1917 – Allies struggling to stay afloat France – Army mutinies against taking the

offensive Italian Army suffers severe defeat at

Capporetto Russian monarchy collapses in revolution

February 1917 – Tsar forced to abdicate in revolution

New government under Alexander Kerensky, called Provisional Government

New Government promises to maintain war effort

New Russian government deeply split Bolsheviks – “Reds” – want Communist state – opposed to continuing the

war with Germany Mensheviks – “Whites” – support Kerensky

Germany allows Bolshevik leader, Vladimir Ulyanov (AKA Lenin) to return to Russia through battle lines

Red leader Leon Trotsky builds military force, the Red Army October (November by current calendar) – Bolsheviks seize

power in Russia – Leads to civil war

German civilian prime minister resigns in 1917 – Military takes control of government, with Kaiser’s approval

February 1917 – German telegram (Zimmerman Telegram) to Mexican government intercepted by Britain – Offers territory to Mexico for anti-American alliance

March 1917 – Germany resumes Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

April – US President Woodrow Wilson asks Congress to Declare war against Germany

War declared on April 7th

US will not have a large army in France for at least 1 year

December 1917 – Russian and Germans armies agree to an armistice

Early 1918 – Bolsheviks meet with Germans to make separate peace treaty

March 1918 – Treaty of Brest-Litovsk - Germans take huge amount of territory from Russia and claim huge reparations

Treaty terrifies Allies at possible German treaty to end war on Western Front

Treaty frees up entire German Army for action on Western Front

Spring 1918 – Germany launches large offensive on Western Front

Offensive stopped at Marne River by French and US forces

German military aware of defeat after failure of offensive

Allies launch offensive in mid-August at Amiens US launches offensive in Meuse-Argonne in September Germans forced to retreat to “Hindenburg Line” – Last line of

defense 11/8 – Austrian emperor abdicates, Austria asks for armistice 11/9 – German army commander Hindenburg tells Kaiser he is

no longer supported in Germany – Kaiser abdicates, goes into exile in Holland

11/10 – Germany declared a republic – begins negotiations for Armistice with Allies

11/11 – Agreement reached on an armistice

Fighting ends at 11 AM on 11/11

Russian Civil war begins in 1918 Tsar & family murdered by Bolsheviks Allies intervene to keep Bolsheviks from

taking control of Russian ports

1918 – Flu epidemic begins on US army bases

Spreads to Europe in 1919 100 Million Die

January-May 1919 – Victorious Allies meet in Paris & Suburbs (Versailles & St-Germain) to negotiate peace treaties among themselves

BIG FOUR France – George Clemenceau Britain – David Lloyd George US – Woodrow Wilson Italy – Vittorio Orlando

Wilson – Wants peace based on FOURTEEN POINTS – all nations treated as equals, now in a worldwide organization, the League of Nations

Clemenceau -Wants Germany to suffer severely

6/28/1919 – Germany signs the Treaty of Versailles under protest

Military reduced to 10,000 men, no navy or air force

Territory removed – new nation of Poland