WWI Timeline

Sinking of the Lusitania (May 7, 1915)

Zimmermann Telegram (January 16, 1917)

United States Enters World War I (April 6, 1917)

Espionage Act (June 15, 1917)

Selective Service Act (May 18, 1917)

Committee on Public Information (April 13, 1917)

Meuse-Argonne Offensive (Sep 26, 1918 – Nov 11, 1918)

War Industries Board (July 28, 1917)

Russian Revolution ( Mar 8, 1917 – Jun 16, 1923)

Sedition Act (May 16, 1918)

Wilson's Fourteen Points Speech (January 8, 1918)

Influenza Pandemic and its Impact on U.S. Troops (1918)

WWI Timeline

Ram Bonthala

Armistice Day (November 11, 1918)

Treaty of Versailles (June 28, 1919)

Formation of the League of Nations (January 10, 1920)

The German submarine sinking of the RMS Lusitania, with its attendant American deaths, became a major source of tension between the United States and Germany. This particular event propelled the U.S. toward the verge of participating in the World War I, however, it did not lead to immediate engagement.

The interception and publication of the Zimmerman telegram that provided a proposal for a military alliance between Germany and Mexico against the United States worsened the situation. This event proved to be turning point in the American public opinion in favor of the participation of the United States in the war.

Wilson declared war after Germany applied unlimited submarine warfare and then leaked the Zimmermann Telegram. The United States became an official participant of World War I on April 6, 1917. Them entering the war was completely justified as their sole purpose for entering the war was to protect the sovereignty of their independent nation.

This act was enacted soon after the U.S. had declared war, with the major objective of curbing activities or appropriations that interfered with military operations or recruitment efforts. It achieved that by prosecuting people who obstructed the war effort or helped the enemy. This obviously made many uncomfortable as people could be wrongly convicted or tried unfairly, causing doubt in the major American public.

The Selective Service Act enabled the U.S. government to draft men into the military, which eventually increased the strength of American forces for combat operations in World War I. This was the first milestone of mobilizing American resources for the war effort. However, because of the limited freedom despite for the right cause, doubt was raised in some American households.

Set up to bring the public to support the war, the Committee on Public Information used different types of media to glorify patriotism and denounce the enemy. It was very important in creating a nationwide support for the war.

The Russian Revolution brought about the collapse of the Tsarist regime and introduced Bolshevik government to Russia. The outcome of this event had a profound effect on World War I because it caused Russia to leave the war and altered the dynamics of the war in Europe. This altered dynamic was caused America to be tentative in their position in the war due to lost support in man power.

Formed to take charge of manufacturing war materials and proper utilization of resources, the War Industries Board was a key in upscaling the American war effort. It centralized the economy to give the war the required support.

The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, which was the largest operation of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I, was also of decisive character, and the eventual defeat of Germany and the end of the war came about as its result. This was a major win for the Allied forces.

The Sedition Act of 1918 was a piece of legislation passed during the First World War and, being rather controversial, made speech critical of the government, military, or flag criminal. This campaign was designed to curb dissent and gather public backing for the war's purpose, but it also led to heated debates about free expression and civil rights in the USA.

The Fourteen Points of President Woodrow Wilson were a blueprint for his desired post-war world system on the basis of ideas such as self-determination and collective security. It set the stage for further negotiation that would eventually lead to the Treaty of Versailles. Additionally, he mentioned the American Dream only being possible if America could win the war, fueling the final push for victory in the war.

The influenza epidemic of 1918 hit the U.S. troops severely and was a defining moment in military operations, causing intensive casualties. This stressed the difficulties that America had to deal with as part of this war. The severe amount of casualties that the United States alone bore as a result of this pandemic nearly caused them to withdraw out of the war.

Armistice Day, the 11th of November 1918, had the Allies and Germany sign an armistice which terminated World War I. It put the battles on the western front to the halt, however the peace treaty would be signed not until later. Additionally, Armstice Day saw many people gathering to celebrate the end of a long and perilous war that had just been fought, the first of its kind; a global war.

The Treaty of Versailles, which was the agreement that put an end to World War I, placed heavy fines on Germany and required territorial losses and reparations. Though it was aimed to bring peace, many grievances formed and laid seeds for future conflict. America however, gained much from this treaty due to their heavy support in all the war efforts, and thus showed how American support during this time was in great favor of the war and basking in their global glory.

The League of Nations came into being as one of the components of the Treaty of Versailles, with the aim being to preserve peace and prevent the recurrence of conflicts. While Wilson had put forth the idea of the League, the U.S. Congress was not supportive and did not enable the country to join the League until a year later. Unfortunately, the League failed miserably in its intended goal: to avoid the repeat of a global conflict similar to the First World War (WW2 erupted just twenty years afterward). The principle of peace, no war, disarmament, collective security, and negotiation was the essence of the League of Nations.