a ; "The telegram is intercepted by British naval intelligence." ; ; ; "German Foreign Secretary, Arthur Zimmerman, sends a secret telegram to the German minister in Mexico telling him to offer German support to the Mexicans if they were to attack the United States" . a ; ; ; "Nancy Astor becomes the first woman to take up her seat as an MP in the House of Commons" . a ; "To support French operations in Artois, British troops attack in French Flanders but achieve no real gains. Battle continues until 10 May." ; ; ; , ; "Battle of Aubers Ridge" . a ; ; ; "Colonel Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck ends his long campaign in German East Africa and surrenders undefeated" . a ; ; ; "Germany promises to support Austria-Hungary in its confrontation with Serbia over the assassination" . a ; "Serbian troops forced to retreat through Albania to the Adriatic coast." ; ; ; "Serbia defeated by combined armies of Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria" . a ; ; ; "Bolshevik demonstrations begin in Germany" . a ; "German armies in East Prussia defeat Russian forces. Battle lasts until 30 August." ; ; ; ; , ; "Battle of Tannenberg" . a ; ; ; "Third Military Service Act passed by the British parliament increasing eligibility for armed service to those aged up to 51 and men living in Ireland" . a ; "German armies in East Prussia defeat Russian forces. Battle lasts until 15 September." ; ; ; "Battle of the Masurian Lakes" . a ; "Continues to 16 October when the lines reach the Belgian coast." ; ; ; "Known as the 'Race to the Sea', the German, French and British armies move north from the Aisne and try to outflank each other" . a ; "French forces, with British support, stop the German advance through northern France only a short distance from Paris and launch a counter-attack. Battle continues until 10 September." ; ; ; ; "Battle of the Marne" . a ; ; ; "Britain, France, Russia, Japan and Italy jointly renew the Pact of London" . a ; "Victory parade held in London. Temporary Cenotaph built to represent the dead." ; ; ; "Peace Day" . a ; ; ; "British troops stationed in the Punjab in northern India kill 379 civilians and wound 1,200 more at Amritsar during protests calling for self-government in India" . a ; ; ; "General Robert Nivelle replaced in command of the French armies by General Phillipe Pétain" . a ; "Immediate calls follow for a second hundred thousand." ; ; ; "100,000 British men already recruited by Kitchener" . a ; ; ; "British government approves the creation of a National War Museum in London (changed to the Imperial War Museum in December, to reflect the efforts of people from across the Empire)" . a ; ; ; ; "European war becomes global when Japan declares war on Germany" . a ; "On the Somme, the British launch a dawn attack that captures the villages of Bazentin and Longueval. British and Indian cavalry make a short-lived charge towards High Wood." ; ; ; , ; "Battle of Bazentin Ridge" . a ; ; ; "Austria-Hungary issues ultimatum to Serbia to accept its terms or face recrimination" . a ; "49 people are killed and 177 wounded." ; ; ; "Largest and final German aeroplane raid on London, involving 33 aircraft" . a ; ; ; "British forces take Dar es Salaam in German East Africa" . a ; "Continues to 15 August." ; ; ; "Following their advance through the former Allied lines, the Germans use a long range railway gun to shell Paris" . a ; ; ; "Germans launch strong counter-attacks at Cambrai and recapture almost all the ground they had lost" . a ; ; ; ; "Belgium refuses Germany permission to cross its territory to reach France and asserts its neutrality under international treaty" . a ; ; ; "Increasing numbers of women start to be employed in British munitions factories" . a ; "Over 1 million refugees flee the country over the coming weeks, mostly to the Netherlands but also to France and Britain." ; ; ; "Germany declares war on Belgium and invades the country" . a ; ; ; "First contingent of US troops arrives in France" . a ; "Advocates a 'return to normalcy' following the the war, leading the USA to a position of isolationism. " ; ; ; "Warren Harding elected as the 29th President of the United States in a landslide victory" . a ; "Italians launch a strong offensive in the north-east along the River Piave, against the Austro-Hungarian line which begins to collapse." ; ; ; , ; "Battle of Vittorio Veneto" . a ; ; ; "Royal Navy ships launch a raid against Zeebrugge and Ostend, aimed at blocking the exits from the inland German submarine bases" . a ; ; ; "First German aircraft raid on British south coast towns" . a ; ; ; "Austro-Hungarian forces begin their first invasion of Serbia" . a ; "British and Canadian troops begin the final assault on the village." ; ; ; , ; "Second Battle of Passchendaele" . a ; "39 German submarines surrender at Harwich. " ; ; ; "Elements of the German High Seas Fleet surrender off Rosyth" . a ; ; ; "American President Woodrow Wilson announces '14 Points' that he believes could form the basis for a peace agreement" . a ; ; ; "Conscription begins in Britain when the Military Service Act comes into effect " . a ; ; ; "First daylight aeroplane raid on Britain by German Gotha bombers" . a ; "Allied troops begin attacks on the outer defences of the strong German Hindenburg Line in France." ; ; ; ; "Battles of the Hindenburg Line" . a ; "Allied troops successfully break through the Hindenburg Line. Fighting continues until 2 October." ; ; ; ; "Battle of the St Quentin Canal" . a ; ; ; "Germany begins a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare" . a ; "Continues until 10 June." ; ; ; "Austro-Hungarians launch an attack against Italian troops on the Asiago front in the Italian alpine region of Trentino, advancing up to 19 km(12 miles)" . a ; ; ; "Daylight Gotha bomber raid on London kills 57 people" . a ; ; ; "At Verdun, only 5km (three miles) from the city, the Germans suspend their attacks in order to move troops to the Somme" . a ; ; ; "Treaty of Saint-Germain signed between the Allies and Austria" . a ; "Ships will be sunk without warning, including neutral vessels. Continues until September." ; ; ; "Germany announces its first sustained U-boat (submarine) campaign against merchant and passenger ships approaching Britain" . a ; ; ; "Three British cruisers, HMS Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy sunk by a German submarine off the German coast" . a ; "Bolsheviks, led by Lenin and Trotsky, seize power and overthrow the Provisional Government" ; ; ; "Second Russian Revolution" . a ; ; ; "British ships blockading the Dardanelles bombard the Turkish forts guarding the entrance to the Straits" . a ; "Encounter between British and German battlecruisers in the North Sea." ; ; ; ; "Action of the Dogger Bank" . a ; ; ; "General Joseph Joffre replaced in command of the French armies by General Robert Nivelle" . a ; ; ; "Newly formed Soviet Red Army goes into action against the Germans for the first time" . a ; ; ; "Serbian troops recapture Belgrade" . a ; ; ; "Peace celebrations held in Paris" . a ; ; ; "Kut al Amara recaptured as part of a new British offensive in Mesopotamia aimed at reaching Baghdad" . a ; ; ; "USA breaks off diplomatic relations with Germany as a result of the resumed submarine campaign" . a ; "British forces from Egypt led by General Sir Archibald Murray nearly break through Turkish lines in Palestine but fail to exploit their success." ; ; ; ; "First Battle of Gaza" . a ; ; ; "German troops occupy Brussels, the Belgian capital" . a ; ; ; "Lenin arrives back in Russia by a sealed train allowed to pass through Germany from Switzerland" . a ; ; ; "In France, General Erich von Falkenhayn is replaced as Chief of the General Staff of the German field armies by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, with General Erich Ludendorff as Chief Quartermaster General" . a ; ; ; "At a conference in Doullens, French General Ferdinand Foch becomes General in Chief of all the Allied armies in France" . a ; "The attack is strongly defeated." ; ; ; "Turkish forces cross the Sinai Desert and assault the Suez Canal" . a ; "Together they form the focus for British national commemoration of the dead of the First World War." ; ; ; "At a memorial service in London the permanent Cenotaph is unveiled in Whitehall, and the Unknown Warrior buried in Westminster Abbey" . a ; ; ; "Mutiny in the German High Seas Fleet at Wilhelmshaven" . a ; "They suffer a series of defeats and setbacks. Fighting continues until 18 July." ; ; ; "Russians begin a summer offensive against the Germans directed by Alexander Kerensky, war minister in the Provisional Government" . a ; ; ; "Meat rationing introduced across Britain" . a ; "Intense fighting as the French attempt to advance into Germany. French driven back after suffering severe losses. Continues until 25 August." ; ; ; ; "Battle of the Ardennes" . a ; "In the South Atlantic, a reinforced British naval squadron defeats the German East Asiatic Squadron." ; ; ; ; "Battle of the Falklands" . a ; ; ; "Belgrade captured by the Austro-Hungarians" . a ; ; ; "German forces take the Belgian city of Antwerp" . a ; ; ; "Treaty of Trianon signed with the Hungarians" . a ; ; ; "Austria-Hungary launches its third invasion of Serbia" . a ; ; ; "Rumania enters the war on the Allied side but is quickly defeated by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria" . a ; ; ; "Herbert Asquith replaced as British Prime Minister by David Lloyd George, who takes over leadership of the wartime coalition" . a ; ; ; "The Bolshevik Russian government signs a peace treaty with the Germans and other Central Powers at Brest-Litovsk" . a ; ; ; "The London Scottish become the first battalion of British Territorial troops to go into battle at Messines in Belgium" . a ; ; ; "General Sir Douglas Haig replaces Field Marshal Sir John French as Commander in Chief of the British Expeditionary Force in France and Belgium" . a ; "French and American troops begin a steady push against the Germans along the southern part of the front. Fighting continues until 15 October." ; ; ; "Battle of Champagne and Argonne" . a ; "Continues until 1922." ; ; ; "Greek landings in Smyrna (Izmir) develop into a Graeco-Turkish War with increasingly bitter fighting between Turkish and Greek forces" . a ; "The withdrawal continues until 5 April." ; ; ; "German forces facing the Somme withdraw around 40km (25 miles) to new, strongly prepared defences known to the British as the Hindenburg Line" . a ; "British, French, Australian and New Zealand troops land on and around the Gallipoli peninsula in support of the naval attack on the Dardanelles. Fighting continues until January 1916." ; ; ; ; "First landing at Gallipoli" . a ; "The fighting at Loos carries on until 4 November." ; ; ; "Co-ordinated Allied offensive in France, with French attacks in the Second Battle of Champagne and Third Battle of Artois, and British attacks at the Battle of Loos" . a ; "British forces advance over 5km (3½ miles) on the opening day. The Canadians seize Vimy Ridge. Fighting continues until 4 May with increasingly heavy casualties. " ; ; ; , , , ; ; "Battle of Arras" . a ; "David Lloyd George, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, appointed Minister of Munitions to increase the production of weapons and ammunition." ; ; ; "Coalition government formed by the British Prime Minister Herbert Asquith as tensions rise over his handling of the war" . a ; "Fighting continues until 10 November. " ; ; ; "Third Battle of Ypres begins, popularly known as Passchendaele" . a ; ; ; "Whitehaven in Cumberland, on Britain's west coast, shelled by a German U-boat" . a ; ; ; "Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia" . a ; ; ; "General Helmuth von Moltke replaced in command of the German armies in France and Belgium by General Erich von Falkenhayn" . a ; "In Mesopotamia, Turkish forces stop the Anglo-Indian advance on Baghdad only 40 km (25 miles) south of the city." ; ; ; , , , ; "Battle of Ctesiphon" . a ; ; ; "Treaty of Versailles signed between the Allied and Associated governments and Germany" . a ; ; ; "Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg replaced as German Chancellor by Georg Michaelis" . a ; "Russian troops initially pushed back by the Turks before the situation is reversed. Battle continues until 2 January 1915. " ; ; ; "Battle of Sarikamish in the Caucasus" . a ; ; ; "German Chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, sends a peace note to the Allies offering to open talks in a neutral country" . a ; "Mannock was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross." ; ; ; "Major Edward Mannock, Britain's highest rated 'air ace', shot down and killed" . a ; ; ; "Rationing begins in London and the south of Britain" . a ; "The Germans launch a second offensive (Operation Georgette) against the British line in Flanders, again capturing much ground. Fighting continues until 29 April." ; ; ; , ; ; "Battle of the Lys" . a ; ; ; "Serbia orders mobilization of its army" . a ; ; ; "The ships of the German High Seas, interned at Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands, are sunk by their own crews" . a ; ; ; "British Cabinet decide to keep the Cenotaph at its location in Whitehall and replace it with a permanent structure" . a ; ; ; "Principle of League of Nations agreed at Peace conference" . a ; "Continues to 15 January." ; ; ; "Socialist unrest in Germany, known as the Spartacist Revolt" . a ; "Final action on the Somme begins." ; ; ; , ; "Battle of the Ancre" . a ; ; ; ; "Britain declares war on Germany" . a ; "British troops in Palestine are heavily defeated by Turkish forces in a renewed attempt to break through." ; ; ; , ; "Second Battle of Gaza" . a ; ; ; "Germans capture Riga on the Baltic coast using their new 'stormtrooper' tactics" . a ; ; ; "German and Austro-Hungarian forces capture the fortress of Brest-Litovsk in Russian Poland" . a ; ; ; "An Indian Army force leaves Bombay to secure British interests in the Persian Gulf by landing in Mesopotamia, part of the Ottoman Empire (Turkey)" . a ; ; ; "No-Conscription Fellowship holds its first national meeting in London to resist forcible conscription into the army and support conscientious objectors" . a ; ; ; "Second Military Service Act passed by the British parliament, extending conscription to married men" . a ; "With British and French troops transferred from the Western Front, the Italians manage to establish a new front along the River Piave." ; ; ; "Italian retreat from Caporetto ends" . a ; "British squadron of ships defeated by German East Asiatic Squadron." ; ; ; ; "Battle of Coronel off the coast of Chile" . a ; ; ; "US Senate rejects the Treaty of Versailles and membership of the League of Nations" . a ; "Australian and British troops suffer heavy casualties in an attack on the German line in French Flanders." ; ; ; ; "Battle of Fromelles" . a ; ; ; "First Military Service Act passed by the British parliament making all single men between 18 and 41 eligible for conscription into the army" . a ; ; ; "Japan sends Germany an ultimatum demanding the evacuation of its naval base at Tsingtau in China" . a ; ; ; "Germany invades Luxembourg and demands permission to move through neutral Belgium against France" . a ; "Hostilities also begin in East Africa." ; ; ; "British forces enter the German protectorate of Togoland in West Africa" . a ; ; ; "Batum, in the Caucasus, captured by Turkish troops who take advantage of Russia's withdrawal from the war to recapture lost ground" . a ; ; ; "Italy declares war on Germany" . a ; "Fighting continues until 17 August." ; ; ; "Led by General Alexei Brusilov, a major Russian offensive is launched in western Ukraine, principally against the Austro-Hungarians, who are forced into steady retreat" . a ; "Offensive launched by the French under General Robert Nivelle along the Chemin des Dames. Following heavy casualties, fighting called off on 20 April after few gains." ; ; ; ; "Second Battle of the Aisne" . a ; ; ; ; "British Secretary of State for War, Field Marshal Lord Kitchener, drowned en route to Russia when HMS Hampshire strikes a mine off the Orkney Islands and sinks" . a ; "Austro-Hungarians launch a renewed attack on the Italian line in the north-east along the River Piave. The attack is beaten off. Fighting continues to 24 June." ; ; ; ; "Battle of the Piave" . a ; "Five people are killed." ; ; ; "German airships raid Britain for the first time, attacking Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn" . a ; ; ; "Austria-Hungary begins mobilization of its army, including along the Russian border" . a ; ; ; "British parliament gives approval for the recruitment of half a million men to begin a rapid expansion of the British Army" . a ; ; ; "First meeting of the League of Nations at its permanant headquarters in Geneva" . a ; "At Gallipoli, Australian and New Zealand troops fight off a very heavy Turkish attack. After weeks of effort on both sides, it is clear stalemate has been reached." ; ; ; "Defence of Anzac" . a ; "The aim is for the ships to force their way through the Dardanelles and capture the Turkish capital, Constantinople (present day Istanbul)." ; ; ; "Royal Navy ships begin shelling the forts guarding the entrance to the Dardanelles in Turkey" . a ; ; ; "Allied peace terms are handed to the Austrians" . a ; "Italian troops in the north-east advance and capture Gorizia, one of the few significant advances on the Isonzo front. Fighting continues until 17 August." ; ; ; ; "Sixth Battle of the Isonzo" . a ; ; ; "Start of the first revolution in Russia" . a ; ; ; "Last German airship raid on Paris" . a ; ; ; "London stock market closes due to European crisis" . a ; ; ; "One of the French air force's leading fighter aces, Captain Georges Guynemer, shot down and killed in Belgium" . a ; ; ; "French launch a new attack at Verdun and recapture more ground lost the previous year" . a ; "Able to fire directly forward by shooting through the propellor arc, the Fokker establishes German air superiority until Spring 1916." ; ; ; "German Fokker aircraft deployed in numbers along the Western Front" . a ; ; ; "As Austria-Hungary's ally, Germany demands an end to Russian mobilization" . a ; ; ; "Woodrow Wilson re-elected President of the United States of America" . a ; "French launch attack for limited gains. Battle lasts until 18 June." ; ; ; , ; "Second Battle of Artois" . a ; "Three ships are sunk; three are badly damaged. Naval operations are suspended." ; ; ; "British and French warships at the Dardanelles try to force their way through the Narrows" . a ; "Germany declared a republic." ; ; ; "The German Kaiser, Wilhelm II, abdicates and prepares to leave Germany" . a ; ; ; "Representation of the People Act receives Royal Assent, extending the right to vote to almost all British men as well as women aged over 30" . a ; ; ; "Canadian troops in Belgium recapture Mons" . a ; ; ; "Russian civil war ends when White Russian forces are crushed by the Red Army of the Bolshevik government" . a ; "French troops try to block the German advance north-west of the Ardennes." ; ; ; ; "Battle of the Sambre" . a ; "Fighting continues until 18 April." ; ; ; "In the Caucasus, Russian forces push back the Turks and go on to capture Erzerum and Trabzon" . a ; ; ; "British government issues the Balfour Declaration, supporting the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine" . a ; ; ; "British government announces its policy of building new 'Homes Fit for Heroes'" . a ; ; ; "Imperial War Museum opened at Crystal Palace in London by King George V" . a ; "Continues until April." ; ; ; "Germans recommence submarine attacks against merchant and passenger vessels approaching Britain" . a ; ; ; "First units of Kitchener's New Armies, forming the 9th (Scottish) Division, leave Britain for overseas service" . a ; ; ; "Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary and moves to secure strategically important points along their shared border" . a ; ; ; ; "Russians capture the Austro-Hungarian city of Przemysl" . a ; ; ; "British and French troops land in the Greek city of Salonika to support Serbia, by threatening the southern flank of Bulgaria" . a ; ; ; "Alexander Kerensky becomes Prime Minister of Russia" . a ; ; ; "Austro-Hungarian forces recapture the city of Lemberg (Lvov) from the Russians" . a ; ; ; "Austro-Hungarian government seeks an armistice with the Italians" . a ; "Fighting ends in France and Belgium at 11.00am." ; ; ; ; "Germany signs an armistice with the Allies, agreeing to an immediate cease fire and the withdrawal of its troops to its own borders" . a ; "British, Australian, Canadian and French forces launch a powerful strike against the German army on the Somme. General Ludendorf calls it 'the black day of the German army'. Fighting now continues until 11 November." ; ; ; , ; ; "Battle of Amiens" . a ; "Austro-Hungarians and Germans break through the Italian lines on the Isonzo and force a retreat of 140km (90 miles). 300,000 Italian prisoners are taken. Fighting carries on until 10 November." ; ; ; ; "Battle of Caporetto" . a ; ; ; "Troops evacuated from the Suvla and Anzac beachheads at Gallipoli" . a ; "British and Indian troops undertake their first offensive in France with limited success." ; ; ; ; "Battle of Neuve Chapelle" . a ; ; ; "US Congress passes a bill to recruit half a million men for war service" . a ; ; ; "German forces surrender in Togoland" . a ; ; ; "First Australian and New Zealand troops leave Australia, expecting to continue their training in Britain" . a ; ; ; "British royal family changes its name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor" . a ; ; ; "Germany declares war on Russia and begins mobilization" . a ; ; ; "Indian Army troops land in Mesopotamia to protect British oil interests in neighbouring Persia, and encourage an Arab revolt against Turkish rule" . a ; ; ; "First troops leave Canada and Newfoundland to continue their training in Britain" . a ; ; ; "German mine layer Königen Luise becomes the first naval casualty of the war when sunk in the North Sea by three British ships" . a ; "Allied troops renew their offensive in France, beginning a series of battles that force the Germans steadily back." ; ; ; ; "Battle of the Selle" . a ; "In difficult conditions, the Russians initially do badly but soon recover. Fighting continues until 18 January 1915." ; ; ; "Turkish forces launch attacks on the Russians in the Caucasus" . a ; "British troops undertake another attack in French Flanders only a short distance from Aubers Ridge. Battle carries on until 25 May." ; ; ; , ; "Battle of Festubert" . a ; "Austria-Hungary blames Serbia for supporting this terrorist attack in Bosnia-Herzegovina." ; ; ; "Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip" . a ; ; ; "In self-defence and in support of Serbia, Russia orders partial mobilization of its army" . a ; "Following a heavy bombardment, Germans launch major attack against the French intending to cause heavy casualties. Fighting continues until 18 December." ; ; ; ; , ; "Battle of Verdun" . a ; ; ; "Britain and France declare war on Austria-Hungary" . a ; "Italians launch disappointing attack on the Austro-Hungarians on the Trentino front in the Alps. Continues until 29 June." ; ; ; "Battle of Ortigara" . a ; ; ; "Germany declares war on Portugal" . a ; ; ; "French and Serbian troops at Salonika launch strong offensive against the Bulgarians and make steady gains" . a ; "Italian troops attack Austro-Hungarians in north-eastern Italy, aiming to reach Trieste. Disappointing results but operations continue until 7 July." ; ; ; "First Battle of the Isonzo" . a ; "Second in a series of eleven battles launched along the Isonzo river in north-eastern Italy. Fighting on the Isonzo continues until October 1917." ; ; ; ; "Second Battle of the Isonzo" . a ; ; ; "Bolshevik government in Russia signs an armistice with the Germans, suspending hostilities on the Eastern Front" . a ; "The Provisional Government assumes power." ; ; ; "Tsar Nicholas II abdicates as ruler of Russia" . a ; ; ; "Jerusalem taken by the British forces in Palestine, ending 673 years of Turkish rule" . a ; ; ; "Peace conference opens in Paris" . a ; "Campaign abandoned." ; ; ; "Last troops evacuated from the Helles beachhead at Gallipoli" . a ; "Russian forces capture the fourth largest city in Austria-Hungary. Battle lasts until 11 September." ; ; ; "Second Battle of Lemberg (or Lvov)" . a ; ; ; "Japanese troops, with British support, capture the German naval base of Tsingtau" . a ; ; ; "The Zimmerman telegram offering German support to a Mexican attack on the US is made public in US newspapers, with the approval of President Wilson " . a ; ; ; "Former Tsar Nicholas II and his family executed by the Bolsheviks" . a ; "The first action of a long-running campaign in East Africa. German forces led by Colonel Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck defeat British and Indian troops. Fighting continues until 5 November. The campaign lasts until November 1918." ; ; ; ; "Battle of Tanga" . a ; ; ; "German government seeks an armistice based on President Wilson's 14 Points" . a ; ; ; "Capture of Belgrade, the Serbian capital, by the Austro-Hungarians" . a ; "7 people are killed and 35 injured." ; ; ; "First German airship raid on London" . a ; ; ; "Imperial War Graves Commission formally established in London (becoming the present Commonwealth War Graves Commission in 1960)" . a ; ; ; "General Sir Edmund Allenby takes over command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from General Sir Archibald Murray" . a ; "Indiscipline continues until October." ; ; ; "Outbreak of mutinies in French army units at Châlons-sur-Marne following their recent heavy casualties and defeat" . a ; ; ; "To combat the German submarine threat, British introduce the convoy system, moving large numbers of merchant ships together under naval protection. " . a ; ; ; "Allied Peace conference in Paris ends" . a ; ; ; "First British aeroplane raid on Germany against Dusseldorf and Cologne airship sheds" . a ; ; ; "Germany declares war on France" . a ; "Third German offensive (Operation Blucher) against the French line, centres on the Chemin des Dames above the River Aisne. Fighting continues to 6 June." ; ; ; , ; "Third Battle of the Aisne" . a ; "Disembarkation completed on 16 August." ; ; ; "British Expeditionary Force (BEF), under the command of Field Marshal Sir John French, begins to land in France" . a ; ; ; "Fort Vaux recaptured by the French at Verdun" . a ; ; ; "First council meeting of League of Nations held in Paris" . a ; "Anglo-Indian garrison finally surrenders to the besieging Turkish forces after 143 days." ; ; ; "Siege of Kut ends" . a ; "Nationwide release follows a week later. The film is the first documentary to show actual footage of men fighting in battle. It is seen by more than 20 million people." ; ; ; "The Battle of the Somme documentary film released for viewing in 34 cinemas in London" . a ; "Turkish warships shell Russian coastal towns in the Black Sea." ; ; ; "Turkey joins the war on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary" . a ; ; ; "Third Battle of Ypres ends with the capture of Passchendaele village" . a ; "Led by Allenby, British troops, combined with an Australian attack at Beersheba, finally breaking through Turkish lines in Palestine" ; ; ; ; "Third Battle of Gaza" . a ; ; ; "Allied troops enter Germany" . a ; "Four German ships sunk." ; ; ; ; "Naval action between British and German ships off the Heligoland Bight in the North Sea" . a ; ; ; "At Salonika, Allied forces liberate the Serbian town of Monastir after an offensive lasting two months" . a ; "Fort Douamont is recaptured by the French. Fighting continues until 18 December." ; ; ; "Major French counter-attack at Verdun under General Robert Nivelle pushes the Germans back" . a ; "Fighting begins between French and German troops along the border linking the two countries. Continues until early September with heavy casualties." ; ; ; ; "Battle of the Frontiers" . a ; "In East Prussia, Germans defeat the Russians who begin to retreat. Battle continues until 22 February." ; ; ; "Winter Battle of Masuria" . a ; "Fifth major German attack since March. On a smaller scale, German troops assault the French line facing the River Marne. For the first time the German attack is unsuccessful. Continues to 18 July." ; ; ; "Fourth Battle of Champagne" . a ; ; ; "Turkish government seeks an armistice " . a ; "In Belgium, Allies make a strong advance from Ypres that begins to push the Germans back. Fighting continues until 10 October." ; ; ; "Battle of the Flanders Ridges" . a ; ; ; "Last German forces in the Cameroons surrender to British" . a ; ; ; "The first 'call to arms' issued by the British Secretary of State for War, Field Marshal Lord Kitchener" . a ; "Germans launch major assault on French, British and Canadian troops around Ypres and use poison gas extensively for the first time. Fighting continues until 27 May." ; ; ; , ; "Second Battle of Ypres" . a ; ; ; "German Gotha bombers start night raids on London" . a ; ; ; "An Arab force from the Hejaz guided by T E Lawrence captures the Red Sea port of Aqaba" . a ; ; ; "Allied terms for a peace treaty are handed to the German government" . a ; "German and Austro-Hungarian armies defeat the Russians in the centre of their line and begin to drive them back. After weeks of retreat, the Russians lose most of their territory in Poland." ; ; ; "Battle of Gorlice–Tarnow" . a ; ; ; "Britain promises to defend Belgian neutrality" . a ; "British Grand Fleet confronts the German High Seas Fleet in the North Sea, off the coast of Denmark. Although the British lose more ships, the German fleet is driven back to port and remains there for the rest of the war. " ; ; ; ; "Battle of Jutland" . a ; ; ; "Last German airship raid on London" . a ; ; ; "Royal Navy warships begin a concerted blockade of Germany and its ports" . a ; ; ; "Benedict XV elected Pope" . a ; ; ; "shooting of Miss Cavell"@en ; "In Brussels the Germans execute the British nurse, Edith Cavell, for espionage and aiding escaped prisoners" . a ; "French and British troops stand firm around the Belgian city of Ypres, preventing the German armies breaking through to the Channel ports. Continues to 22 November." ; ; ; , ; "First Battle of Ypres" . a ; ; ; "Treaty of Neuilly is signed with the Bulgarians" . a ; ; ; "First German airship shot down over Britain, to the north of London" . a ; "After all attempts to move inland have been defeated, a new British landing is made at Suvla Bay, linked to an assault on the hills beyond the Australian and New Zealand position. The operations fail." ; ; ; "Second landing at Gallipoli" . a ; ; ; "Troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) disembark in Egypt to complete their training after it is decided conditions in Britain are unsuitable" . a ; ; ; "Treaty of Sévres signed between the Allies and Turkey" . a ; ; ; "Bulgaria agrees an armistice with the Allies" . a ; ; ; "Pope Benedict XV makes another appeal for peace" . a ; ; ; "David Lloyd George appointed Secretary of State for War in place of the late Lord Kitchener" . a ; ; ; "Russia declares war on Turkey" . a ; ; ; "The Royal Air Force is formed by combining the army's Royal Flying Corps with the navy's Royal Naval Air Service" . a ; ; ; "British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, wins general election at the head of a national government" . a ; "Allied forces advance, using the support of tanks for the first time." ; ; ; ; "Battle of Flers-Courcelette on the Somme" . a ; ; ; "First Indian Army contingent leaves India to serve in France" . a ; ; ; "Daylight raid on London by 18 German Gotha bombers kills 157 people and injures 432" . a ; "General Ferdinand Foch launches his first counter-attack after five concerted German offensives. The Allied armies take the initiative. Fighting on the Marne continues until 7 August." ; ; ; ; "Second Battle of the Marne" . a ; ; ; "Indian infantry begins to leave France in order to transfer to Mesopotamia" . a ; "Major Anglo-French offensive launched in Picardy. On the opening day, the British Army suffers 57,470 casualties, including 19,240 killed – its heaviest ever casualty toll in a 24 hour period. The battle continues until 18 November. " ; ; ; ; "Battle of the Somme" . a ; ; ; "German airships raid Paris for the first time" . a ; ; ; "Bulgaria declares war on Serbia and enters the war on the side of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey" . a ; ; ; "Women's Auxiliary Army Corps renamed Queen Mary's Auxiliary Army Corps in recognition of their conduct during the German offensive the previous month" . a ; ; ; "First Indian Army troops land in France" . a ; "Turkish troops in Mesopotamia surrender." ; ; ; "Turkey signs an armistice with the Allies" . a ; "After their defeat at Ctesiphon, Anglo-Indian troops fall back on Kut al Amara where they are surrounded by Turkish forces. They eventually surrender on 29 April 1916." ; ; ; "Siege of Kut begins" . a ; "On the Salonika front, Alllies begin an attack that leads to the capture of Doiran. Fighting continues to 24 September." ; ; ; "Battle of Monastir-Doiran" . a ; ; ; "Recapture of Belgrade by Serbian forces" . a ; ; ; "Arab Revolt against Turkish rule launched in the Hejaz region of Arabia by Sherif Hussein of Mecca" . a ; ; ; "Prince Max von Baden becomes German Chancellor" . a ; ; ; "Britain forms the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force under General Sir Ian Hamilton to carry out military operations at the Dardanelles" . a ; ; ; "Germans and Austro-Hungarians launch a major offensive against the Russians" . a ; "Allied troops in France begin an assault on the German Hindenburg Line. Fighting continues until 9 October." ; ; ; , ; "Battle of the Canal du Nord" . a ; ; ; "British troops enter Basra in Mesopotamia at the head of the Persian Gulf" . a ; ; ; "Pact of London signed by the Allied powers of France, Britain and Russia, in which all three agree not to sign a separate peace" . a ; ; ; "The First Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) is passed by the British parliament, giving the government widespread new powers over people's lives" . a ; "Over 57,000 women enrol in the WAAC, with 9,000 serving in France." ; ; ; "Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) formed in Britain, offering women the chance to serve directly in the armed forces" . a ; "At Salonika Allied troops launch an attack as a prelude to a wider spring offensive in the Balkans. Continues until 22 May. " ; ; ; "First Battle of Doiran" . a ; "Advancing Russian troops drive back German forces in East Prussia." ; ; ; "Battle of Gumbinnen" . a ; "Advancing Turkish forces defeated in the Sinai Desert by Australian, New Zealand and British troops from Egypt. Turks begin to fall back towards Palestine. " ; ; ; , ; "Battle of Romani" . a ; ; ; "General Sir Ian Hamilton is replaced in command at Gallipoli by General Sir Charles Monro" . a ; ; ; "Pope Benedict XV issues call for peace to all those fighting " . a ; ; ; "First battalion of British part-time territorial troops, the 1/14th Battalion, London Regiment –known as the London Scottish– lands in France" . a ; ; ; "Daylight Saving (British Summer Time) introduced in Britain for the first time to encourage longer working hours in factories and on farms" . a ; ; ; "Heavy rain falls across the Ypres battlefields for almost the whole month, preventing any progess" . a ; "Fourth German offensive (Operation Gneisenau), hitting the French line again, this time south of Verdun near St Mihiel. Fighting continues until 14 June." ; ; ; "Battle of the Matz" . a ; ; ; "Russian Army invades East Prussia in a quick strike against Germany" . a ; ; ; "Baghdad captured by British forces in Mesopotamia" . a ; ; ; "First German aeroplane raid on Paris" . a ; ; ; "On the Eastern Front, Germans use asphyxiating gas in artillery shells for the first time at the Battle of Bolimov" . a ; ; ; "Britain and France declare war on Turkey" . a ; "The Germans launch a strong offensive in France (Operation Michael) aimed at splitting the British and French lines. The British in particular suffer heavy casualties and begin a far reaching withdrawal. Fighting continues to 5 April. " ; ; ; ; "First Battle of the Somme, 1918" . a ; ; ; "Considered finally ready for battle, US 1st Division sent to join French Fifth Army" . a ; ; ; "Fort Douamont captured at Verdun by the Germans" . a ; ; ; "Conscription bill passed by the Canadian parliament" . a ; ; ; "Germany's top air ace, Freiherr Manfred von Richtofen, shot down and killed on the Somme" . a ; ; ; "First Canadian and Newfoundland troops arrive in Britain" . a ; ; ; "Georges Clemenceau becomes Prime Minster and Minister of War in France" . a ; ; ; "Battle of the Somme ends in snow and heavy rain after 142 days of fighting" . a ; "Hungary is to remain as a separate kingdom." ; ; ; "Austro-Hungarian government announces the country is to become a federal nation based on its many nationalities" . a ; ; ; "British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, rejects the German peace note and the offer of talks" . a ; "Begins nearly three years of increasingly bitter confrontation that ends with the formation of the Irish Free State in 1921." ; ; ; "Irish independence declared by Sinn Fein MPs at an unofficial Irish parliament in Dublin" . a ; "American troops launch a successful attack against the German lines south of Verdun." ; ; ; "Battle of St Mihiel" . a ; ; ; "Britain declares the North Sea to be a 'military zone', effectively beginning a distant blockade of Germany" . a ; ; ; "Battle of Verdun ends" . a ; ; ; "German South-West Africa surrenders to South African forces led by General Louis Botha" . a ; ; ; "United States of America declares war on Germany and sides with the Allies" . a ; "33,204 men enlist on this day, almost the entire number of men recruited in a year before the war (35,000)." ; ; ; "High point of British voluntary recruitment" . a ; ; ; "General Max von Prittwitz replaced in command of the German Army in East Prussia by General Paul von Hindenburg, with General Erich Ludendorff as his chief of staff" . a ; "Renewed attack by British, Australian and New Zealand troops towards Passchendaele begins steady advances in dry weather." ; ; ; , ; "Battle of the Menin Road Ridge" . a ; "Later the site of the great Memorial to the Missing." ; ; ; ; "Village of Thiepval captured on the Somme" . a ; "137 civilians are killed." ; ; ; "Bombardment of Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby on the British east coast by German battlecruisers" . a ; "Fighting begins for British troops around the Belgian town of Mons. The BEF begins to retreat alongside its French allies." ; ; ; ; , ; "Battle of Mons" . a ; "Becomes known as the 'Turnip Winter'." ; ; ; "Food shortages in Germany and Austria-Hungary, caused by the British blockade and the harsh winter, cause widespread hardship and starvation" . a ; ; ; "General Erich Ludendorff resigns as the German army's Chief Quartermaster General" . a ; ; ; "Fort Vaux captured at Verdun by the Germans" . a ; ; ; "National Registration Act introduced in Britain, obliging all elgible men to register for military service" . a ; ; ; "London Stock Exchange reopens for the first time since the outbreak of war" . a ; ; ; "Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia" . a ; ; ; "Portuguese troops see action on the Western Front for the first time" . a ; "Using tanks, aircraft and artillery a major advance is made into the Hindenburg Line." ; ; ; ; ; "Battle of Cambrai" . a ; "German armies stop Franco-British counter-attack astride the River Aisne. The first trenches begin to appear in France. The battle lasts until 15 September." ; ; ; ; "Battle of the Aisne" . a ; "In northern Palestine, Allied troops launch a devastating attack on the Turks and begin a steady advance into Syria. Fighting continues until 25 October." ; ; ; , ; "Battle of Megiddo" . a ; "In 1914, Italy had been a member of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary." ; ; ; "Italy signs the Pact of London, effectively joining the war on the Allied side" . a ; "It lasts until 1 May and is suppressed by the British authorities. The leaders are executed, causing deep resentment." ; ; ; "Irish republicans launch an uprising in Dublin" . a ; ; ; "Public campaign launched in Britain to encourage people to eat less bread as a result of shortages" . a ; "After the explosion of 19 huge mines, British, Irish, Australian and New Zealand troops seize the Messines Ridge south of Ypres. Fighting continues until 14 June." ; ; ; , ; ; "Battle of Messines" . a ; ; ; "German sailors mutiny at Kiel " . a ; "1198 people are killed, including 128 US citizens." ; ; ; ; "German submarine U-20 sinks the luxury passenger liner Lusitania off the west coast of Ireland" . a ; "Part of the BEF fights a rearguard action against the Germans to allow the main retreat to continue." ; ; ; , ; "Battle of Le Cateau" . a ; "Further gains follow, including the cities of Beirut, Homs and Aleppo." ; ; ; "Australian and British troops, supported by Arab forces, capture Damascus in Syria" . a ; ; ; "Last German airship raid on Britain" . a ; ; ; "First members of the WAAC arrive in France" .