Key Events in the Lead up to World War One

1870 - Franco-Prussian War. Unification of Germany. Embarrassment of France. German Empire grows. Animosity between Germany and France over annexation by Germany of Alsace-Lorraine. Birth of French Third Republic.

1879 - Germany and Austria-Hungary sign the Dual Alliance.

1882 - Italy joins the Alliance in 1882. Becomes Triple Alliance.

1884-1885 - Berlin Conference. Africa divided amongst various colonial powers.

1887 - German-Russian cooperation through Reinsurance Treaty.
1888- Aggressive Kaiser Wilhelm II ascends to German throne. Drops Otto van Bismarck as chancellor in 1890.
1894- Franco-Russian Alliance. French policy driven by Revanchism. Treaty designed to protect both Russia and France from German attack.

1898 - Beginning of Anglo-German Naval Race. HMS Dreadnought will enter service in 1906.

1902- Britain ends Splendid Isolation by signing Anglo-Japanese Alliance Britain needs Allies after overreach in Anglo-Boer War.

1904 - Britain and France sign the Entente Cordiale.

1904-05 - Russo-Japanese War. Japanese are victorious. Russia forced to turn attention westward.

1905-06 -  First Moroccan Crisis  (Tangier crisis) increases tension between France and Germany. Dispute settled at Algeciras Conference.

1907 - Britain and Russia sign the Anglo-Russian Entente.

Russia-France-Britain joined in Triple Entente. Germany-Austro-Hungary- Italy form Triple Alliance. The latter is more of a military alliance than the former.

1911 - Second Moroccan Crisis (Agadir Crisis) . Further hostility between Germany and Britain/France.

1911-12 - Italian-Turkish War. Ottoman Empire isolated. Italy truimphs in Libya. Treaty of Lausanne ends war.
1912-13 - Balkan Wars - In First War - Balkan League (Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Montenegro) defeat Ottoman Empire thanks to Russian support. In Second War former League members defeat Bulgaria. War was fought over the division of Macedonia. Ottoman presence in Eastern Europe all but over (except for Thrace). Wars end with London Treaty. 
1912 - Young Turks nationalist movement seize power in Turkish core of Ottoman Empire.

1914, June 28th - Assasination of Austria-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Bosnian Serb Nationalist Gavrilo Princip. in Sarajevo. Princip (a member of the Black Hand group) insists that he acted independently of the Serbian government in Belgrade. Austrians refuse to believe him.

1914. July 6th - Start of July Crisis. Austria-Hungary ends "policy of patience" and is granted a "Blank Cheque" by Germany to take a hardline against the Serbs even in the face of Russian opposition. Start of July Crisis.

1914, July 23rd - Austria Hungary issues an ultimatum to Serbia with stringent demands. Policy is coordinated with Germany foreign office.

1914, July 24th - Russia cautions Serbia not to accept the ultimatum. Partial mobilization of Russian forces begin the day after.

1914, July 25th - Austria-Hungary breaks off relations with Serbia.

1914, July 28th - Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.

1914, July 29th - British appeal for peace (by Sir Edward Grey) fails. Britain still tending toward neutrality. Russians  mobilize.

1914, July 31st - Austria-Hungarian mobilization. Germany asks Russia to back down.  Britain urges France and Germany to respect neutrality of Belgium.

1914, August 1st - French mobilize. Germany mobilizes and declares war on Russia.

1914, August 2nd - Secret Treaty signed between Germany and the Ottoman Empire forming German-Ottoman Alliance. Germany had already since 1913 helped in the development and modernization of the Ottoman army.

1914, August 3rd - Germany declares war on France after French reject neutrality. Germany insists that Belgium allow German troops to pass over her soil.

1914, August 4th - German rejection of Belgium neutrality prompts Britain to declare war on Germany. Schlieffen Plan implemented by Germany.

1914, August 6th - Russia Declares on Austria-Hungary. Japan will declare war on both Germany and Austria-Hungary by month end. Italy although part of the Triple Alliance will declare itself neutral.

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria  and the Ottoman Empire will be known as the Central Powers. Britain (her Empire), France, Russia, Serbia,  Belgium plus others will be known as the Allies.

The Lamps were finally out.