1914

A single shot in Sarajevo unravels decades of peace—empires mobilize, alliances activate, and the world stumbles into World War I, a catastrophic conflict that will reshape civilization.

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🌍 Key World Events

Date	Event	Why It Matters
Jun 28	Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated	Serbian nationalist kills Austrian heir in Sarajevo, triggering chain reaction that engulfs Europe in war.
Jul 28	Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia	Habsburg Empire’s ultimatum rejected, starting cascade of mobilizations as alliance systems activate.
Aug 3-4	Germany invades Belgium, Britain enters war	German violation of Belgian neutrality brings Britain into conflict, expanding European war into global catastrophe.
Aug 1914	Battle of the Frontiers — Millions mobilize	Opening battles shatter illusions of quick victory as modern weapons create unprecedented casualties.
Sep 5-12	First Battle of the Marne halts German advance	French and British forces stop German invasion of France, establishing Western Front stalemate that will last four years.
Aug 15	Panama Canal opens to traffic	Engineering marvel connects Atlantic and Pacific, transforming global shipping despite world war.
Dec 25	Christmas Truce on Western Front	British and German soldiers spontaneously cease fighting, exchange gifts, even play football in no man’s land before resuming war.

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🧪 Science & Technology

• First transcontinental telephone call in U.S. demonstrates long-distance communication advances.
• Henry Ford introduces $5 workday (Jan 5) — Doubling wages revolutionizes labor relations and helps create American middle class.
• Traffic lights installed in Cleveland, Ohio (Aug 5) — First electric traffic signal system manages urban congestion.
• Radio broadcasting advances as governments quickly recognize military and propaganda potential.

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🎨 Culture & Society

• Charlie Chaplin debuts “Little Tramp” character — Silent film icon creates beloved persona that will define career.
• “Pygmalion” premieres in London — George Bernard Shaw’s play about class and language becomes instant classic.
• Margaret Sanger arrested for distributing birth control information, sparking reproductive rights movement.
• Irish Home Rule crisis deepens as civil war looms before being overshadowed by world war.

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👶 Notable Births

Name	Born	Legacy
Joe DiMaggio	Nov 25	Baseball legend and cultural icon.
Dylan Thomas	Oct 27	Welsh poet known for “Do not go gentle into that good night.”

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⚰️ Notable Deaths

• Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Jun 28) — Austrian heir whose assassination triggers World War I.
• August Macke (Sep 26) — German Expressionist painter killed in action at age 27.
• Charles Péguy (Sep 5) — French poet and essayist killed at First Battle of the Marne.

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📚 Quick Facts & Trivia

• “War by Timetable”: Rigid military mobilization schedules left little room for diplomacy once Austria declared war.
• “Over by Christmas”: All sides predicted quick victory; instead, war lasted four years and killed 17 million people.
• Assassination Attempt: Franz Ferdinand survived earlier bomb attack same day; assassin succeeded only because driver took wrong turn.
• Christmas Truce: Despite orders forbidding fraternization, thousands of soldiers spontaneously celebrated Christmas together before returning to killing.
• Panama Canal Impact: Despite opening during world war, canal immediately proved its strategic value for naval operations.
• Propaganda Birth: WWI marked first modern propaganda campaigns using newspapers, posters, and film to shape public opinion.