumn of 1918. Everyone tried to wear
down the enemy by causing serious damage and casualties, only to be given the
same in return. This tended to show the technological developments that favored
defensive tactics. They used barbed wire and machine guns the most often in
trench warfare. Since trench warfare was immobile, there was a new desire to
develop weapons that supplied enough power to break through the stalemate. This
brought the production of poisonous gas upon troops.
Quotes from Soldiers in the Trenches
“Whilst asleep during the night, we were
frequently awakened by rats running over us. When this happened too often for my
liking, I would lie on my back and wait for a rat to linger on my legs; then
violently heave my legs upwards, throwing the rat into the air. Occasionally, I
would hear a grunt when the rat landed on a fellow victim.”
(R L Venables)
“If you have never had trench foot described
to you, I will explain. Your feet swell to two to three times their normal size
and go completely dead. You can stick a bayonet into them and not feel a thing.
If you are lucky enough not to lose your feet and the swelling starts to go
down, it is then that the most indescribable agony begins. I have heard men cry
and scream with pain and many have had to have their feet and legs amputated. I
was one of the lucky ones, but one more day in that trench and it may have been
too late.”
(Harry Roberts)
"I saw some rats running from under
the dead men's greatcoats, enormous rats, fat with human flesh. My heart
pounded as we edged towards one of the bodies. His helmet had rolled off. The
man displayed a grimacing face, stripped of flesh; the skull bare, the eyes
devoured and from the yawning mouth leapt a rat."
“No 1……2 Private A B; the Battalion
(Pioneers) South Staffordshire Regiment was tried by FGCM on the following
charges: “Misbehaving in such a manner as to show cowardice”. The accused, when
proceeding with a party for work in the trenches, ran away owing to the bursting
of a shell and did not rejoin the party. The sentence of the court was to suffer
death by being shot."
frequently awakened by rats running over us. When this happened too often for my
liking, I would lie on my back and wait for a rat to linger on my legs; then
violently heave my legs upwards, throwing the rat into the air. Occasionally, I
would hear a grunt when the rat landed on a fellow victim.”
(R L Venables)
“If you have never had trench foot described
to you, I will explain. Your feet swell to two to three times their normal size
and go completely dead. You can stick a bayonet into them and not feel a thing.
If you are lucky enough not to lose your feet and the swelling starts to go
down, it is then that the most indescribable agony begins. I have heard men cry
and scream with pain and many have had to have their feet and legs amputated. I
was one of the lucky ones, but one more day in that trench and it may have been
too late.”
(Harry Roberts)
"I saw some rats running from under
the dead men's greatcoats, enormous rats, fat with human flesh. My heart
pounded as we edged towards one of the bodies. His helmet had rolled off. The
man displayed a grimacing face, stripped of flesh; the skull bare, the eyes
devoured and from the yawning mouth leapt a rat."
“No 1……2 Private A B; the Battalion
(Pioneers) South Staffordshire Regiment was tried by FGCM on the following
charges: “Misbehaving in such a manner as to show cowardice”. The accused, when
proceeding with a party for work in the trenches, ran away owing to the bursting
of a shell and did not rejoin the party. The sentence of the court was to suffer
death by being shot."
Battles During World War I
Battle of TannenbergThis was the first battle of World War I. German forces had defeated Russians. The battle took place near Tannenberg which was near Poland. There were 20,000 German casualties and 30,000 Russian casualties as well as the capture of 95,000 Russians. This battle began on August 17th, 1914 and ended on September 2nd, 1914.
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Battle of SommeThis battle had the highest death toll with over 1 million casualties. Germans battled the Allied forces with trench warfare and airplane battles. Over 90 tanks and 750 airplanes were destroyed. The main goal was to get land of France back that Germany had taken. It was fought on both sides of the Somme River in France.
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New Weapons in the World War
New Weapons during the war could be the difference between life or death.
*The Machine Gun was invented by Americans. It used clips of ammunition that allowed continuous rapid fire for a longer period of time. Four to six men were required to work it and on the larger shell machine guns, twelve men manned the machine gun.
*Poisonous Gas was the most unconventional of the new weapons. It was first used by German troops and the most hated and much feared was the mustard gas. The mustard gas, when exposed to air, turns into a noxious yellow gas and the effects would not appear for twelve hours or more after exposure.
*Tanks were first introduced in late 1915 and they were deployed to break down defensive trenches and restore fighting. It didn't end up producing a strategic advantage that people had hoped for.
*Airplanes were showing dramatic changes after being improved to have increased speed, range, and altitude. They couldn't carry enough weapons so their main use was aerial reconnaissance.
*The Machine Gun was invented by Americans. It used clips of ammunition that allowed continuous rapid fire for a longer period of time. Four to six men were required to work it and on the larger shell machine guns, twelve men manned the machine gun.
*Poisonous Gas was the most unconventional of the new weapons. It was first used by German troops and the most hated and much feared was the mustard gas. The mustard gas, when exposed to air, turns into a noxious yellow gas and the effects would not appear for twelve hours or more after exposure.
*Tanks were first introduced in late 1915 and they were deployed to break down defensive trenches and restore fighting. It didn't end up producing a strategic advantage that people had hoped for.
*Airplanes were showing dramatic changes after being improved to have increased speed, range, and altitude. They couldn't carry enough weapons so their main use was aerial reconnaissance.