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June 28, 1914: The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in Sarajevo, Bosnia, sets off a chain of events that lead to the war.
July 28, 1914: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, marking the official start of WWI.
August 1914: Major European powers enter the war. Germany invades Belgium and Luxembourg to reach France (Schlieffen Plan), leading Britain to declare war on Germany.
1915: The Gallipoli Campaign begins as the Allies try to open a front in the Ottoman Empire. Italy joins the Allies, and trench warfare dominates the Western Front.
1916: Battles of Verdun and the Somme occur on the Western Front, characterized by heavy casualties and little territorial gain. The Battle of Jutland, a significant naval battle between Britain and Germany, also takes place.
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1917: The United States enters the war on the side of the Allies. The Russian Revolution leads to Russia's withdrawal from the war. The British launch the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium.
1918: The Germans launch a series of spring offensives in an attempt to break through the Western Front. The Allied Hundred Days Offensive, a series of successful battles, leads to the end of the war.
November 11, 1918: An armistice is signed, ending the fighting on the Western Front. This day is known as Armistice Day and is commemorated as Veterans Day or Remembrance Day in many countries.
1919: The Treaty of Versailles is signed, officially ending the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers, setting harsh terms for Germany, and leading to significant geopolitical changes in Europe.
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