1914

• 28 June: Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated in Sarajevo
• 28 July: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
• 30 July: Russia orders general (full) mobilization of troops
• 1 August: Germany declares war on Russia
• 3 August: Germany declares war on France
• 4 August: Britain enters war
• 6 August: Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia

A. The western front

- The German Schlieffen Plan was held up by unexpectendly strong Belgian resistance (it took 2 weeks to capture Brussels)
> The delay gave the British time to organize themselves and left the Channel ports free the British troops to land
- In September the Germans were attacked by the French (Gen. Joffre) in the Battle of the Marne
> a) the full-scale war on two fronts (a total collapse for the Schlieffen Plan)
> b) the trench warfare began (trench line from the Alps to the Channel coast)
> c) British navy had enough time to blockade Germany’s ports

B. The Eastern front

- The Russians, having mobilized more quickly than the Germans expected, made the mistake of invading both Austria and Germany at the same time
> The Germans (Marshall Hindenburg) defeated the Russians at Tannenberg (August) and the Masurian Lakes (September) driving them out of Germany
- Turkey entered the war (formally) in October (Turco-German Alliance has been signed already in August)

1915 - 1918

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