| On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to | | | | a "policy of absolute neutrality." They kept this |
| the Austro-Hungary throne, was assassinated by a | | | | position almost through the entire war. On April 6, |
| Serbian nationalist group called the "Black Hand". This | | | | 1917, the United States officially entered the war |
| was the beginning of a series of events that lead to | | | | after Germany's policy of unrestricted submarine |
| the First World War. | | | | warfare nearly wiped out America's commercial |
| On July 28, exactly one month after Ferdinand's | | | | shipping. This policy allowed Germany to sink any ship |
| assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. | | | | that approached Britain regardless of whether it was |
| Russia came to Serbia's defense, recruiting its very | | | | a military ship, supply ship or even passenger ship. |
| large army. It took a full six weeks to bring the | | | | The war ended on November 11, 1918 when |
| entire army together. | | | | Germany signed an armistice treaty with the allies. |
| On August 1, Germany, in defense of its ally, | | | | The home front was a huge celebration. Those on |
| Austria-Hungary, declared war on Russia. | | | | the front, however, saw the war's end in a different |
| France retaliated and went to war on Russia's behalf | | | | light. The fighting continued and several soldiers died |
| against Germany and Austria-Hungary. Britain, an ally | | | | even after the official end of the war. It had been |
| to France, declared war on Germany on August 4. | | | | over four years since the war began and it was very |
| Japan, as Britain's ally, declared war on Germany on | | | | difficult to adjust to a sudden end to the war. Some |
| August 23 and, in return, Austria-Hungary declared | | | | suffered psychological breakdowns. They minds were |
| war on Japan. Italy managed to avoid the war until | | | | simply so conditioned to the fighting that they could |
| May 23, 1915. | | | | not imagine it being over so abruptly. |
| This was just the beginning of the war. There were | | | | The war produced over 40 million casualties. 20 million |
| numerous other countries that were involved. The | | | | lives were lost with as many civilian deaths as military |
| war involved countries in North America, South | | | | deaths. 10 million civilians and nearly 10 million soldiers |
| America, Asia and Europe. One country was | | | | lost their lives. There were also 21 million injuries. |
| attacked, causing her ally to retaliate. This became a | | | | World War I marked the end of the world order |
| huge cycle causing a world wide "domino effect." | | | | which had existed and would be a factor in the |
| Involving most of Europe and spanning over four | | | | outbreak of World War II. Ironically, the First World |
| continents, World War I was the first truly global | | | | War became known as "the war to end all wars. |
| war. On August 19, 1914, The United States declared | | | | |