World War I and World War II were defining conflicts of the 20th century. These wars not only reshaped nations but also left indelible marks on human history. This article explores the key events that unfolded during these tumultuous periods, offering a chronological journey through the major milestones of both wars.
In this article
Part 1. World War I — Chronology
Want to get some significant events in the World War one timeline? Let us visualize the episodes that triggered the World’s first and deadliest wars.
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Outbreak of World War I - 1914
June 28, 1914 - Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The heir to the Austria-Hungary throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife, Sophie, were traveling to investigate troop resistance in occupied Sarajevo. A Serbian nationalist student shot the couple on the way.
July 28, 1914 - Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia
The Austrian-Hungarian emperor Franz Joseph blamed the Serbian government for the assassination of the heir. Consequently, they declare a war on Serbia and Russia. Meanwhile, Russia calls France for military support, triggering World War I.
August 2, 1914 - Germany Invade Luxembourg and Belgium
Germany invaded Luxembourg and Belgium. Germany also declared war on Russia and France.
August 2-28, 1914 - Nations Allied Against Germany
- The Western nations allied against Germany, including France, Britain, Russia, Italy, South Africa, Montenegro, and Japan.
- France invaded Alsace.
- The British Expeditionary Force invaded France.
- The French and German forces collided, and the Battle of Frontiers began.
- The Battle of Tannenberg started in late August. The Russian army invaded Prussia and took around 125,000 prisoners.
September 6, 1914 - First Battle of Marne
The Allied forces advanced into France, marking the start of the first Battle of Marne. The Germans advanced 30 miles into Paris and dug the north of the Aisne River, marking the beginning of the Trench warfare. However, they were soon defeated by the French army and British Expeditionary Forces.
Trench Warfare 1915-1916
Trench Warfare symbolizes attack, counterattack, and defense using dug trenches from the ground.
February 18, 1915 - Britain Naval Blockade
Germany begins the naval blockade of Great Britain to break its command of the seas. The event initiated the German campaign of submarine warfare. Moreover, the second Battle of Ypres begins. The Germans launched a chlorine attack on the Allied trenches. Consequently, 5000 French and Algerian troops were killed.
April 25, 1915 - Allied Forces Land on Gallipoli Peninsula
The Allied forces landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula of the Ottoman Empire. However, their attempt to control Constantinople turned out to be a failure, with more than 200,000 casualties. It eventually led to the collapse of the British government.
May 7, 1915 - Sinking of British Ocean Liner, Lusitania
The Germans torpedoed the British ocean liner, Lusitania, on the Southern coast of Ireland. The episode killed 1200 people, 128 of whom were US citizens. It was also carrying 170 tons of ammunition and shells.
May 23, 1915 - Italy Declares War on Austria-Hungary
Italy joined the Triple Alliance alongside Britain, France, and Russia and declared war on Austria-Hungary. Upon declaration, the Italian army advanced into the South Tyrol region for an offensive operation. However, the combat settled into a stalemate due to the rough terrain.
February 21, 1916 - Battle of Verdun Begins
The Battle of Verdun started with Germany attacking France, resulting in over 700,000 casualties. The battle lasted for around ten months and resulted in the entire village being wiped from France.
May 31, 1916 - Jutland Naval Battles
The British and German fleets confronted each other 60 miles off the Jutland coast, Denmark. Though irrational and indecisive, it was the only major encounter between the two powers in WWI.
July 1, 1916 - Battle of Somme
The Allied forces started the Somme Offensive against Germany. Though they succeeded in drawing Germans out of Verdun, almost 20,000 British troops were killed in the action. The battle lasted for four months and resulted in 1,000,000 casualties.
May 31, 1916 - Battle of Verdun Ends
The battle of Verdun ends after ten months of continuous offense. It resulted in 550,000 French and 450,000 German casualties. A century after the battle’s conclusion, around 10 million shells were found in the soil around Verdun.
End of War 1917-1918
March 25, 1917 - Tsar Nicholas II Abdication
Following the weeks of riots in St. Petersburg, the capital of Russia, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated the throne. The Russian Revolution resulted in the overthrowing of the Romanov Dynasty. Consequently, Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks rose to power in Russia.
April 6, 1917 - US Declares War on Germany
Four days before the US joined WWI, then US President Woodrow Wilson declared Germany’s submarine warfare the key reason behind the provocation of the US into the war. On April 6, 1917, the US announced to abandon its policy of neutrality.
November 20, 1917 - British Forces Drive Germans Away
British forces launched an offensive in Cambrai, France, marking WWI's first large-scale tank combat. The British tanks destroyed the German defenses, taking around 7500 prisoners. However, the British Expeditionary Forces returned to their original position in two weeks due to harsh weather and tough terrain.
March 3, 1918 - The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
After inadequate manpower and constant delays, the Soviet government agreed to peace with the Central Powers. Consequently, Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and surrendered its Baltic and Polish territories to Finland.
November 11, 1918 - Armistice Achieved
Germany could not continue the long battle due to the threat of the revolutionary forces taking the Industrial centers and defense lines. Hence, according to Woodrow Wilson's fourteen points, the armistice was achieved between the country and the Allies,
Part 2. World War II – Chronology
Explore the timeline of key events of World War II between 1937 and 1945. Discover how a minute miscalculation turned into an uncontrollable global war.
Complete Outbreak of World War II (1937-1941)
1937 - Japan Invaded Manchuria
As an extension of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japan invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria. The expansion aimed to seek raw materials and fuel the industries at home.
September 1939 - German Invasion of Poland
Hitler invaded Poland in September, causing distress in Paris and London. France and Britain declared war on Germany two days later, declaring the start of WWII. One month before the invasion, Germany and the Soviet Union signed a Nonaggression Pact, declaring USSR military support for Germany following the Poland invasion.
Later, in September, the USSR invaded Poland from the east. The Polish government took refuge in Romania, France, and later in Great Britain. Germany and the Soviet Union divided Poland's territory between them.
December 1939 - UK Wins First Sea Battle
Amidst the tension, the British and German forces collide in a heated Battle of the River Plate. The UK defeated a German pocket battleship, declaring its first naval win.
April 1940 - Hitler Invaded Denmark and Norway
Germany invaded Denmark and Norway on Hitler’s orders, ending the six-month phony wars. Denmark surrendered the same day, while Norway showed resistance till June 9.
May/ June 1940 - Dunkirk Operation
The trapped British Expeditionary Forces evacuated the sea from Dunkirk to England. Meanwhile, Italy’s leader, Benito Mussolini, joined the Pact of Steel, allying with Germany against Britain and France.
Germany invaded Western Europe, notably France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. France’s Northern territory remained under Hitler’s control.
July 1940 - Battle of Britain
Following the German’s continuous bombing against Britain in the Blitz, the Royal Air Force defeated the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) in the Battle of Britain. Moreover, Britain received US aid under the Lend-Lease Act.
Early 1941 - Italy and Germany Attack Yugoslavia
Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary joined the Axis. Together, Germany, Italy, and Hungary invaded Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia surrendered on April 17, 1941.
Turning Tides (1941-1943)
June 1941 - Operation Barbarossa (Germany Attacks Russia)
Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union, known as Operation Barbarossa. Due to inadequate Russian Aviation technology, the German forces could advance 200 miles into Moscow.
December 1941 - Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
On December 7, around 360 Japanese aircraft launched an offensive on Pearl Harbor, a US naval base in Hawaii. The next day, Congress declared war on Japan. The Axis powers announced war on the United States.
June 1942 - Battle of Midway
After consecutive wins, Japan faced the US Navy in the Central Pacific at Midway. However, the US claimed victory after sinking four Japanese aircraft carriers.
November 1942 - America Joins the War in North Africa
The United States launched Operation Torch in French North Africa to assist the British Expeditionary Forces in the region. The forces landed at several points in Algeria and Morocco. Moreover, the French forces could not defend the territories, letting the Allies advance into the Tunisian western border.
May 1943 - Axis Surrenders in North Africa
Tunisian forces surrendered to the Allies on May 13, ending the North African campaign.
August 1943 - Allies Invaded Sicily
The US and BEF forces landed on Sicily in July and eventually took control of the country by mid-August. Meanwhile, the Fascist Grand Council announced the overthrow of Mussolini, enabling Pietro Badoglio to establish a new government.
September 1943 - Italy Surrenders
Italy surrendered immediately under the new government. However, German forces in Italy took over the northern territories in the country and Rome and established Mussolini’s control. The Allied forces kept fighting the Germans in Italy until the end.
June 1944 - D-Day Celebrations
On 6th June, the Allies (Britain, US, and Canadian troops) advanced into the Normandy beaches, France, and celebrated D-Day. Consequently, Hitler put all his forces on the Western territories and admitted defeat on the Eastern front. Germany launched the Battle of the Bulge to drive the American and British forces from the country, marking the last Hitler offense in the war. Meanwhile, USSR forces invaded Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Czechoslovakia.
Final Campaigns and Victory (1944-1945)
May 1945 - Germany Surrenders
Following Hitler’s defeat in the Battle of the Bulge and his suicide, Germany surrendered. Germany and US General Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an unconditional surrender letter, which would become effective on May 8
July 1945 - Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam conference occurred between the then-US President Harry Truman, Churchill, and Stalin to discuss the war with Japan. They also declared the settlement of the German territory into four occupation zones, divided among the Allies.
August 1945 - Atomic Bombing
After sustaining heavy casualties in land invasions of Japan, Truman authorized the use of the atomic bomb, known as the Manhattan Project. Therefore, the US dropped the nuclear bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
August 1945 - Japan Surrenders
On August 15, the Japanese government issued their surrender statement. The statement declared that the country would accept the Potsdam Declaration's terms and conditions.
September 1945 - End of WWII
On September 2, US General Douglas MacArthur formally accepted Japan’s surrender, ending World War II.
Conclusion
The examination of World War I and World War II timelines provides a profound understanding of the events that shaped our contemporary world. These wars, with their far-reaching impacts, remind us of the costs of conflict and the value of international cooperation and peace. As we reflect on these historical timelines, let us carry forward the lessons learned to prevent the recurrence of such devastating global conflicts in the future.
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