|
19
Jan |
The British
intercept and decode a telegram from the German
Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmermann to Mexico
urging her entry into war against the United
States. The American states of Texas, Arizona
and New Mexico were to be offered to the Mexican
government in return for such assistance. |
|
1
Feb |
Germany resumes
unrestricted U-boat warfare. All allied and
neutral ships were to be sunk on sight. Over the
next month close to a million tons of shipping
would be lost. Lloyd George orders Royal Navy convoys
to protect merchant ships destined for Britain. |
|
3
Feb |
The United States of
America severs
diplomatic ties with Germany. |
|
24
Feb |
The Cunard passenger
liner S.S. Laconia sailing from New York
to Liverpool is sunk off the Irish coast by a
German U-boat.
The Zimmermann Telegram is passed
to the United States government by the British, it
contains details of the German proposal of an
alliance with Mexico against America. |
|
11
March |
British troops
capture Baghdad. |
 |
|
15
March |
As a consequence of
the Russian Revolution, Tsar Nicholas II
abdicates. |
|
2
April |
U.S. President Woodrow
Wilson addresses Congress and asks the House of
Representatives to declare war on Germany. |
|
6
April |
The United States of
America declares war on Germany. |
|
9
April |
The Nivelle Offensive begins. |
|
13
April |
Canadian troops
capture Vimy Ridge. The Canadians had seized
ground of great military importance, and
inflicted heavy casualties on the German Army. |
|
16
April |
Lenin arrives in
Russia. |
|
End
April |
The Nivelle and
Chemin des Dames Offensives end in disastrous
failures for the French. The high levels of
casualties cause unrest throughout the French
army with a month long series of mutiny's
breaking out. General Nivelle is sacked, ending
his career. |
|
28
May |
U.S. Brigadier
General Pershing leaves New York for France. |
|
7
June |
The British detonate
19 large mines containing some 455 tonnes of
explosive under the Messines Ridge in Belgium.
The explosions, which is said could be heard as
far away as London and Dublin, killed more than
10,000 German soldiers and destroyed much of the
fortifications along the ridge as well as the
town of Messines itself. |
|
26
June |
The first U.S.
troops, men of the 1st Division, begin to arrive
in France. |
|
27
June |
Greece enters the
war on the side of the Allies. |
|
2
July |
U.S. Brigadier
General Pershing makes his first request for an
army of 1,000,000 men. |
|
6
July |
Aquaba is captured
by Arabs led by T.E.Lawrence (of Arabia). |
|
11
July |
Brigadier Pershing
revises his army request figures upwards
slightly to 3,000,000 men. |
|
31
July |
The main offensive
of the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele)
begins. The Allies suffered about thirty-two
thousand casualties - killed, wounded or missing
- in this one action |
 |
|
6
Nov |
British and Canadian forces finally reach
Passchendael and so the
Third Battle of
Ypres ends.
In the three and half months of the offensive,
British and Empire forces had advanced barely
five miles and had suffered horrendous casualties. |
|
7
Nov |
On the Alpine Front
between Italy and Austria-Hungary the 12th and
final battle of Isonzo ends in terminal failure
for the Italian army.
Austria-German forces (among them a young Erwin Rommel) breakthrough at Caporetto.
Italy suffered more than 300,000 dead along
this front, over half of their losses in the
entire war. At least 60,000 soldiers from both
sides were killed by avalanches.
The Bolsheviks
overthrow the Russian government and install a Communist one under Lenin. |
|
20
Nov |
Battle of Cambrai
begins with a surprise mass tank attack by the
British. This demonstrated for the first time that the impenetrable
German Hindenburg Line could in fact be breached. |
|
7
Dec |
The United States
declares war on Austro-Hungary. |
|
9
Dec |
The British capture
Jerusalem from the Turks. Edmund Allenby enters
the city on foot in respect for the Holy City
and quickly posts guards to protect the sites
held sacred by the Christian, Muslim and Jewish
religions.
 |
|
22
Dec |
Bolshevik Russia
opens peace negotiations with Germany at
Brest-Litovsk (now Brest, Belarus). |
