|
DATE
|
EVENT
|
|
June 28
|
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, who was killed in Sarajevo along with his wife Duchess Sophie by Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip.
|
|
July 5
|
Austria-Hungary seeks German support for a war against Serbia in case of Russian militarism. Germany gives assurances of support.
|
|
July 23
|
Austria-Hungary sends an ultimatum to Serbia. The Serbian response is seen as unsatisfactory.
|
|
July 28
|
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. Russia mobilizes.
|
|
July 31
|
Germany warns Russia to stop mobilizing. Russia says mobilization is against Austria-Hungary only.
|
|
August 1
|
Germany declares war on Russia.
|
|
Italy declares its neutrality.
Germany and the Ottoman Empire sign a secret alliance treaty.
|
|
August 2
|
Germany invades Luxembourg.
|
|
Skirmish at Joncherey, first military action on the Western Front
|
|
August 2-26
|
Germany sieges and captures fortified Longwy "the iron gate to Paris" near the Luxembourg border, opening France to mass German invasion
|
|
August 3
|
Germany declares war on France. Belgium does not allow German arms through to the French border.
|
|
August 4
|
Germany invades Belgium to outflank the French army.
|
|
Britain protests the violation of Belgian neutrality, guaranteed by a treaty;
German Chancellor replies that the treaty is just a chiffon de papier (a scrap of paper).
The United Kingdom declares war on Germany.
|
|
The United States declares neutrality.
|
|
August 4–August 16
|
The Germans besiege and then capture the fortresses of Liège, Belgium.
|
|
August 5
|
Montenegro declares war on Austria-Hungary.
|
|
The Ottoman Empire closes the Dardanelles.
|
|
August 6
|
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia.
|
|
Serbia declares war on Germany.
|
|
August 7
|
The British Expeditionary Force arrives in France.
|
|
August 7–September 13
|
Battle of the Frontiers. The Germans obtain a victory against the British Expeditionary Force and France's Fifth Army.
|
|
August 7-August 10
|
Battle of Mulhouse, a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers.
|
|
August 9
|
Montenegro declares war on Germany.
|
|
The Togoland Campaign begins.
|
|
August 11
|
France declares war on Austria-Hungary.
|
|
August 12
|
The United Kingdom declares war on Austria-Hungary.
|
|
Battle of Haelen, a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers.
|
|
August 14-August 25
|
Battle of Lorraine, a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers.
|
|
August 16–August 19
|
The Serbs defeat the Austro-Hungarians at the Battle of Cer.
|
|
August 17
|
The Russian army enters East Prussia. Battle of Stalluponen.
|
|
August 20
|
The Germans attack the Russians in East Prussia, the Battle of Gumbinnen. The attack is a failure in addition to being a deviation from the Schlieffen Plan.
|
|
The Germans occupy Brussels.
|
|
Battle of Morhange, a phase of the Battle of Lorraine.
|
|
Battle of Sarrebourg, a phase of the Battle of Lorraine.
|
|
August 21
|
Battle of Charleroi, a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers.
|
|
August 21-August 23
|
Battle of the Ardennes, a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers.
|
|
August 22
|
Austria-Hungary declares war on Belgium.
|
|
August 23
|
Japan declares war on Germany.
|
|
Battle of Mons, a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers.
|
|
August 23–August 30
|
Battle of Tannenberg: the Russian army undergoes a heavy defeat by the Germans.
|
|
August 23–September 11
|
Battle of Lemberg. The Russians capture Lviv.
|
|
August 23–August 25
|
Battle of Kraśnik, a phase of the Battle of Lemberg. The Austro-Hungarian First Army defeats the Russian Fourth Army.
|
|
August 24
|
Action of Elouges.
|
|
Battle of the Mortagne, a phase of the Battle of Lorraine.
|
|
August 24–September 7
|
The Germans besiege and capture the Maubeuge Fortress.
|
|
August 24-September 28
|
The Allied Great Retreat to the River Marne.
|
|
August 25
|
Japan declares war on Austria-Hungary.
|
|
August 26
|
British and French forces conquer Togoland, a German protectorate in West Africa.
|
|
Battle of Le Grand Fayt.
|
|
August 26–August 27
|
Battle of Le Cateau. Allied retreat.
|
|
August 26-August 30
|
Battle of Gnila Lipa, a phase of the Battle of Lemberg.
|
|
August 26-September 2
|
Battle of Komarow, part of the Battle of Lemberg.
|
|
August 27
|
Battle of Étreux.
|
|
August 27–November 7
|
Battle of Tsingtao: British and Japanese forces capture the German-controlled port of Tsingtao in China.
|
|
August 28
|
The Royal Navy wins the First Battle of Heligoland Bight, North Sea.
|
|
August 29–August 30
|
Battle of Saint Quentin, aka Battle of Guise. Orderly Allied retreat.
|
|
August 30
|
New Zealand occupies German Samoa (later Western Samoa).
|
|
September 1
|
Action at Nery
|
|
September 2–September 11
|
Austro-Hungarian defeat at the Battle of Rava Russka, a phase of the Battle of Lemberg.
|
|
September 4-September 13
|
Battle of Grand Couronne, a phase of the Battle of the Frontiers.
|
|
September 5–September 12
|
First Battle of the Marne. The German advance on Paris is halted, marking the failure of the Schlieffen Plan.
|
|
Battle of the Ourcq, a phase of the First Battle of the Marne.
|
|
Battle of the Two Morins.
|
|
September 6-September 12
|
Battle of the Marshes of Saint-Gond, a phase of the First Battle of the Marne.
|
|
Battle of Vitry, a phase of the First Battle of the Marne.
|
|
Battle of Revigny, a phase of the First Battle of the Marne.
|
|
September 6-October 4
|
Battle of Drina.
|
|
September 7–September 14
|
First Battle of the Masurian Lakes: The Russian Army of the Neman withdraws from East Prussia with heavy casualties.
|
|
September 9
|
Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg lays out Germany's war aims.
|
|
September 11
|
Australian forces occupy German New Guinea.
|
|
September 13
|
Troops from South Africa begin invading German South-West Africa.
|
|
September 13–September 28
|
The First Battle of the Aisne ends in a substantial draw. The Race to the Sea begins.
|
|
September 14
|
Erich von Falkenhayn replaces Helmuth von Moltke the Younger as German Chief of Staff.
|
|
September 19-October 11
|
Battle of Flirey
|
|
September 20
|
Battle of Zanzibar, German naval victory.
|
|
September 22-September 26
|
First Battle of Picardy.
|
|
September 24
|
The Siege of Przemyśl begins
|
|
September 25-September 29
|
First Battle of Albert
|
|
September 28–October 10
|
The Germans besiege and capture Antwerp, Belgium.
|
|
September 29–October 31
|
Battle of the Vistula River, aka Battle of Warsaw.
|
|
October–July 11, 1915
|
Battle of Rufiji Delta, German cruiser Königsberg destroyed.
|
|
October 1-October 4
|
First Battle of Arras.
|
|
October 9-November 1
|
Central powers control Belgrade.
|
|
October 10-November 2
|
Battle of La Bassee.
|
|
October 12-November 2
|
First Battle of Messines.
|
|
October 13-November 2
|
Battle of Armentieres.
|
|
October 16–October 31
|
Battle of the Yser. French and Belgian forces secure the coastline of Belgium.
|
|
October 19–November 22
|
The First Battle of Ypres ends the Race to the Sea. The Germans are prevented from reaching Calais and Dunkirk.
|
|
November 1
|
Russia declares war on the Ottoman Empire.
|
|
Battle of Coronel. Von Spee's German cruiser squadron defeats a Royal Navy squadron under Christopher Cradock.
|
|
November 2
|
The United Kingdom begins the naval blockade of Germany.
|
|
November 2-November 16
|
Bergmann Offensive, first military engagement in the Caucuses of the First World War.
|
|
November 3
|
Montenegro declares war on the Ottoman Empire.
|
|
Battle of Kilimanjaro.
|
|
November 3–November 5
|
Von Lettow-Vorbeck's German colonial forces defeat the British at the Battle of Tanga, German East Africa.
|
|
November 5
|
France and the United Kingdom declare war on the Ottoman Empire.
|
|
November 6
|
Fao Landing, British and Indians besiege the fortress at Fao.
|
|
November 9
|
Battle of Cocos, northeast Indian Ocean. The Australian cruiser Sydney destroys the German cruiser Emden.
|
|
November 11
|
Sultan Mehmed V declares Jihad on the Allies.
|
|
November 11-November 21
|
Battle of Basra.
|
|
November 11–December 6
|
Battle of Łódź (aka Silesian Offensive).
|
|
November 16-December 15
|
Battle of Kolubara, Austro-Hungarians leave Serbia.
|
|
December–January, 1915
|
First Battle of Artois.
|
|
December 1-December 13
|
Battle of Limanowa.
|
|
December 3-December 9
|
Battle of Qurna.
|
|
December 8
|
Battle of the Falklands. Von Spee's German cruiser squadron is defeated by the Royal Navy.
|
|
December 10
|
Hill 60 captured by the Germans.
|
|
December 16
|
The German fleet shells Scarborough and Hartlepool, England.
|
|
December 18-December 22
|
Battle of Givenchy.
|
|
December 20
|
Fighting begins at Perthes.
|
|
December 20–17 March 1915
|
First Battle of Champagne.
|
|
December 22
|
Fighting begins at Noyon.
|
|
December 22–January 2, 1915
|
The Russians win the Battle of Sarikamis, Caucasia.
|
|
December 24-December 25
|
In some sectors of the Western Front, an unofficial Christmas truce is observed between German and British forces.
|
|
December 25-January 18, 1915
|
Battle of Ardahan.
|
