World War I June 28, 1914: Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist, assassinates Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. Aug. 1, 1914: Germany declares war on Russia. Aug. 3, 1914: Germany declares war on France. Aug. 4, 1914: Germany invades Belgium. Great Britain declares war on Germany. Aug. 23, 1914: Battle of Mons. Oct. 21-Nov. 17, 1914: First battle of Ypres. April 22-May 25, 1915: Second battle of Ypres. Dec. 5, 1915: Henry Ford leaves Hoboken, N.J., on the Oscar II, the Peace Ship. Dec. 18, 1915: The Oscar II docks in Norway. Ford leaves for the United States immediately. 1917: Ford Motor Co. becomes a major defense contractor. Nov. 11, 1918: Armistice Day. The shooting stops.
In the grim history of warfare, World War I stands out for its use of modern weaponry and technology to elevate the level of death and suffering.
