Educational
Duffle Bag
Teacher‟s Packet
World War I
Bag #1
Dear Teacher,
Thank you for participating in our Educational Duffle Bag Program. The Duffle Bag Program
was created to accompany a field trip to complete the learning experience. Your involvement
strengthens our relationship with the schools and the community. We look forward to seeing
you and your students at the Armed Forces History Museum.
.
This bag and guide has been created with you, the teacher, in mind. The items in the bag
have a brief description and history. Teaching tools like timelines and reading lists related
to your subject matter have been included as well.
Please note the Inventory Checklist in your guide. To ensure all artifacts are returned to
the museum, a series of inventory checks accompany the duffle bag. Please read and
follow the instructions carefully. Each checklist is specific to the bag it accompanies. The
duffle bag and artifacts are not to leave the school. Please refrain from taking the
artifacts home. A $50 replacement fee will be assessed for each item that is lost. Thank
you for your help preserving our artifacts.
Once you have finished using the Duffle Bag in your classroom, we encourage you to fill
out our Feedback sheet. Let us know what worked and what didn‟t, what you liked and
didn‟t liked, what you would want to see added. You are on the „front lines‟ for us so
your opinions are key to the success of our program.
Once again, thank you for participating in our Educational Duffle Bag Program. We look
forward to seeing you and your students at the Armed Forces History Museum.
Sincerely,
Armed Forces History Museum
2050 34th Way North
Largo, FL 33771
www.armedforcesmuseum.com
Phone: 727-539-8371
Fax: 727-524-4967
Inventory Checklist
World War I Duffle Bag #1
To ensure all artifacts are returned to the museum, a series of inventory checks
accompany the duffle bag. Thank you for your help preserving our artifacts.
Drop Off: A museum employee will check the inventory before bringing the bag to your
school.
Teacher Check In to Classroom: Once you receive the bag, please check the inventory
yourself. Initial off for each item.
Teacher Check Out of Classroom: When you have finished using the bag, again, check
the inventory before packing the bag for museum pick up. Initial again.
Pick Up: When a museum employee picks the bag up from your school they will check
the inventory list again.
Drop Off
Teacher
Check In
Teacher
Check Out
Pick Up
Signal
Flags
Army Ammo
Belt
Brodie
Helmet
Navy
Flat Hat
Army
Canteen Cup
& Cover
Haversack
Pack
Timeline
The WWI
Source Book
The First WarDVD Set
Drop Off Date: _______________________ Pick Up Date: _______________________
Teacher:_____________________________ Contact Email: ______________________
School:_________________________________________________________________
With this signature I take full responsibility for each item in the Educational Duffle bag. I
fully understand that a $50 replacement fee will be assessed for each missing item and I
agree to pay any necessary fees.
_________________________________________________ Date _________________
Signal Flags
Communication between trenches in WWI was key to fighting a decisive and coordinated
battle. Before today‟s modern technology, armies had to use creative methods to
communicate with each other.
Signal flags had been commonly used in past conflicts, such as the Civil War. By WWI
communication technology had improved to include Morse Code and the field telephone,
but the wires needed to operate these electric tools were very fragile. Radio equipment
was bulky and difficult to transport and the relative slowness of radio transmission meant
that armies were obliged at times to transmit without using code. Most WWI
communication was through field telephones whose connecting wires were constantly
being destroyed by artillery bombardments.
When preparing trenches for battles, troops of men, called Signalers, were sent out ahead
of time to lay phone and telegraph wire, exposing them and the precious wires to enemy
fire. Even after the trenches were made and communications established, it was a
constant battle to keep them working. Soldiers‟ boots walking on the wires would break
them and then connection would be lost. Wires were stapled to the trench walls and
although this did improve the longevity of the wires, enemy artillery would often blow
out these communications. Even after attempting to bury the wires three feet underground
these wires could easily be blown away by an enemy shell landing in the trench.
When repairs to communications wires were needed, the Signalers were sent out, often
during heavy artillery bombardment. This created a high casualty rate among Signalers.
Two famous WWI Signal Officers were JRR Tolkien, and AA Milne, authors of The
Lord of the Rings and Winnie the Pooh respectively.
These Signal Flags were carried by soldiers as a back up form of communication if
radio and field telephones failed. Soldiers used prearranged messages to communicate
between trenches. Raising and waving the red and white flags in a particular fashion
would translate to different messages. Signal flags were also very commonly used to
communicate between ships in naval encounters.
Here are some other unique forms of communication used during WWI:
Pigeon Post: Pigeons were widely used to carry messages, written on
paper and placed in a tube attached to the pigeon‟s leg, from the front to
Headquarters.
Dog messengers: Dogs were used by both sides to carry messages
between trenches, in tubes attached to their collars. They were trained to
leap over barbed wire and trenches, and their agility made them difficult
targets for snipers.
Star shells: Magnesium flares, known as star shells, were fired into the
air to send prearranged signals, often using different colors.
Army Ammo Belt
This ammunition belt was made of a twill type fabric called Duck and was issued to US
troops for garrison duty around Army post during WW1. The M1917 cartridge belt in the
bag is the 10 pocket model (9 pocket model shown). The center web belt which connects
the 2 pocketed sides sometimes held the canteen. This item should date from about the
early 1920's era.
Army Canteen Cup & Cover
In military terms, 'canteen' was not originally a piece of equipment. The word referred to
a place where refreshments and entertainment were provided for members of the armed
forces. By the 19th century, canteen also came to mean a portable container for water,
carried by infantry.
One of the most common items of individual equipment for ground troops is the military
canteen. With the high level of physical activity that is normal in military operations,
every person needs a significant ration of water on a regular basis. This need is
accelerated in warm climates, but does not disappear even in quite cold environments.
The canteen and its accessories provide the vital link between the unit's water supply and
the individual soldier on the move. World War I canteens are very popular among
collectors
Brodie Helmet (M1917)
The Brodie Helmet is a 1915 design variation of traditional infantry helmets used in
WWI. The design is similar to the classic infantry kettle hat common across Medieval
Europe and which underwent design and modification variations over time with each
nationality. The kettle hat is first known to be produced in England around 1011 and was
used in the famous Battle of Hastings (1066). It had fallen out of use over the centuries.
During the first year of WWI, none of the combatants offered steel helmets to their
troops. The huge number of lethal head wounds that modern weapons were inflicting
upon the French Army led them to introduce the first modern steel helmets in the summer
of 1915. These were called Adrian helmets after their designer, August-Louis Adrian.
Later that year John L. Brodie of London offered a new design with advantages over the
French design since it was constructed from a single piece that could be pressed from a
single, thick sheet of steel, giving it added strength.
Initially there were not nearly enough helmets to equip every man, so they were
designated as “trench stores”, to be kept at the front line and used by each unit that
occupied the sector. It was not until the summer of 1916, when the first one million
helmets had been produced, that they could be generally issued.
The Mark I version of the Brodie helmet had a separate folded rim and matte khaki paint
finished with sand, sawdust or crushed cork to give it a dull, non-reflective appearance.
The Mark I weighed approximately 1.2 pounds.
Troops from other British Empire countries used the Brodie helmet as did the US Forces
when they entered the war in 1917. The US Government initially purchased 400,000
helmet from Britain while production began on the M1917 version based on the Brodie
design. In January 1918 the US Army began using M1917 helmets manufactured in the
US. This helmet is a US M1917 model.
All of these helmets were based on the Medieval kettle hat. The helmet‟s “soup bowl”
shape with a wide brim was originally designed to protect the wearer‟s head and
shoulders from shrapnel falling from above. None of the steel helmets introduced during
the WWI era were intended to protect against bullets.
The US Army used the basic Brodie-patterned M1917 helmet until 1942 when it was
replaced by the M-1 helmet. British and Canadian troops continued to use the Mark II
variation through WWII.
US Navy Sailor’s Uniform & Flat Hat
Since it‟s inception in 1775 to help defend the young United States in the Revolutionary
War, the US Navy has developed various uniforms for its sailors.
The original navy blue uniform color, accented with white, was chosen by British naval
officers petitioning the Admiralty for a standardized uniform in 1745. The US Navy has
stayed with the navy blue and white tradition. This standard blue uniform could be worn
with white or blue pants and enlisted men wearing it were often referred to as “blue
jackets”.
The Navy Flat Hat first appeared in 1833 for sea-use only. In 1852 it was approved from
use with all uniforms, and in 1866 it was elevated to dress status. Officially it is known at
the “dress blue hat” but is affectionately called the “Donald Duck” hat after the famous
Disney character that wears it. The soft top, like a beret, is made of navy blue colored
wool and the hard lower edge bears the tally. Flat hats were issued to enlisted male
recruits in boot camp until 1963.
Originally the ship‟s name on which the sailor served was written on the tally, but all
were changed to a standard “US Navy” in 1940 for several reasons. First, as the fleet
grew, sailors often changed ships creating new costs as the tally band had to be replaced
with each new ship assignment. Security concerns were raised during wartime about
restricting knowledge of ship movements. This hat is the original WWI design with the
updated tally band.
The iconic white sailor‟s uniform has been a symbol of the Navy since the 1880‟s. The
traditional sailor's uniform in white or blue with the back flap and neckerchief became
even more widely recognized after the snack Cracker Jack adopted it for their mascot,
Sailor Jack. This uniform is informally referred to as the "Cracker Jack" uniform by the
US Navy. Originally, Sailor Jack wore the blue flat hat, but he now wears the white
“Dixie Cup” hat.
The white hat worn by sailors today originated in the 1880's. These hats are affectionately
called “Dixie Cups” and sailors often personalized them by shaping them in different
manners.
It is commonly believed that the bell-bottomed trousers were introduced in 1817 to
permit men to roll them above the knee when washing down the decks. Bell bottoms also
made it easier to remove them in a hurry when forced to abandon ship or when washed
overboard. The trousers may be used as a life preserver by knotting the legs.
The jumper flaps (back flap) collar originated as a protective cover for the jacket to
protect it from the grease or powder normally worn by seamen to hold their hair in place.
The black neckerchief, or bandanna, first appeared as early as the 16th century and was
utilized as a sweat band and collar closure. Black was the predominant color as it was
practical and did not readily show dirt.
Khaki originated in 1845 in India where British soldiers soaked white uniforms in mud,
coffee, and curry powder to blend in with the landscape. Khakis made their debut in the
US Navy in 1912 when they were worn by naval aviators, and were adopted for
submarines in 1931. In 1941 the Navy approved khakis for on-station wear, and soon
after Pearl Harbor chiefs and officers were authorized to wear khakis ashore on liberty.
Today the US Navy has three basic service uniforms, the Service Khaki, Winter Blue,
and Summer and Tropical Whites. The white sailor‟s hat can be worn with all three.
Pinellas County Approved Lesson Preview
The following pages are excerpts from our Pinellas County Approved Lesson Preview.
We encourage you to print out copies for yourself and use them in your classroom as part
of the Duffle Bag Program and a Field Trip to The Armed Forces Military Museum. We
have also included the Sunshine State Standards Benchmarks that our Lesson Preview
meets. The entire lesson plan is available online at www.armedforcesmuseum.com.
SSS BENCHMARKS
Grade
K
SS.K.A.1.1
SS.K.A.2.5
1st
SS.1.A.2.4
SS.1.C.3.2
2nd
SS.2.A.2.5
SS.2.A.2.6
3rd
SS.3.A.1.1
SS.3.G.1.2
SS.3.G.4.4
4th
SS.4.A.6.4
SS.4.A.7.3
SS.4.E.1.2
SS.4.G.1.4
5th
SS.5.A.1.1
SS.5.A.5.3
SS.5.C.1.2
SS.5.C.3.3
SS.5.G.1.1
6th
SS.6.G.1.2
SS.6.G.4.4
SS.6.W.1.4
SS.6.W.1.5
SS.6.W.1.6
7th
SS.7.C.2.10
SS.7.C.2.13
SS.7.C.3.1
SS.7.C.4.1
SS.7.C.4.2
SS.7.C.4.3
8th
SS.8.A.1.6
SS.8.E.2.3
SS.8.G.1.1
9th – 12th
SS.912.A.4.5
SS.912.A.4.6
SS.912.A.4.7
SS.912.A.4.8
SS.912.A.4.9
SS.912.A.6.1
SS.912.A.6.12
SS.912.A.6.14
SS.912.A.7.3
SS.912.C.4.2
SS.912.E.3.1
SS.912.E.3.3
SS.912.G.1.1
SS.912.G.1.3
SS.912.G.2.4
SS.912.G.4.7
SS.912.G.4.9
SS.912.W.1.1
SS.912.W.2.1
SS.912.W.6.6
SS.912.W.7.1
SS.912.W.7.2
SS.912.W.7.3
SS.912.W.7.6
SS.912.W.7.7
SS.912.W.7.8
SS.912.W.7.9
SS.912.W.7.10
SS.912.W.7.11
SS.912.W.8.2
SS.912.W.8.3
SS.5.G.1.2
1. Read the following extract from ‘German Deserter’s War Experience’ then list words to describe
what it was like to be in a trench in World War One.
It was dark, and it rained and rained. From all directions one heard in the darkness the
wounded calling, crying, and moaning. The wounded we had with us were likewise
moaning and crying. All wanted to have their wounds dressed, but we had no more
bandages. We tore off pieces of our dirty shirts and placed the rags on those sickening
wounds. Men were dying one after the other. There were no doctors, no bandages; we had
nothing whatever. You had to help the wounded and keep the French off at the same time.
It was an unbearable, impossible state of things. It rained harder and harder. We were wet
to our skins. We fired blindly into the darkness. The rolling fire of rifles increased, then
died away, then increased again. We sappers were placed among the infantry. My
2. Look at diagram A. Examine it and answer
neighbour gave me a dig in the ribs."
the following questions.
a. What links the front line and support trenches?
b. Why are blocks placed in trenches?
c. Why are machine-guns placed just behind the
front line? Why are they so close to the
bunkers?
d. Why is there wire between the front trench
and the machine-guns?
e. Look at the barbed wire in No-Man's Land
that is at angles to the front trench and also
look at the position of the machine-guns. Why
is the wire at such an angle?
3. Look at diagrams B & C. Examine them
and answer the following questions.
a. What prevents bullets striking a soldier's
chest when he is on the trench board (fire
step)?
b. What is the purpose of the sump? What was
normally placed over it?
c. Barbed wire entanglements were often 40
yards (36m) from the front trench.
Considering the types of weapons used on
the Western Front, what would be their
main defensive function?
Key
1. Communication
Trench
2. Machine Gun
Nest
3. Underground
Bunker
4. Traverse
5. Wire Break
6. Listening Post
+ Trench Block
www.historyonthenet.co.uk
Statistics Related to World War I
Nation
Total Number Number of
of servicemen deaths.
engaged in the
war.
Number of
soldiers
wounded.
Number of
men taken
prisoner or
reported
missing.
Austria
7,800,000
1,200,000
3,620,000
2,200,000
Britain (inc
Empire)
8,904,467
908,371
2,090,212
191,652
France
8,410,000
1,357,800
4,266,000
537,000
Germany
11,000,000
1,773,700
4,216,058
1,152,800
Italy
5,615,000
650,000
947,000
600,000
Russia
12,000,000
1,700,000
4,950,000
2,500,000
Turkey
2,850,000
325,000
400,000
250,000
United States
4,355,000
126,000
234,300
4,500
Answer the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Which country had the most soldiers in World War I?
Which country had the least soldiers in World War I?
Which country had the highest number of deaths?
Which country had the least number of deaths
Draw a graph in your books to show the numbers of soldiers of each country and
the numbers of deaths.
Answer Key
1. Russia
2. Turkey
3. Germany
4. United States
Example
12,000,000
Austria
10,000,000
Britain
8,000,000
France
6,000,000
Germany
Italy
4,000,000
Russia
2,000,000
Turkey
USA
0
Number of Soldiers
 2002 www.historyonthenet.co.uk
Number of Deaths
Recommended Reading for Middle School
World War I
Dank, Milton Khaki Wings
In the Summer of 1914, not-quite-seventeen-year-old Edward applies to the Royal Flying
Corps to train as a pilot and soon finds himself in the thick of the bitter and disillusioning
war.
Forsyth, Frederick The Shepherd
On Christmas Eve, a young war pilot is forced to crash land and finds a mysterious
salvation.
Frank, Rudolf No Hero for the Kaiser
Fourteen-year-old Jan, the only survivor of a Polish town caught between Russian and
German armies, joins the German army and learns about war.
Hunter, Mollie A Sound of Chariots
A young girl growing up in Scotland after World War I tried to come to terms with her
grief over her father‟s death and her increasing sense of the passage of time.
Ingold, Jeanette Pictures, 1918
Coming of age in a rural Texas community in 1918, fifteen-year-old Asia assists in the
local war effort, contemplates romance with a local boy, and expands her horizons
through her pursuit of photography.
Larson, Kirby Hattie Big Sky
After inheriting her uncle‟s homesteading claim in Montana, sixteen-year-old orphan
Hattie Brooks travels from Iowa in 1917 to make a home for herself and encounters some
unexpected problems related to the war being fought in Europe.
Lawrence, Iain Lord of the Nutcracker Men
An English boy during World War I comes to believe that the battles he enacts with his
toy soldiers control the war his father is fighting on the front.
Montgomery, L. M. Rilla of Ingleside (Anne of Green Gables Novel 8)
All too quickly life changes and the war is on. Jem and Walker enlist for service. The
girls work with the Red Cross and Junior Reds and Rilla takes in a war baby, “Jims”. As
soon as Shirley is old enough he too enlists in the forces. After four years of war life
Blythe household will never be the same.
Morpurgo, Micahel Private Peaceful
When Thomas Peaceful‟s older brother is forced to join the British Army, Thomas
decides to sign up as well, although he is only fourteen years old, to prove himself to his
country, his family, his childhood love, Molly, and himself.
Morpurgo, Michael War Horse
Joey the horse recalls his experiences growing up on an English farm, his struggle for
survival as a cavalry horse during World War I, and his reunion with his beloved master.
Rostkowski, Margaret I. After the Dancing Days
A forbidden friendship with a badly disfigured soldier in the aftermath of World War I
forces thirteen-year-old Annie to redefine the word “hero” and to question conventional
ideas of patriotism.
Schur, Maxine Sacred Shadows
When her German hometown becomes part of Poland after World War I, Lena, a young
German Jew, struggles to come to terms with the anti-semitism and anti-German hatred
that seems to be growing around her.
Skurzynski, Gloria Goodbye Billy Radish
In 1917, as the United States enters World War I, ten-year-old Hank sees change all
around him in his western Pennsylvania steel mill town and feels his older Ukrainian
friend Billy drifting apart from him.
Slade, Arthur G. Megiddo’s Shadow
After the death of his beloved older brother Hector in World War I, sixteen-year-old
Edward leaves the family farm in Canada to enlist in Hector‟s battalion, where he
attempts to come to terms with what has happened.
Van Raven, Pieter Harpoon Island
The island‟s new teacher and his son struggle to find acceptance, particularly after the
war begins and their German background is discovered.
Voigt, Cynthia Tree By Leaf
A father‟s return home following World War I creates problems for his family, especially
for twelve-year-old Clothilde, who struggles to accept his horrible disfigurement and
opposes her mother‟s plan to sell Clothilde‟s land, a peninsula off the coast of Maine, to
help pay the family‟s expenses.
Wilson, John And In the Morning
Jim Hay is fifteen, thinks war is a glorious adventure and cannot wait for his turn to fight.
But as his father boldly marches off to battle in August, 1914, Jim must be content to
record his thoughts and dreams in his journal. After his father dies he too joins up and is
sent to fight in France. There he loses his romantic notions about war.
Recommended Reading for High School
World War I
Dank, Milton Khaki Wings
In the Summer of 1914, not-quite-seventeen-year-old Edward applies to the Royal Flying Corps to
train as a pilot and soon finds himself in the thick of the bitter and disillusioning war.
Forsyth, Frederick The Shepherd
On Christmas Eve, a young war pilot is forced to crash land and finds a mysterious salvation.
Frank, Rudolf No Hero for the Kaiser
Fourteen-year-old Jan, the only survivor of a Polish town caught between Russian and German
armies, joins the German army and learns about war.
Hemmingway, Ernest A Farewell to Arms
A tragic romance between a World War I soldier and the English nurse who tends him when he is
wounded.
Hunter, Mollie A Sound of Chariots
A young girl growing up in Scotland after World War I tried to come to terms with her grief over her
father‟s death and her increasing sense of the passage of time.
Ingold, Jeanette Pictures, 1918
Coming of age in a rural Texas community in 1918, fifteen-year-old Asia assists in the local war
effort, contemplates romance with a local boy, and expands her horizons through her pursuit of
photography.
Larson, Kirby Hattie Big Sky
After inheriting her uncle‟s homesteading claim in Montana, sixteen-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks
travels from Iowa in 1917 to make a home for herself and encounters some unexpected problems
related to the war being fought in Europe.
Montgomery, L. M. Rilla of Ingleside (Anne of Green Gables Novel 8)
All too quickly life changes and the war is on. Jem and Walker enlist for service. The girls work
with the Red Cross and Junior Reds and Rilla takes in a war baby, “Jims”. As soon as Shirley is old
enough he too enlists in the forces. After four years of war life Blythe household will never be the
same.
Morpurgo, Micahel Private Peaceful
When Thomas Peaceful‟s older brother is forced to join the British Army, Thomas decides to sign up
as well, although he is only fourteen years old, to prove himself to his country, his family, his
childhood love, Molly, and himself.
Remarque, Erich Maria All Quiet on the Western Front
Paul Baumer enlisted with his classmates in the German Army of World War I. Youthful,
enthusiastic, they become soldiers. But despite what they have learned, they break into pieces under
the first bombardment in the trenches.
Rostkowski, Margaret I. After the Dancing Days
A forbidden friendship with a badly disfigured soldier in the aftermath of World War I forces
thirteen-year-old Annie to redefine the word “hero” and to question conventional ideas of patriotism.
Schur, Maxine Sacred Shadows
When her German hometown becomes part of Poland after World War I, Lena, a young German
Jew, struggles to come to terms with the anti-Semitism and anti-German hatred that seems to be
growing around her.
Slade, Arthur G. Megiddo’s Shadow
After the death of his beloved older brother Hector in World War I, sixteen-year-old Edward leaves
the family farm in Canada to enlist in Hector‟s battalion, where he attempts to come to terms with
what has happened.
Trumbo, Dalton Johnny Got His Gun
An anti-war novel telling the story of a young soldier who survives World War I but is terribly
maimed.
Wilson, John And In the Morning
Jim Hay is fifteen, thinks war is a glorious adventure and cannot wait for his turn to fight. But as his
father boldly marches off to battle in August, 1914, Jim must be content to record his thoughts and
dreams in his journal. After his father dies he too joins up and is sent to fight in France. There he
loses his romantic notions about war.
WWI Timeline for Middle School
1914
- June 28: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo, Bosnia
Herzegovina
- July 28: Russia mobilizes- Eastern Front
- August 1: Germany declares war on Russia and mobilizes- Eastern Front
- August 1: Germany and Ottoman Empire sign secret alliance treaty
- August 2: Germany invades Luxembourg- Western Front
- August 3: Germany declares war on France
- August 4: Germany invades Belgium- Western Front
- August 4: UK declares war on Germany in protest of violation of Belgium‟s neutrality
- August 6: Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia
- August 7: British forces arrive in France- Western Front
- August 11: France declares war on Austria-Hungary
- August 12: UK declares war on Austria-Hungary
- August 14: Battle of the Frontiers begins- Western Front
- August 17: Russian Army enters East Prussia- Eastern Front
- August 20: Germans occupy Brussels, Belgium- Western Front
- August 22: Austria-Hungary declares war on Belgium
- August 24: Battle of Frontiers ends in German victory over France and Britain- Western
Front
- September 5: 1st Battle of Marne begins- Western Front
- September 12: 1st Battle of Marne ends halting German invasion east of Paris- Western
Front
- September 13: Race to the Sea begins- Western Front
- September 28: German siege of Antwerp, Belgium begins- Western Front
- September 29: Battle of Warsaw begins- Eastern Front
- October 10: Siege of Antwerp ends with German capture of the city- Western Front
- October 16: Battle of the Yser River, Belgium begins- Western Front
- October 19: Race to the Sea ends with 1st Battle of Ypres, Belgium (Battle of
Flanders)- Western Front
- October 31: Battle of the Yser ends with French and Belgian forces securing the
Belgian coastline- Western Front
- October 31: Battle of Warsaw ends in Russian victory over Germany- Eastern Front
- November 2: British naval blockade of Germany begins- Western Front
- November 22: 1st Battle of Ypres ends with Germany prevented from reaching Calais
and Dunkirk on the French coast- Western Front
- December 24-25: Unofficial Christmas Truce- Western Front
1915
- January 19: 1st German Zeppelin Raid on England- Western Front
- February 4: Germans begin submarine warfare against merchant vessels
- April 15: secret London Pact made between Italy and Triple Entente (Allies) against
Germany
- April 22: 2nd Battle of Ypres begins- Germans use chemical weapons (gas) for the 1st
time- Western Front
- May 7: German U-boat (submarine) sinks British passenger ship Lusitania off the Irish
coast- 1,198 civilians die, including 128 Americans
- May 23: Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary as agreed in London Pact
- May 25: 2nd Battle of Ypres ends bringing the victorious Canadian Allied troops honorWestern Front
- August 5: Germans occupy Warsaw- Eastern Front
- September 25: Battle of Loos, France begins major British offensive- Western Front
- September 28: Battle of Loos ends in British failure- Western Front
1916
- February 21: Battle of Verdun, France begins the longest battle of the war- Western
Front
- May 31- Jun 1: Battle of Jutland between German and British navies- only major naval
battle of the war- ends in a draw
- June 4: Brusilov Offensive begins major offensive against the Central Powers- Eastern
Front (modern day Ukraine)
- July 1: Battle of the Somme River, France begins- Western Front
- August 27: Italy declares war on Germany
- September 15: Battle of the Somme- British use armored tanks for the first time in
history
- September 20: the Brusilov Offensive ends in Russian victory- Eastern Front
- November 7: Woodrow Wilson wins re-election as US president on the campaign “He
kept us out of the war”
- November 18: the Battle of the Somme ends in a draw with over 1 million casualtiesWestern Front
- December 18: Battle of Verdun ends in French victory- Western Front
1917
- January 16: The Zimmerman Telegram- Germany sends a telegram to Mexico
promising to aide in taking Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico from the USBritish code breakers decipher the intercepted text
- February 19: UK informs US of the Zimmerman Telegram
- February 23: Germans begin withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line- Western Front
- April 5: Germans complete withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line- Western Front
- April 6: US enters the war on the Allies side
- April 9-12: Battle of Vimy Ridge, France ends in victory for Canadian troops- Western
Front
- June 25: 1st American troops arrive in France- Western Front
- July 1: Krensky Offensive begins last Russian initiative of the war- Eastern Front
- July 19: Krensky Offensive ends in Russian defeat- Eastern Front
- July 31: Battle of Passchendaele, France (3rd Battle of Ypres) begins- Western Front
- October 23: Americans fire their 1st shots in trench warfare in France- Western Front
- November 10: Battle of Passchendaele ends in a stalemate- Western Front
- December 23: Russia signs an armistice with Germany ending fighting on the Eastern
Front
1918
- January 8: US president Woodrow Wilson outlines his 14 Points as a path to permanent
world peace
- February 18: fighting resumes on the Eastern Front
- March 3: Russia‟s Leon Trotsky signs peace treaty with Germany at Brest-Litovsk
(modern day Belarus)- Eastern Front
- March 21: Germans successfully begin the Spring Offensive- Western Front
- March 23: artillery bombardment of Paris, France begins- Western Front
- June 12: Spring Offensive ends with territory gains for Germany, but they did not
achieve their strategic goals- Western Front
- July 15: 2nd Battle of the Marne begins last German Offensive on the Western Front
- August 5: 2nd Battle of the Marne ends with French defeat over the Germans- Western
Front
- August 7: artillery bombardment of Paris ends- Western Front
- August 8: Hundred Days Offensive begins a series of Allied Offensives- Western Front
- September 18: Battle of Hindenburg Line begins as part of the Hundred Days
Offensive- Western Front
- October 10: Battle of Hindenburg Line ends with Allies breaking through German linesWestern Front
- November 3: Austria-Hungary signs armistice with Italy
- November 9: Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates the German throne- republic proclaimed
- November 10: Kaiser Charles I abdicates the Austro-Hungarian throne
- November 11: Hundred Days Offensive ends in Allied victory- Germany signs
Armistice of Compiegne ending fighting at 11am- end of the war
- November 22: Germans evacuate Luxembourg
- November 27: Germans evacuate Belgium
1919
- January 18: Treaty of Versailles opens Peace Conference in Paris
- January 25: proposal to create League of Nations accepted
WWI Timeline for High School
1914
- June 28: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina
- July 28: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
- July 28: Russia mobilizes- Eastern Front
- July 31: Germany tells Russia to stop mobilization- Russia claims it is only against AustriaHungary- Eastern Front
- August 1: Germany declares war on Russia and mobilizes- Eastern Front
- August 1: Italy declares neutrality
- August 1: Germany and Ottoman Empire sign secret alliance treaty
- August 2: Germany invades Luxembourg- Western Front
- August 3: Germany declares war on France
- August 4: Germany invades Belgium- Western Front
- August 4: UK declares war on Germany in protest of violation of Belgium‟s neutrality
- August 6: Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia
- August 6: Serbia declares war on Germany
- August 7: British forces arrive in France- Western Front
- August 11: France declares war on Austria-Hungary
- August 12: UK declares war on Austria-Hungary
- August 14: Battle of the Frontiers begins- Western Front
- August 17: Russian Army enters East Prussia- Eastern Front
- August 20: Germans occupy Brussels, Belgium- Western Front
- August 22: Austria-Hungary declares war on Belgium
- August 24: Battle of Frontiers ends in German victory over France and Britain- Western Front
- September 5: 1st Battle of Marne begins- Western Front
- September 12: 1st Battle of Marne ends halting German invasion east of Paris- Western Front
- September 13: Race to the Sea begins- Western Front
- September 28: German siege of Antwerp, Belgium begins- Western Front
- September 29: Battle of Warsaw begins- Eastern Front
- October 10: Siege of Antwerp ends with German capture of the city- Western Front
- October 16: Battle of the Yser River, Belgium begins- Western Front
- October 19: Race to the Sea ends with 1st Battle of Ypres, Belgium (Battle of Flanders)- Western
Front
- October 31: Battle of the Yser ends with French and Belgian forces securing the Belgian coastlineWestern Front
- October 31: Battle of Warsaw ends in Russian victory over Germany- Eastern Front
- November 1: Russia declares war on Ottoman Empire
- November 2: British naval blockade of Germany begins- Western Front
- November 5: France and UK declare war on Ottoman Empire
- November 6: Austro-Hungarians invade Belgrade, Serbia- Eastern Front
- November 11: Battle of Lodz begins between Russian and German forces- Eastern Front
- November 22: 1st Battle of Ypres ends with Germany prevented from reaching Calais and Dunkirk
on the French coast- Western Front
- December 6: Battle of Lodz ends in a draw- Eastern Front
- December 16: German navy shells British coast- Western Front
- December 24-25: Unofficial Christmas Truce- Western Front
1915
- January 19: 1st German Zeppelin Raid on England- Western Front
- February 4: Germans begin submarine warfare against merchant vessels
- April 15: secret London Pact made between Italy and Triple Entente (Allies) against Germany
- April 22: 2nd Battle of Ypres begins- Germans use chemical weapons (gas) for the 1st timeWestern Front
- May 7: German U-boat (submarine) sinks British passenger ship Lusitania off the Irish coast- 1,198
civilians die, including 128 Americans
- May 23: Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary as agreed in London Pact
- May 25: 2nd Battle of Ypres ends bringing the victorious Canadian Allied troops honor- Western
Front
- August 5: Germans occupy Warsaw- Eastern Front
- September 1: Germany suspends unrestricted submarine warfare
- September 25: Battle of Loos, France begins major British offensive- Western Front
- September 28: Battle of Loos ends in British failure- Western Front
- October 6: Serbia invaded by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria- Eastern Front
- October 14: Bulgaria declares war on Serbia
- October 15-19: UK, France, Italy and Russia declare war on Bulgaria
- November 27: Serbian Army collapses and retreats to Adriatic Sea to be evacuated by French and
Italian navies- Eastern Front
1916
- January 27: British conscription law begins the draft
- February 21: Battle of Verdun, France begins the longest battle of the war- Western Front
- March 1: Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare
- April 23: Easter Rising of Irish rebels against British Rule in Dublin
- May 10: Germany suspends unrestricted submarine warfare
- May 31- Jun 1: Battle of Jutland between German and British navies- only major naval battle of the
war- ends in a draw
- June 4: Brusilov Offensive begins major offensive against the Central Powers- Eastern Front
(modern day Ukraine)
- July 1: Battle of the Somme River, France begins- Western Front
- August 27: Italy declares war on Germany and Romania enters the war on Allied side
- September 6: the Central Powers create a unified command
- September 15: Battle of the Somme- British use armored tanks for the first time in history
- September 20: the Brusilov Offensive ends in Russian victory- Eastern Front
- November 7: Woodrow Wilson wins re-election as US president on the campaign “He kept us out
of the war”
- November 18: the Battle of the Somme ends in a draw with over 1 million casualtiesWestern Front
- December 6: Germans occupy Bucharest, Romania- Eastern Front
- December 7: David Lloyd George becomes Prime Minister of UK
- December 18: Battle of Verdun ends in French victory- Western Front
- December 29: Rasputin, holy man and confidant to Russian Tsarina, assassinated
1917
- January 16: The Zimmerman Telegram- Germany sends a telegram to Mexico promising to aide in
taking Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico from the US- British code breakers decipher the
intercepted text
- February 1: Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare
- February 19: UK informs US of the Zimmerman Telegram
- February 23: Germans begin withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line- Western Front
- March 15: Czar Nicholas II abdicates the Russian throne- provisional government appointed
- April 5: Germans complete withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line- Western Front
- April 6: US enters the war on the Allies side
- April 9-12: Battle of Vimy Ridge, France ends in victory for Canadian troops- Western Front
- April 29- May 20: Mutinies and strikes of French soldiers- Western Front
- June 25: 1st American troops arrive in France- Western Front
- July 1: Krensky Offensive begins last Russian initiative of the war- Eastern Front
- July 19: Krensky Offensive ends in Russian defeat- Eastern Front
- July 31: Battle of Passchendaele, France (3rd Battle of Ypres) begins- Western Front
- September 8: Russian military coup fails
- October 23: Americans fire their 1st shots in trench warfare in France- Western Front
- November 2: Balfour Declaration- British government supports plans for a Jewish “national home”
in Palestine
- November 5: Allies establish Supreme War Council at Versailles, France
- November 7: Bolshevik Revolution begins in Russia led by Lenin
- November 10: Battle of Passchendaele ends in a stalemate- Western Front
- December 23: Russia signs an armistice with Germany ending fighting on the Eastern Front
1918
- January 8: US president Woodrow Wilson outlines his 14 Points as a path to permanent world
peace
- February 18: fighting resumes on the Eastern Front
- February 25: German troops capture Estonia- Eastern Front
- March 3: Russia‟s Leon Trotsky signs peace treaty with Germany at Brest-Litovsk (modern day
Belarus)- Eastern Front
- March 21: Germans successfully begin the Spring Offensive- Western Front
- March 23: artillery bombardment of Paris, France begins- Western Front
- April 4: 2nd phase of Spring offensive is not successful for Germans- Western Front
- May 7: Treaty of Bucharest between Romania and Central Powers is written but never ratified
- May 27: Spring Offensive halted after initial advances- Western Front
- June 12: Spring Offensive ends with territory gains for Germany, but they did not achieve their
strategic goals- Western Front
- July: German troops shipped from the Eastern to Western Front desert in large numbers from their
transport trains
- July 15: 2nd Battle of the Marne begins last German Offensive on the Western Front
- July 16-17: former Tsar Nicholas II and family are murdered by Bolsheviks in Russia
- August 5: 2nd Battle of the Marne ends with French defeat over the Germans- Western Front
- August 7: artillery bombardment of Paris ends- Western Front
- August 8: Hundred Days Offensive begins a series of Allied Offensives- Western Front
- September 18: Battle of Hindenburg Line begins as part of the Hundred Days Offensive- Western
Front
- September 30: Bulgaria signs armistice with Allies
- October 10: Battle of Hindenburg Line ends with Allies breaking through German lines- Western
Front
- October 20: Germany suspends all submarine warfare
- October 29: German Navy mutinies
- October 30: Ottoman Empire signs Armistice of Mudros
- November 3: Austria-Hungary signs armistice with Italy
- November 9: Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates the German throne- republic proclaimed
- November 10: Kaiser Charles I abdicates the Austro-Hungarian throne
- November 11: Hundred Days Offensive ends in Allied victory- Germany signs Armistice of
Compiegne ending fighting at 11am- end of the war
- November 12: Austria proclaimed a republic
- November 14: Czechoslovakia proclaimed a republic
- November 21: German Navy surrenders to UK
- November 22: Germans evacuate Luxembourg
- November 27: Germans evacuate Belgium
- December 1: Yugoslavia proclaims independence
1919
- January 18: Treaty of Versailles opens Peace Conference in Paris
- January 25: proposal to create League of Nations accepted
The Armed Forces History Museum
Field Trips
The Duffle Bag Program was to accompany a field trip to complete the learning experience.
We look forward to seeing you and your students at the Armed Forces History Museum.
The objective of your visit to the Armed Forces History Museum is to experience various
aspects of military history. Every generation must realize the freedom we take for
granted does not come without a sacrifice.
At AFHM, you will learn about World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor, Korea,
Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Iraqi Freedom. You will have the opportunity to view
military vehicles used in war (tanks & jeeps, and artillery). You will also see, firsthand,
weapons, uniforms, and personal items used during these wars.
View the display created with a life size replica of Saddam Hussein, clothed in one of his
original uniforms captured by a US soldier in Iraq. In addition, you will see the original
Japanese model ships used in the 1970 movie, “Tora! Tora! Tora!” a movie that depicts
the historic Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.
Teachers may choose to have students record in their student journals prior to the
museum visit.
Areas to view:
 Salute to Service Gallery (uniforms)
 Weapons and Ordnance
 WWI Dioramas and Displays
 Pearl Harbor and Japanese Gallery
 USMC South Pacific Gallery
 WWII US Navy Display
 D Day Diorama
 Korean War
 Vietnam
 Desert Storm
 Iraq/Operation Freedom
 Tanks, military vehicles and artillery