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World War I Actions: 1914 - 1918

Public Domain Stock Footage World War I Actions: 1914 - 1918

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keywords: war, warfare, world war I, world war one, wwi, the great war, combat, tanks, planes, artillery, submarines

Synopsis: War engulfs the continent of Europe and fueled by the Industrial Reovolution, brings about more modern and deadlier weapons that decimate an entire generation of citizen-soldiers...(read more)

  • Date: 1914-1918
  • Duration: 01:18:06
  • Sound: No
  • Color: Monochrome
  • Type: Public Domain
  • Language: N/A
  • Location: Europe

World War I Actions: 1914 - 1918

Events Leading To World War I:

The German people are proud of their Army and hope a powerful army would assure peace. Kaiser Wilhelm II, last of a line of German Monarchs, is prepared for war if need be. In Austria, Emperior Franz Joseph is happy in the peace and prosperity of his people.

In Turkey, the Sultan hopes for continued calm, but glories in his picturesque armed forces. Armed neutrality is the policy of King Ferdinand of Bulgaria.

Then, on June 28, 1914 “pistol shots heard around the word”, Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife are assassinated by a Serbian Nationalist. Austrian reaction to the assassination was swift. Austrian foreign minister Count Leopold von Berchtold was determined to make use of the assassinations to crush once and for all the Serbian nationalist movement.

Berchtold sent an envoy to Berlin, who was assured by Emperor William II that Germany would fully support any action the Dual Monarchy might take against Serbia. Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with a lengthy list of demands, with a 48-hour period in which to comply. These demands included abolishing all Pan-Serb propaganda, expelling from office any persons thought to have nationalist sympathies, taking legal action against certain officials designated by Austria-Hungary, and allowing agents of the Dual Monarchy to control all investigations and proceedings concerning the Sarajevo murders.

Minutes before the July 25th deadline, Serbia issued a conciliatory reply to Berchtold's demands, stating that Serbia wished the dispute to be submitted to the International Tribunal at The Hague. This conciliation was rejected. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. World War I had begun.

Unedited WWI footage:

Showing trench warfare, artillery, tanks, airplanes, cavalry, and German submarine warfare.

On May 1, 1915 the Lusitania leaves New York harbor on its ill-fated voyage. Scenes of life on-board the ship and later its wreckage on the Irish coast after being sunk by a German submarine.

Newspaper headlines, United States declares war.