Timeline of World War I dates and events (1914-1918)
1914
1914.06.28 As a result of the assassination attempt in Sarajevo, the Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand and his wife are killed. The murder was committed by the Bosnian Serb Gavrila Princip, a 17-year-old student associated with the nationalist Serb organization Black Hand.
1914.07.5 Germany promises to support Austria-Hungary in the event of a conflict with Serbia.
1914.07.23 Austria-Hungary, suspecting Serbia of participation in the murder of Franz Ferdinand, announces an ultimatum to her.
1914.07.24 Edward Gray proposes four great powers as mediators in the settlement of the Balkan crisis. Serbia turns to Russia for help.
1914.07.25 Serbia announces mobilization into the army. Germany pushes Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia.
1914.07.26 Austria-Hungary announces general mobilization and concentrates troops on the border with Russia.
1914.07.30 Mobilization into the army was announced in Russia (at first the option of partial mobilization was considered, so as not to frighten Germany, but it soon became clear that then the planned mobilization would fail, if it still had to be resorted to. So the government took a step after which it was no longer possible to stop ).
1914.07.31 Germany demands from Russia to stop conscription. France, Austria-Hungary and Germany are mobilizing. Great Britain requires Germany to maintain Belgium's neutrality.
1914.08.1 Germany declares war on Russia. The First World War begins.
1914.08.1 In Constantinople, Germany and Turkey sign an agreement.
1914.08.2 Germany occupies Luxembourg and demands that Belgium let its troops pass.
1914.08.2 Russia invades East Prussia.
1914.08.2 Italy declares its neutrality in the European conflict.
1914.08.2 Germany declares war on France.
1914.08.4 The full-time Prussian operation began Howling - an offensive operation (4 (17) August - 2 (15) September 1914) of the Russian troops, which were tasked with inflicting
defeat of the 8th German army and the capture of East Prussia.
1914.08.4 German troops invade Belgium.
1914.08.4 Great Britain declares war on Germany and sends warships to the North Sea, the English Channel and the Mediterranean to blockade the states of Central Europe.
1914.08.4 President Wilson declares US neutrality towards the war in Europe.
1914.08.5 German 2nd Army reaches Liege, where it meets fierce resistance from Belgian troops (the battle lasted until August 16).
1914.08.6 Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia.
1914.08.6 Serbia and Montenegro declare war on Germany.
1914.08.8 British troops land in France.
1914.08.8 British and French troops occupy the German protectorate Togoland (the territory of present-day Togo and the Volta region in the Republic of Ghana).
1914.08.10 France declares war on Austria-Hungary.
1914.08.10 German cruisers "Breslau" and "Goeben" in the Mediterranean Sea manage to slip past British ships and enter the Black Sea, where they were then sold to Turkey to replace ships captured by England.
1914.08.12 Great Britain declares war on Austria-Hungary.
1914.08.14 Russia promises the autonomy of that part of Poland, which is part of Russia, in exchange for the help of the Poles in the war.
1914.08.15 Japan sends an ultimatum to Germany demanding the withdrawal of troops from the German-owned port of Jiaozhou in China.
1914.08.20 Germany occupies Brussels.
1914.08.20 (August 7, O.S.). A counter battle between the Russian and German armies near the city of Gumbinnen.
1914.08.21 The British government announces the creation of the first "New Army", formed from volunteers.
1914.08.21 Battle of Charleroi begins (August 21-25) - British and French troops retreat.
1914.08.22 Retired General Paul von Hindenburg is appointed commander of the German Eighth Army in East Prussia.
1914.08.23 Russian victory at Frankenau in East Prussia.
1914.08.23 The Lublin-Kholm operation began, the offensive of the 4th and 5th Russian armies of the South-Western Front against the 1st and 4th Austro-Hungarian armies. Lasted 10-12 (23-25) August.
1914.08.23 Japan declares war on Germany.
1914.08.26 Changes in the French Cabinet of Ministers. General Gallieni is appointed Governor of Paris.
1914.08.26 Germany defeats Russia at the Battle of Tannenberg in East Prussia (until August 28).
1914.08.27 German General Otto Liman von Sanders is appointed commander-in-chief of the Turkish army.
1914.08.28 The British fleet under the command of David Beatty raids Heligoland harbor.
1914.08.28 Austria-Hungary declares war on Belgium.
1914.08.30 Germany captures Amiens.
1914.09.1 The capital of Russia, St. Petersburg, is renamed Petrograd.
1914.09.2 The French government moves to Bordeaux.
1914.09.3 German troops cross the Marne.
1914.09.5 Battle of the Marne (until September 10). From September 10 to 12, German troops retreated, trying to establish a front line along the Aisne River. By the end of the battle on the Western Front, the sides switched to trench warfare.
1914.09.5 In London, France, Russia and Great Britain agree not to enter into separate peace negotiations with the opposing side.
1914.09.6 Battle in the Masurian Marshes, East Prussia (until September 15). The German units threw back the Russian troops.
1914.09.8 Battle of Lvov (until September 12). Russian troops occupy Lviv, the fourth largest city in Austria-Hungary.
1914.09.13 The offensive of the French and British armies continued on the Aisne River in Northern France (left tributary of the Oise) (13-15 Sept. 1914)
1914.09.14 The Allies liberate Reims.
1914.09.14 Erich von Falkenhain replaces Helmut von Moltke as Commander-in-Chief of the German Army.
1914.09.15 Battle of the Aisne (until September 18). The allies attack the German positions. The infantry begins to dig trenches.
1914.09.15 In the Pacific region, in Germanic New Guinea, German units surrender to British troops.
1914.09.17 "Run to the sea" called the operation when the allied and German troops tried to outflank each other (until October 18). As a result, the Western Front stretched from the North Sea through Belgium and France to Switzerland.
1914.09.18 Paul von Hindenburg is appointed commander of all German forces on the Eastern Front.
1914.9. The August operation (first) began - an offensive operation in September - October 1914 in the area of the Polish city of Augustow of the Russian armies against the German army.
1914.09.27 Russian troops cross the Carpathians and invade Hungary.
1914.09.27 The city of Douala in German Cameroon is captured by British and French troops.
1914.09.28 The first battle for Warsaw (before October 27) - the Warsaw-Ivangorod operation. German and Austrian forces attack Russian positions from the south, but are forced to retreat.
1914.10.1 Turkey closes the Dardanelles for the passage of ships.
1914.10.9 Antwerp is captured by German troops.
1914.10.12 On the Western Front, the first battle begins at Ypres, Belgium, during which German units are trying to break through the defenses of the allied forces (until November 11).
1914.10.14 The first Canadian units arrive in England.
1914.10.17 During the Battle of Ysere in Belgium (Western Front), attempts by German troops to reach the ports of the English Channel (until October 30) are repelled.
1914.10.17 The first parts of the Australian Expeditionary Force sail to France.
1914.10.20 The Battle of Flanders of 1914 began, fighting between German and Anglo-French troops in Flanders during the First World War. Lasted from October 20 to November 15.
1914.10.29 Turkish ships shell Odessa and Sevastopol.
1914.11.1 Battle of Coronel (Chile). A German squadron commanded by Maximilius von Spee defeats the British naval forces.
1914.11.2 Russia declares war on Turkey.
1914.11.5 France and Great Britain declare war on Turkey.
1914.11.5 Naval battle at Cape Sarych (southern coast of Crimea) on November 5, 1914 between the German battle cruiser "Goeben" under the command of Rear Admiral V. Sushon and a Russian squadron of five battleships under the command of Admiral A. A. Eberhard.
1914.11.5 Great Britain conducts the annexation of Cyprus, which it occupied back in June 1878.
1914.11.9 The German warship Emden sank off the Cocos Islands.
1914.11.11 The operation of Lodz in 1914 began on October 29 (November 11) - November 11 (24). The command of the German army, holding down the 2nd and 5th Russian armies with attacks from the front, tried to encircle and defeat the Russian troops in the Lodz area with a blow to their flank with the forces of the 9th Army. The Russian forces managed not only to resist this blow, but also to push the enemy back.
1914.11.18 On the Eastern Front, German troops break through the defenses of the Russian troops in the Kutno region.
1914.11.18 The French government returns to Paris.
1914.11.19 The battle began on the Bzura River (November 19 - December 20) between the Austro-German and Russian troops during the First World War of 1914-1918.
1914.11.21 Indian troops occupy the Turkish city of Basra.
1914/11/23 British navy shells Zeebrugge.
1914.12.2 A vote on war credits takes place in the German Reichstag. Karl Liebknecht votes against.
1914.12.5 On the Eastern Front, Austrian troops defeat the Russian army at Limakovy, but they fail to break through the defenses at Krakow (both battles continued until December 17).
1914.12.6 On the Eastern Front, German troops capture Lodz.
1914.12.8 Battle of the Falkland Islands, the British navy commanded by Admiral Frederick Sterdy destroys a German squadron.
1914.12.17 Great Britain declares Egypt its protectorate (on December 18, Khedive Abbas II loses power and Prince Hussein Kemel becomes his successor).
1914.12.21 The first German air raid on England (bombing the southern coast).
12/19/22 (December 9 Julian). The Sarikamysh operation began: the Turkish army unsuccessfully tried to attack the positions of the Russian troops in the Caucasus. The operation ended on January 4 (17), 1915.
1914.12.26 The German government announces control over the supply and distribution of food.
1915
1915.01.3 On the Western Front, Germany begins to use shells filled with gas.
1915.01.8 On the Western Front, heavy battles are taking place in the area of the Basse Canal and near Suasok in France (until February 5).
1915.01.13 South African troops occupy Swakopmund in German South West Africa.
1915.01.18 Japan makes "21 demands" to China.
1915.01.19 The first German airship raid on England. Seaports in East Anglia are being bombed.
1915.01.23 On the Eastern Front, there is a fierce battle between Russian and Austro-Hungarian troops in the Carpathians (until mid-April).
1915.01.24. In the North Sea at Dogger Bank, the British fleet destroys the German cruiser Blucher.
1915.01.25 The August operation (second) begins - the offensive on January 25 - February 13, 1915 in the Augustow area of the German armies against the Russian army.
1915.01.30 Germany begins to use submarines in the war. The port of Le Havre on the northern coast of France is attacked.
1915.02.3 In the Turkish Empire, British troops begin their advance along the Tigris River in Mesopotamia.
1915.02.4 Germany announces the establishment of an underwater blockade of England and Ireland (starting February 18). She warns that she will consider any foreign vessel in the specified area as her legitimate target.
1915.02.4 In Egypt, the Turks repel the attack of the allied forces in the direction of the Suez Canal.
1915.02.4 The British Foreign Office declares that any ship bringing grain to Germany will be intercepted by the British Navy.
1915.02.8 On the Eastern Front, during the winter battle in Masuria, the troops of Germany and Austria-Hungary force the Russian army to retreat (ends on February 22).
1915.02.10 The US government announces that Germany will be held liable for any damage caused to the US Navy and American citizens.
1915.02.16 On the Western Front, French artillery carries out a massive shelling of German positions in Champagne, France (until February 26).
1915.02.17 On the Eastern Front, German troops recapture the city of Memel in North-West Germany (modern Lithuanian Klaipeda) from the Russian troops.
1915.02.19 British and French naval formations shell the Turkish fortifications at the entrance to the Dardanelles.
1915.02.20 The first Prasnysh operation began, one of the operations of the troops of the Russian North-Western Front against the German troops in the Prasnysh region (now Pshasnysh, Poland) in February - July 1915.
1915.03.9 Alexander Parvus presents to the German leadership the Plan of the Russian Revolution - a program of subversive activities aimed at overthrowing the existing system in Russia.
1915.03.10 On the Western Front, a battle takes place near the village of Neuve Chapelle (until March 13). As a result, British and Indian troops capture this settlement in northeastern France.
1915.03.18 In Turkey, British and French naval formations try to break through the Dardanelles, but Turkish coastal batteries repel the attack. During the battle, three main ships of the allied squadron were sunk.
1915.03.21 German airships bombard Paris.
1915.03.22 On the Eastern Front, Russian troops capture Przemysl (in the Polish lands in the north-east of Austria-Hungary).
1915.04.8 The beginning of the deportation of Armenians from Turkey, accompanied by their mass extermination.
1915.04.22 On the Western Front, near the town of Langemark on Ypres, German troops use poison gases for the first time: the second battle begins at Ypres. During the offensive operation, German troops break through the front in South-West Belgium and move forward 5 kilometers (until May 27).
1915.04.25 In Turkey, allied forces land on the Gallipoli Peninsula. British and French units at Cape Helles, Australian and New Zealand units (Anzac block) at Anzac Bay.
1915.04.26 A secret agreement between England, France and Italy is concluded in London. Italy must enter the war and, in case of victory, receive territories and reparations from Germany and Austria-Hungary.
1915.04.26 On the Eastern Front, during offensive battles, German troops invade Courland (modern Latvia) and on April 27 capture Lithuania.
1915.05.1 German submarines suddenly attack and sink the American ship Gulflight.
1915.05.1 The Black Sea Fleet squadron (5 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 1 air transport with 5 seaplanes) to the Bosphorus began (May 1-6, 1915).
1915.05.2 On the Eastern Front, during offensive operations (until September 30), Austro-German troops break through the Russian front in Galicia (North-Western Austria-Hungary) - Gorlitsky Breakthrough.
1915.05.4 Italy refuses to participate in the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary (the Treaty of Alliance was extended in December 1912).
1915.05.4 The second battle of Artois takes place on the Western Front (until 18 June). After the diversionary maneuver of British troops, the French forces manage to break through the front in northeastern France, but the advance is negligible.
1915.05.7 Near the southern coast of Ireland, German submarines sink the British liner Lusitania. 1198 people die, including 128 US citizens.
1915.05.9 Battle of Obers Ridge on the Western Front (until May 10). Unsuccessful British offensive in North-East France.
1915.05.12 South African forces under the command of Louis Botha occupy Windhoek, the capital of German South West Africa.
1915.05.15 On the Western Front, the battle of Festüber (until May 25). Unsuccessful offensive by British and Canadian forces in North-East France.
1915.05.15 In England, the first sea lord John Fisher leaves office, protesting against the government's policy towards the Dardanelles.
1915.05.23 Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary and seizes part of its territory. A battle took place on the Isonzo River.
1915.05.27 The Turkish government decides to deport 1.8 million Turkish citizens of Armenian origin to Syria and Mesopotamia. A third of these people were deported, another third were killed, the rest managed to escape.
1915.06.1 The first airship raid on London.
1915.06.3 On the Eastern Front, the southern flank of the Russian troops collapsed after the German units again took Przemysl.
1915.06.9 Riots in Moscow.
1915.06.23 German Social Democrats issue a manifesto demanding the start of peace negotiations.
1915.06.23 On the Eastern Front, in the northeast of Austria-Hungary, German and Austrian troops recapture the city of Lemberg (modern Ukrainian Lvov) from the Russian army.
1915.06.23 First battle at Isonzo (until July 7). Italian forces attempt to seize Austrian-held bridgeheads at the Isonzo (border river in northeastern Italy).
1915.06.26 The Alashkert operation began - the battle of June 26 - July 21, 1915 in the Alashkert region (Eastern Turkey) between the Turkish army and the Russian Caucasian corps.
1915.07.2 (Julian - June 19). Between the Russian brigade of cruisers and a detachment of German ships, the Gotland battle took place - a sea battle near the Swedish island of Gotland.
1915.07.9 In South-West Africa, German units surrender to the army under the command of Luis Botha.
1915.08.5 On the Eastern Front, German troops took Warsaw, which is part of the Russian Empire.
1915.08.6 In Turkey, Allied forces land at Suvla Bey on the Gallipoli Peninsula, trying to open a third front. But they manage to hold only a small piece of land.
1915.08.25 Italy declares war on Turkey.
1915.08.26 On the Eastern Front, German troops occupy Brest-Litovsk in the southern part of the Polish lands belonging to Russia.
1915.08.30 Taking into account the protests from the United States, the German command orders its commanders of submarines and surface warships to warn enemy passenger ships of an attack.
1915.08-09 The battle of Vilna begins - a defensive operation of the 10th Russian army (General E.A. Radkevich) against the 10th German army (General G. Eichhorn) in August - September 1915.
1915.09.5 The first international socialist conference is held in Zimmerwald (from 5 to 8 September).
1915.09.6 On the Eastern Front, Russian troops stop the German offensive near Ternopil. The parties go over to trench warfare.
1915.09.6 Bulgaria signs a military treaty with Germany and Turkey.
1915.09.8 Tsar Nicholas II takes command of the Russian army.
1915.09.9 The USA demands that Austria recall its ambassador (the ambassador leaves New York on October 5).
1915.09.18 Germany withdraws its submarines from the English Channel and the Western Atlantic to reduce the danger to American ships.
1915.09.18 On the Eastern Front, German troops capture the city of Vilno (modern Lithuanian city of Vilnius).
1915.09.23 Mobilization is announced in Greece.
1915.09.25 The third battle in Artois begins on the Western Front (until October 14). French units attack German positions in northeastern France and southeastern Champagne. British troops are trying to break through the German defenses near Laos (the operation ended on November 4 with minimal success).
1915.09.25 The USA provides England and France with a loan of 500 million dollars.
1915.09.28 British troops, developing an offensive along the Tigris River in Mesopotamia, occupy the city of Kut al-Imara.
1915.10.5 To provide assistance to Serbia, allied troops land in neutral Greece, in Thessaloniki.
1915.10.6 Bulgaria enters the war on the side of the Central European states.
1915.10.6 In England, it was announced that Lord Derby was appointed responsible for mobilization (lasted until December 12).
1915.10.7 Austria-Hungary again invades Serbia (the offensive continued until November 20) and captures Belgrade (October 9). The Serbian army is retreating southwestward. Bulgarian units are holding a defense against the allied forces in Thessaloniki.
1915.10.12 The German occupation authorities execute the English nurse Edith Keivell for harboring British and French prisoners and for facilitating their escape.
1915.10.12 The Allies declare that they will provide assistance to Serbia in accordance with the Bucharest Treaty of August 10, 1913.
1915.10.12 Greece refuses to help Serbia despite their 1913 treaty.
1915.10.13 Protesting against the sending of troops to Thessaloniki, French Foreign Minister Théophile Delcassé resigns.
1915.10.15 Great Britain declares war on Bulgaria.
1915.10.19 Japan signs the London Treaty, assuring the rest of the participants that it will not conduct separate peace negotiations with the opposing side.
1915.10.21 Third battle at Isonzo (until November 4). The Italian forces advanced very little.
1915.10.30 The Hamadan operation began, the offensive operation of the Russian troops in Northern Iran, carried out on October 17 (30). - 3 (16) Dec.
1915.11.12 Great Britain carries out the annexation of the islands of Gilbert and Ellis (modern islands of Tuvalu and Kirkbati), turning the protectorate into a colony.
1915.11.13 After the failure of the operation on the Gallipoli Peninsula, Winston Churchill resigns from the British Cabinet.
1915.11.21 Italy declares solidarity with the allies in refusing separate peace negotiations.
1915.11.22 Battle of Ctesiphon (until December 4). Turkish troops in Mesopotamia are forcing the British to withdraw to the city of Kut al-Imara.
1915.12.3 Joseph Joffre is appointed Commander-in-Chief of the French Army.
1915.12.8 The Turks encircle British troops near the city of Kut al-Imara in Mesopotamia.
1915.12.18 The Allies withdraw their troops from the Gallipoli Peninsula (the operation ends on December 19).
1915.12.19 Douglas Haig replaces John French as Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in France and Flanders.
1916
1916.01.8 Allies withdraw troops from Cape Helles on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey (the operation continued until January 9).
1916.01.8 Austria-Hungary is fighting in Montenegro (until January 17, the Serbian army retreats to the island of Corfu).
1916.01.10 (December 28 Julian calendar). The Russian army in the Caucasus advances on the Turkish positions (until April 18). The Erzurum operation began in 1915/1916. December 28 (January 10) - February 18 (March 2). Units of the 2nd Turkestan corps and the 1st Caucasian corps under the command of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich defeated the forces of the 3rd Turkish army and captured the Erzurum fortress. The Turkish army lost up to 50% of its personnel (Russians - up to 10%). The success of this operation led to the conclusion of an agreement between Russia, England and France on the transfer of the Black Sea Turkish straits to Russia after the war. For this, the military command of the Russian army and navy planned for 1917 the landing of military landings in the straits and the final withdrawal of Turkey from the war. The offensive did not take place due to the revolutionary events in Russia.
1916.01.29 The last airship raid on Paris.
1916.02.2 Sturmer becomes prime minister in Russia.
1916.02.5 The Trebizond operation began. It lasted from January 23 (February 5) to April 5 (18), 1916. As a result of the capture of Trebizond by the Russian troops, the 3rd Turkish army was cut off from Istanbul.
1916.02.16 Russian troops occupy the city of Erzurum in northeastern Turkey.
1916.02.18 The last German garrison in Cameroon capitulates.
1916.02.21 Battle of Verdun begins on the Western Front (until December 18). German troops are trying to capture the French city of Verdun, but they are met with fierce resistance. As a result of heavy fighting, the losses of Germany and France amounted to almost 40 thousand killed and wounded on each side.
1916.03.2 Russian troops capture the city of Bit Lis in South-Eastern Turkey (recaptured by the Turks on August 7).
1916.03.9 Germany declares war on Portugal.
1916.03.13 Germany changes the rules of attack on naval targets. Its submarines can now attack all British non-passenger ships in British coastal waters.
1916.03.15 Alfred von Tirpitz, German Secretary of State for Naval Affairs, resigns.
1916.03.18 The Naroch operation of 1916 began, the offensive operation of the Russian troops of the Western and Northern fronts on March 5 (18) - 17 (30) in the Dvinsk region.
1916.03.2 ° Allies agree on post-war partition of Turkey.
1916.03.2 Allied aircraft raid the German submarine base at Zeebrugge, Belgium.
1916.03.24 A German submarine sinks the passenger ship Sussex without warning. There are also US citizens among the victims.
1916.03.27 French Prime Minister Aristide Briand opens the Paris Conference of the Allied Powers on Military Issues.
1916.04.18 Russian troops occupy the city of Trabzond in northeastern Turkey.
1916.04.2 ° The USA warns Germany about the possibility of severing diplomatic relations.
1916.04.29 Turkish troops recapture the city of Kut al-Imara in Mesopotamia from the British army.
1916.05.15 The offensive at Asiago. Austro-Hungarian troops attack Italian positions, but achieve minimal success (until June 26).
1916.05.31 The Battle of Jutland begins in the North Sea, the main battle of the German and British navies in this war. The British lost most of their ships, but the German fleet was locked in ports until the end of the war (ended on June 1).
1916.06.4 Brusilov breakthrough was carried out on the Eastern Front. Russian armies under the command of General Brusilov break through the Austrian-Hungarian defenses in the south of the Pripyat swamps. However, the active hostilities of the German troops reduced the effect of the Russian offensive (the fighting continued until August 10).
1916.06.13 Jan Smuts, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces, captures Wilhelmstahl in German East Africa (present-day Tanzania).
1916.06.14 The Conference of the Allied Powers on Economic Issues takes place in Paris.
1916.06.18 On the Eastern Front, Russian troops occupy Chernivtsi (modern Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi).
1916.06.19 The battle at Baranovichi began (June 19-25) between the Russian army and the Austro-German group.
1916.06.23 Greece announces its agreement to obey the demands of the allies and to demobilize the army.
1916.06. The blockade of the Bosphorus by the Russian fleet began.
1916.07.1 The battle on the Somme begins on the Western Front (until November 19). A massive offensive by French and British troops, which managed to advance 8 kilometers. On the first day of the offensive, Great Britain lost 60 thousand soldiers (20 thousand killed). During the entire operation, Great Britain and France lost a total of over 620 thousand soldiers, and Germany's losses amounted to about 450 thousand soldiers.
1916.07.9 The German submarine "Deutschland" manages to pass through the sea barriers of the allied fleet and reach the shores of the United States.
1916.08.6 Sixth Battle of Isonzo (until 17 August). Italian troops go on the offensive and capture the city of Horace in Austria-Hungary.
1916.08.17 Bulgarian troops attack the positions of the allies encircled in Thessaloniki (until September 11).
1916.08.19 The Royal Navy in the North Sea disabled the German battleship Westfalen.
1916.08.19 German artillery shells the coast of England.
1916.08.27 Romania joins the allied powers and declares war on Austria-Hungary. Romanian troops go on the offensive in Transylvania (at that time the territory of Hungary).
1916.08.28 Italy declares war on Germany.
1916.08.30 Paul von Hindenburg is appointed Chief of the General Staff of the German Army.
1916.08.30 Turkey declares war on Russia.
1916.09.1 Bulgaria declares war on Romania.
1916.09.4 British troops capture the city of Dar es Salaam, the administrative center of German East Africa (modern Tanzania).
1916.09.6 The states of Central Europe create the Supreme Military Council.
1916.09.12 British and Serbian troops begin an offensive in the area of Thessaloniki, but cannot help the Romanian army (until December 11).
1916.09.14 Seventh battle at Isonzo (until September 18). Italian troops are making little progress.
1916.09.15 On the Western Front, during the offensive on the Somme, Great Britain uses tanks for the first time.
1916.10.4 In Romania, the troops of Austria-Hungary and Germany conduct a successful counteroffensive against the Romanian army (until December).
1916.10.9 Eighth battle at Isonzo (until December 12). Italian troops are making minimal progress.
1916.10.16 Allied forces occupy Athens.
1916.10.24 On the Western Front, the offensive of French troops to the east of Verdun begins (lasted until November 5).
1916.11.5 The states of Central Europe proclaim the creation of the Kingdom of Poland.
1916.11.25 An air force is created in Germany as a separate branch of the armed forces.
1916.12.6 In Romania, German troops occupy Bucharest (hold it until November 30, 1918).
1916.12.12 Germany sends a note to the Entente powers stating that the states of Central Europe are ready for negotiations (on December 30, the answer is sent through the US ambassador in Paris).
1916.12.13 In France, General Joffre is appointed technical adviser to the government without the right to issue orders (he resigns on December 26).
1916.12.15 On the Western Front, French troops go over to the offensive between Meuse and Vevrey Plaine (until December 17).
1916.12.20 The President of the United States sends a note to all participants in the war in Europe with a proposal to start peace negotiations.
1917
1917.01.5 (December 23, 1916 Julian calendar). The Mitava operation of 1916 began on December 23-29 (January 5-11, 1917). The offensive operation of Russian troops in the Riga area by the 12th Army of the Northern Front (commander - General Radko-Dmitriev). She was opposed by the 8th German army. The offensive of the Russian troops was unexpected for the Germans. Nevertheless, they managed not only to repulse the offensive of the Russian units, but also to press them out. For Russia, the Mitava operation ended in vain (except for the loss of 23 thousand people killed, wounded and captured).
1917.02.1 Germany declares the beginning of an all-out submarine war.
1917.02.1 The Petrograd Allied Conference begins its work. Passed through Art. style January 19 - February 7 (February 1-20).
1917.02.2 The rationed distribution of bread is introduced in Great Britain.
1917.02.3 A German submarine sinks the American passenger ship "Housetonik" off the coast of Sicily. The United States breaks off diplomatic relations with Germany.
1917.03.11 In Mesopotamia, British troops capture Baghdad.
1917.03.14 (March 1 according to the Julian calendar). In Russia, during the outbreak of the revolution, the Petrograd Soviet, by its Order No. 1, called on the soldiers to elect committees in the units and thus made the army uncontrollable and unable to continue fighting.
1917.03.16 On the Western Front, German troops withdraw to the Hindenburg line - a specially prepared defensive line between Arras and Soissons.
1917.03.17 On the Western Front, British troops occupy Bapom and Peronne (the offensive continued until March 18).
1917.03.19 (06 March Julian). In Russia, the Provisional Government announces that it intends to abide by the treaties concluded with the allies and wage the war to a victorious end.
1917.03.25 (March 12 Julian). In Russia, the death penalty has been abolished in the troops, which makes it impossible for offensive operations that pose a risk to the lives of military personnel.
1917.04.2 In the United States, President Wilson convenes a special session of Congress to discuss the issue of declaring war. On April 6, the United States declares war on Germany.
1917.04.9 On the Western Front, the battle of Vimi Riga (until April 14). Canadian troops manage to take Vimy Rij.
1917.04.9 The "Nivelle operation" of 1917 began, an offensive operation by the Anglo-French forces during the First World War, carried out from April 9 to May 5.
1917.04.16 (April 3, Julian calendar). Bolshevik leader Lenin arrives in Petrograd, having made, with the help of the German authorities, a move from Switzerland to Russia via Germany, Sweden and Finland.
1917.04.17 On the Western Front, riots began in the French army (more serious riots occurred on April 29; continued until August).
1917.05.12 (April 29 Julian). In Russia, the Minister of War A.I. Guchkov resigned due to the complete disobedience of the army.
1917.06.4 May 22 (June 4). And A. Brusilov replaces M. V. Alekseev as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.
1917.06.7 The battle of Metz began on the Western Front (until June 14). British forces manage to prepare a foothold in South-East Belgium for the main offensive.
1917.06.7 Operation "Messines" began, an operation of British troops in the area of Messina (West Flanders), carried out on June 7-15, 1917 with limited goals - to cut off the 15-km protrusion of the German defense and thereby improve their positions.
1917.06.14 An American mission headed by I. Ruth arrives in Petrograd to ensure the further participation of Russia in the war.
1917.06.29 June offensive of Russian troops in 1917 16 (29) June - 15 (28) July. The offensive of the Russian troops undertaken by the political and military command was defeated, among other things, due to the growth of anti-war sentiment among the troops. The losses of the army amounted to 30 thousand killed, wounded and prisoners. The defeat at the front led to the July political crisis in Petrograd and the weakening of the political positions of the Provisional Government. The enemy's advance was stopped only on the line of Brody, Ebarazh, Grzhimalov, Kimpolung.
1917.07.1 June 18 / July 1. Russian offensive in Galicia (launched by order of A.F. Kerensky on June 16/29 under the command of A. Brusilov). Having started successfully, the offensive was halted in mid-July. Counteroffensive of the Austro-German troops, which occupy Ternopil on July 11 (24). In the Russian army, cases of desertion are becoming more frequent.
1917.07.19 On the Eastern Front, the troops of Germany and Austria-Hungary undertake a successful counterattack on Russian positions (until August 4).
1917.07.19 A raid by German airships on the industrial areas of Great Britain.
1917.07.19 The German parliament proposes to start peace negotiations between the warring powers.
1917.07.20 The battle of Maresheshti began in 1917, hostilities in July - August 1917 on the Romanian front.
1917.07.31 The third battle of Ypres began on the Western Front. Suffering huge losses, British troops advanced 13 km deep into Belgium (fighting continued until November 10).
1917.08.3 Unrest among sailors at the German military base in Wilhelmshaven.
1917.08.3 On the Eastern Front, Russian troops again capture Chernivtsi (modern Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi).
1917.08.14 China declares war on Germany and Austria-Hungary.
1917.08.17 Eleventh battle at Isonzo (until September 12). The Italian troops manage to make some progress.
1917.09.1 The Riga operation of 1917 began on August 19 (September 1) - August 24 (September 6). An offensive operation of the German troops undertaken with the aim of capturing Riga. It ended in success for the advancing side. On the night of August 21 (September 3), Russian troops left Riga and Ust-Dvinsk and retreated to Wenden. The losses of the defending Russian 12th army amounted to 25 thousand people, 273 guns, 256 machine guns, 185 bombers and 48 mortars.
1917.9. 16 (September 3 old style). In the military camp of La Courtine near the city of Limoges
(France) there was an uprising of soldiers of the Russian expeditionary corps in France; within five days of February 16-21, the camp was shot from artillery.
1917.10.12 The Moonsund operation of 1917 began, or Operation Albion, an operation by the German fleet to seize the Moonsund archipelago, carried out on September 29 (October 12) - October 6 (19).
1917.10.15 German troops undertake a new offensive in East Africa - the battle of Machiva.
1917.10.24 The battle of Caporetto begins on the Italian front (until November 10). Troops of Austria-Hungary and Germany manage to break through the front line. Italian units create a new line of defense along the Piave River.
1917.11.6 On the Western Front, Canadian and British forces occupy Paschendael in Northwest Belgium.
1917.11.7 (Oct 25 Julian). In Petrograd, the rebels seize almost the entire capital, except for the Winter Palace. At night, the Military Revolutionary Committee announces the overthrow of the Provisional Government and, in the name of the Soviet, takes power into its own hands.
1917.11.8 26 Oct. (Nov 8). In Russia, the Bolsheviks issue a Decree on Peace: it contains a proposal to all the belligerents to immediately begin negotiations on the signing of a just democratic peace without annexations and indemnities.
1917.11.20 On the Western Front, the Battle of Cambrai begins - the first combat operation in which tank formations were widely used (until December 7). British tanks manage to break through the German defenses at Cambrai, northeastern France (later German forces drove the British back).
1917.11.21 (08 November Julian calendar). Note by the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs L. Trotsky, in which all the belligerents are invited to begin peace negotiations.
1917.11.26 The Soviet government invites Germany and Austria-Hungary to conclude
truce.
11/19/27 (November 14 Julian). The German command accepts the offer to start armistice negotiations.
1917.12.3 (20 November Julian). In Brest-Litovsk, negotiations on an armistice are opened between Russia and the Central European powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey).
1917.12.3 (20 November Julian). NV Krylenko takes possession of the Headquarters in Mogilev. N. N. Dukhonin was brutally killed by soldiers and sailors.
1917.12.15 (December 2, Julian calendar). German and Russian representatives conclude a truce in Brest-Litovsk (modern Belarusian city of Brest).
1917.12.22 (December 9, Julian calendar). Opening of the peace conference in Brest-Litovsk: Germany is represented by Secretary of State (Foreign Minister) Richard von Kühlmann and General M. Hoffmann, Austria - by Foreign Minister Chernin. The Soviet delegation, headed by A. Ioffe, demands the conclusion of a peace without annexations and reparations, respecting the right of peoples to decide their own destiny.
1918
1918.01.18 05 (18) Jan. In Brest-Litovsk, General Hoffman, in the form of an ultimatum, presents the conditions of peace put forward by the Central European powers (Russia is losing its western territories).
1918.01.24 11 (24) Jan. In the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party, three positions clash regarding the negotiations in Brest-Litovsk: Lenin stands for accepting the proposed peace conditions for the sake of strengthening the revolutionary power in the country; The "left communists" headed by Bukharin advocate the continuation of the revolutionary war; Trotsky proposes an intermediate option (to end hostilities without concluding peace), for which the majority votes.
1918.01.28 (January 15, Julian). Decree on the organization of the Red Army (Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army). Trotsky is organizing it, and soon it will become a truly powerful and disciplined army (voluntary recruitment has been replaced by compulsory military service, a large number of old military specialists have been recruited, the election of officers has been canceled, political commissars have appeared in the units).
1918.02.9 (January 27 Julian). In Brest-Litovsk, a separate peace was signed between the Central European powers and the Ukrainian Rada.
1918.02.10 January 28 (February 10 Julian). Trotsky declares that "the state of war between Russia and the Central European powers is ending," realizing his formula: "no peace, no war."
1918.02.14 (January 31, Julian calendar). A new chronology is introduced in Russia - the Gregorian calendar. For January 31, according to the Julian calendar, it immediately fell on February 14 according to the Gregorian calendar.
1918.02.18 After the presentation of an ultimatum to Russia, the Austro-German offensive was launched along the entire front; despite the fact that the Soviet side accepts the terms of peace on the night of February 18-19, the offensive continues.
1918.02.23 New German ultimatum with even more difficult peace conditions. Lenin manages to get the Central Committee to accept his proposal for the immediate conclusion of peace (7 "for", 4 - including Bukharin - "against", 4 abstained, among them Trotsky). A decree was adopted - the appeal "The Socialist Fatherland is in Danger!" The enemy was stopped at Narva and Pskov.
1918.03.1 With the support of Germany, the Central Rada returns to Kiev.
1918.03.3 The Brest Peace Treaty was signed in Brest-Litovsk. Soviet Russia and the Central European powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary) and Turkey. Under the agreement, Russia loses Poland, Finland, the Baltic States, Ukraine and part of Belarus, and also cedes Kars, Ardahan and Batum to Turkey. In general, losses amount to 1/4 of the population, 1/4 of cultivated land, about 3/4 of the coal and metallurgical industries. After the signing of the treaty, Trotsky leaves the post of People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs and from April 8. becomes Commissar of Naval Affairs.
1918.03.3 The Bolsheviks transfer the capital of Russia from Petrograd to Moscow, pushing it further away from the Russian-German front.
1918.03.9 The landing of the British in Murmansk (originally this landing was planned to repel the offensive of the Germans and their Finnish allies).
1918.03.12 Turkish troops occupy Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan (they held the city until May 14).
1918.03.21 On the Western Front, the spring offensive of the German troops begins (until July 17). As a result, the German army manages to significantly advance in the direction of Paris.
1918.03.23 German artillery uses large-caliber cannons to shell Paris from a distance of 120 km (until August 15).
1918.04.9 The Battle of Flanders began in 1918, fighting between German and Anglo-French troops in Flanders during the First World War. It happened on April 9-29.
1918.04.22 The British Navy attacks the Belgian city of Zeebrugge and blocks the entrance to the Bruges Canal and the German submarine base (on May 10, the British cruiser Vindictive was sunk at the entrance to the submarine base in Ostend).
1918.05.1 German units occupy Sevastopol.
1918.05.7 Romania signs a peace treaty with Germany and Austria-Hungary in Bucharest. Romania is allowed to annex Bessarabia, but Russia refuses to recognize its legality.
1918.05.29 On the Western Front, German troops occupy Soissons and Reims.
1918.05.29 Decree on general mobilization into the Red Army was issued in Russia.
1918.06.9 On the Western Front, the offensive of the German army near Compiegne begins (until June 13).
1918.06.15 Battle on the Piave River (until June 23). The troops of Austria-Hungary are making an attempt to attack the Italian positions, but are forced to retreat.
1918.07.6 During the congress, the Left Social Revolutionaries attempted a rebellion in Moscow: I. Blumkin kills the new German ambassador, Count von Mirbach; F. Dzerzhinsky, chairman of the Cheka, was arrested; the telegraph is busy. The threat of a renewed war between Russia and Germany.
1918.07.15 The second battle on the Marne begins on the Western Front (until July 17). Allied forces halt the German advance on Paris.
1918.07.18 On the Western Front, the Allies launch a counteroffensive (until November 10) and advance a considerable distance.
1918.07.22 On the Western Front, allied forces cross the Marne River.
1918.08.2 On the Western Front, French troops capture Soissons.
1918.08.8 A "rainy day for the German army" begins on the Western Front. British troops break through the front line.
1918.09.1 On the Western Front, British units liberate Peron.
1918.09.04 On the Western Front, German troops withdraw to the Siegfried Line.
1918.09.12 On the Western Front, the battle of Saint-Miyel begins (until September 16).
The 1st US Army, under the command of General Pershing, eliminates the German force in the St. Miyell salient.
1918.09.14 Austria-Hungary offers peace (on September 20, the Allied powers reject this offer).
1918.09.29 The German Quartermaster General Ludendorff and the Commander-in-Chief of the German Army Hindenburg advocate a constitutional monarchy in Germany and the beginning of peace negotiations.
1918.09.30 Bulgaria concludes an armistice with the allied powers.
1918.10.1 On the Western Front, French troops liberate Saint-Quentin.
1918.10.3 Prince Max of Baden is appointed Chancellor of Germany.
1918.10.3 Germany and Austria-Hungary through Switzerland transmit a joint note to the US government in which they agree to conclude an armistice on the basis of 14 points announced by President Wilson (received in the US on October 4).
1918.10.6 French troops liberate Beirut.
1918.10.9 On the Western Front, British units enter Cambrai and Le Chateau.
1918.10.12 Germany and Austria-Hungary agree to the terms of Woodrow Wilson and are ready to withdraw troops to their territory before negotiations on an armistice begin.
1918.10.13 French troops liberate Laon, and on October 17 the British army occupies Lille.
1918.10.20 Germany suspends submarine warfare.
1918.10.24 Battle of Vittorio Veneto (until November 2). The battle with the Italian army ends with the complete defeat of the troops of Austria-Hungary.
1918.10.26 Ludendorff is removed from the post of Quartermaster General of the German Army.
1918.10.27 Austria-Hungary asks Italy for an armistice.
1918.10.28 The uprising of the German sailors in Kiel.
1918.11.3 The Allied Powers sign an armistice with Austria-Hungary (to come into force on 4 November).
1918.11.3 Rebellions and riots in Germany.
1918.11.4 The Conference of the Allied Powers at Versailles develops an Agreement on the terms of an armistice with Germany.
1918.11.6 The German armistice negotiating delegation meets the Foch-led delegation of the Allied Powers in a railway carriage in Compiegne. An armistice agreement was signed, which is to enter into force on November 11.
1918.11.6 On the Western Front, American troops occupy Sedan.
1918.11.7 The republic is proclaimed in Bavaria, Germany.
1918.11.9 In Germany, Social Democrat Philip Scheidemann proclaims a republic, seeking to forestall the creation of a communist republic. Friedrich Ebert replaces Prince Max of Baden as chancellor. Kaiser Wilhelm II flees to the Netherlands.
1918.11.10 In Germany, the Ebert government receives the support of the armed forces and the Soviets of Workers 'and Soldiers' Deputies in Berlin.
1918.11.11 The Armistice Agreement between the Allied Powers and Germany enters into force (from 11 noon).
1918.11.12 In Austria-Hungary, Emperor Charles I abdicates the throne (on November 13, he also abdicates the Hungarian throne).
1918.11.12 Austria-Hungary proclaims the creation of a state union with Germany (later this union was banned by the Paris Peace Conference and the treaties signed at Versailles, Saint-Germain and Trianon).
1918.11.13 In connection with the signing of an armistice between the Allies and Germany, the Soviet government announces the annulment of the Brest Peace Treaty.
1918.11.14 Evacuation of German troops from France.
1918/11/20 The German government surrenders submarines in Haruich, East Anglia (surrender of surface vessels takes place on 21 November at the Firth of Forth, Scotland).
1918.12.1 Beginning of the occupation of Germany by the Allied forces.
1919.05.7 At the Paris Peace Conference, the Allied Powers set a number of unconditional conditions for Germany: to give up a significant part of their territory, demilitarize the Rhineland and agree to its partial occupation for a period of 5 to 15 years, pay reparations, agree to limit the size of their armed forces , agree with the "war crime" clause, recognizing their responsibility for unleashing the First World War.
1919.05.29 The German delegation makes counter-proposals to the participants of the Paris Peace Conference.
1919.06.20 Due to the refusal to sign a peace treaty on the terms of the Allied powers, German Chancellor Scheidemann resigns (on June 21, Social Democrat Gustav Bauer forms a new government of representatives of Social Democrats, centrists and democrats).
1919.06.21 German sailors scuttled their ships at the British Naval Base in the Orkney Islands.
1919.06.22 The German National Assembly decides to sign a peace treaty.
1919.06.28 German representatives sign a peace treaty (Treaty of Versailles) in the Hall of Mirrors of the Palace of Versailles near Paris.
- Hello Lord! Please support the project! It takes money ($) and mountains of enthusiasm to maintain a website every month. 🙁 If our site has helped you and you want to support the project 🙂, then you can do this by transferring funds in any of the following ways. By transferring electronic money:
- R819906736816 (wmr) rubles.
- Z177913641953 (wmz) dollars.
- E810620923590 (wme) euro.
- Payeer Wallet: P34018761
- Qiwi Wallet (qiwi): +998935323888
- DonationAlerts: http://www.donationalerts.ru/r/veknoviy
- The received help will be used and directed to the continuation of the development of the resource, Payment for hosting and Domain.
Timeline of World War I dates and events (1914-1918) Updated: December 3, 2016 Posted by: admin
Turning to international relations in the first decades of the 20th century, historians most often try to find an answer to the question: why did the world war begin? Consider events and phenomena that will help to find out the reasons for its occurrence.
International relations in the late XIX - early XX century
The rapid industrial development of the countries of Europe and North America at that time pushed them to enter the wide world market, to spread their economic and political influence in different parts of the world.
The powers that already had colonial possessions tried in every possible way to expand them. So, France in the last third of the XIX - early XX century. increased the territory of its colonies by more than 10 times. The clash of interests of individual European powers led to armed confrontation, as, for example, in Central Africa, where the British and French colonialists competed. Great Britain also tried to strengthen its position in South Africa - in the Transvaal and the Orange Republic. The decisive resistance of the descendants of the European settlers who lived there - the Boers - led to Boer War (1899-1902).
The partisan struggle of the Boers and the brutal methods of waging war by the British troops (up to the burning of peaceful settlements and the creation of concentration camps, where thousands of prisoners died) showed the whole world the terrible appearance of war in the coming XX century. Great Britain defeated two Boer republics. But this essentially imperialist war was then condemned by most European countries, as well as by democratic forces in Britain itself.
Completed by the beginning of the XX century. the colonial division of the world did not bring peace to international relations. Countries that have significantly advanced in industrial development (USA, Germany, Italy, Japan) have actively joined the struggle for economic and political influence in the world. In some cases, they took the colonial territories away from their owners by military means. This is what the United States did when it unleashed a war against Spain in 1898. In other cases, the colonies "bargained". This was done, for example, by Germany in 1911. Having declared its intention to seize part of Morocco, it sent a warship to its shores. France, which earlier penetrated Morocco, in exchange for recognizing its priority, ceded part of its possessions in the Congo to Germany. The decisiveness of Germany's colonial intentions is evidenced by the following document.
From the parting words of Kaiser Wilhelm II to the German troops heading for China in July 1900 to suppress the Ihethuan uprising:
“The newly emerging German Empire faces great challenges overseas ... And you ... must teach the enemy a good lesson. When confronted with the enemy, you must beat him! Give no mercy! Do not take prisoner! With those who fall into your hands, do not stand on ceremony. Just as a thousand years ago, under their king Attila, the Huns glorified their name, which is still preserved in fairy tales and legends, so the name of the Germans, and in a thousand years, should evoke such feelings in China that never again a single Chinese would dare to look askance on the German! "
The increasing conflicts between the great powers in different parts of the world aroused concern not only in public opinion, but also among politicians themselves. In 1899, at the initiative of Russia, a peace conference was held in The Hague with the participation of representatives of 26 states. The second conference in The Hague (1907) was attended by 44 countries. At these meetings, conventions (agreements) were adopted, which contained recommendations on the peaceful settlement of international disputes, limiting cruel forms of warfare (prohibiting the use of explosive bullets, poisonous substances, etc.), reducing military spending and armed forces, humane treatment of prisoners, and also determined the rights and obligations of neutral states.
Discussion of common problems of preserving peace did not prevent the leading European powers from engaging in completely different issues: how to ensure the achievement of their own, not always peaceful, foreign policy goals. It became increasingly difficult to do this alone, so each country was looking for allies. Since the end of the XIX century. two international blocs began to take shape - the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy) and the Franco-Russian alliance, which outgrew at the beginning of the 20th century. to the Triple Accord of France, Russia, Great Britain - the Entente.
Dates, documents, events
Triple Alliance
1879 - a secret agreement between Germany and Austria-Hungary on joint defense against an attack by Russia.
1882 - the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy.
Franco-Russian union
1891-1892 - a consultative pact and a military convention between Russia and France.
Entente
1904 - Agreement between Great Britain and France on the division of spheres of influence in Africa.
1906 - negotiations of Belgium, Great Britain and France on military cooperation.
1907 - Agreement between Great Britain and Russia on the division of spheres of influence in Iran, Afghanistan and Tibet.
International conflicts of the early XX century. were not limited to disputes over overseas territories. They also arose in Europe itself. In 1908-1909. the so-called Bosnian crisis occurred. Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina, which were formally part of the Ottoman Empire. Serbia and Russia protested because they stood for the granting of independence to these territories. Austria-Hungary announced mobilization and began to concentrate troops on the border with Serbia. The actions of Austria-Hungary received the support of Germany, which forced Russia and Serbia to come to terms with the seizure.
Balkan Wars
Other states also tried to take advantage of the weakening of the Ottoman Empire. Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece and Montenegro formed the Balkan Union and in October 1912 attacked the empire with the aim of liberating the territories inhabited by Slavs and Greeks from under Turkish rule. In a short time, the Turkish army was defeated. But the peace negotiations turned out to be difficult, since the great powers were involved in them: the Entente countries supported the states of the Balkan Union, and Austria-Hungary and Germany - the Turks. Under a peace treaty signed in May 1913, the Ottoman Empire lost almost all of its European territories. But less than a month later, the second Balkan War broke out - this time between the victors. Bulgaria attacked Serbia and Greece, seeking to get its part of the freed from Turkish rule of Macedonia. The war ended in August 1913 with the defeat of Bulgaria. She left behind unresolved interethnic and interstate contradictions. These were not only mutual territorial disputes between Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Romania. There was also growing dissatisfaction with Austria-Hungary with the strengthening of Serbia as a possible center for the unification of the South Slavic peoples, some of which were in the possession of the Habsburg Empire.
The beginning of the war
On June 28, 1914, in the capital of Bosnia, Sarajevo, a member of the Serbian terrorist organization Gavrilo Princip killed the heir to the Austrian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife.
June 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia in Sarajevo Five minutes before the assassination attempt
Austria-Hungary accused Serbia of incitement, to which an ultimatum was sent. Fulfillment of the requirements contained in it meant for Serbia the loss of its state dignity, consent to Austrian interference in its affairs. Serbia was ready to fulfill all the conditions, except for one, the most humiliating for her (about the investigation by the Austrian services on the territory of Serbia of the reasons for the Sarajevo assassination attempt). However, Austria-Hungary on July 28, 1914 declared war on Serbia. Two weeks later, 8 European states were involved in the war.
Dates and events
August 1 - Germany declared war on Russia.
August 2 - German troops occupy Luxembourg.
August 3 - Germany declared war on France, her troops moved to France through Belgium.
August 4 - Great Britain entered the war against Germany.
August 6 - Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia.
August 11 - France entered the war against Austria-Hungary.
August 12 - Great Britain declares war on Austria-Hungary.
On August 23, 1914, Japan declared war on Germany and began to seize German possessions in China and the Pacific. In the autumn of the same year, the Ottoman Empire entered the struggle on the side of the Triple Alliance. The war went beyond the borders of Europe and turned into a world war.
States that entered the war, as a rule, explained their decision by "higher interests" - the desire to protect themselves and other countries from aggression, an allied duty, etc. But the true goals of most of the participants in the conflict were to expand their territories or colonial possessions, to increase their influence in Europe and other continents.
Austria-Hungary wanted to subdue the growing Serbia, to weaken the position of Russia in the Balkans. Germany sought to annex the border territories of France and Belgium, the Baltic states and other lands in Europe, as well as expand its colonial possessions at the expense of the British, French, and Belgian colonies. France resisted the onslaught of Germany and at least wanted to return Alsace and Lorraine, which had been captured from it in 1871. Britain fought to preserve its colonial empire and wanted to weaken Germany, which had gained strength. Russia defended its interests in the Balkans and the Black Sea and at the same time was not averse to annexing Galicia, which was part of Austria-Hungary.
Some exceptions were Serbia, which became the first victim of the attack, and Belgium, occupied by the Germans: they fought primarily to restore their independence, although they had other interests.
War and society
So, in the summer of 1914, the wheel of war rolled out of the hands of politicians and diplomats and invaded the lives of millions of people in dozens of countries in Europe and the world. What did people feel when they learned about the war? With what mood did the men go to the mobilization points? What were those who were not supposed to go to the front preparing for?
Official messages about the outbreak of hostilities were accompanied by patriotic appeals and assurances of an imminent victory.
French President R. Poincaré noted in his notes:
“The German declaration of war generated a magnificent outburst of patriotism in the nation. Never in all its history has France been so beautiful as in these hours, of which we were given to be witnesses. The mobilization, which began on August 2, ended today, was carried out with such discipline, in such an order, with such calmness, with such enthusiasm that the government and the military authorities admire ... In England there is the same enthusiasm as in France; the royal family has been the subject of repeated applause; everywhere there are patriotic demonstrations. The Central Powers aroused the unanimous indignation of the French, British and Belgian peoples against themselves. "
A significant part of the population of the countries that entered the war was gripped by nationalist sentiments. Attempts by pacifists and some socialists to raise their voices against the war were drowned out by a wave of jingoistic patriotism. The leaders of the workers' and socialist movement in Germany, Austria-Hungary, France put forward the slogans of "civil peace" in their countries and voted for war credits. The leaders of the Austrian Social Democracy called on their supporters "to fight tsarism", and the British socialists decided, first of all, "to fight against German imperialism." The ideas of class struggle and international workers' solidarity were relegated to the background. This led to the collapse of the Second International. Only a few groups of Social Democrats (including the Russian Bolsheviks) condemned the outbreak of the war as imperialist and called on the working people to refuse to support their governments. But their voices were not heard. Thousands of armies went to fight, hoping for a victory.
Failure of lightning war plans
Although the primacy in declaring war belonged to Austria-Hungary, Germany immediately launched the most decisive actions. She sought to avoid a war on two fronts - against Russia in the east and France in the west. The plan of General A. von Schlieffen, developed even before the war, envisaged first a quick defeat of France (in 40 days), and then an active struggle against Russia. The German strike group, which invaded the territory of Belgium at the beginning of the war, after a little over two weeks approached the border of France (later than envisaged by the plan, since the fierce resistance of the Belgians prevented it). By September 1914, German armies crossed the Marne River and approached the fortress of Verdun. The "blitzkrieg" (blitzkrieg) plan was not carried out. But France found itself in a very difficult position. Paris was under the threat of capture. The government left the capital and turned to Russia for help.
Despite the fact that the deployment and equipping of Russian troops by this time was not completed (this is exactly what Shlif-fen was counting on in his plan), two Russian armies under the command of Generals P.K. Rennenkamp-fa and A.V. Samsonov were abandoned in August in the offensive in East Prussia (here they soon failed), and the troops under the command of General N.I. Ivanov in September - in Galicia (where they dealt a serious blow to the Austrian army). The offensive cost the Russian troops heavy losses. But to stop it, Germany transferred several corps from France to the Eastern Front. This allowed the French command to gather forces and repulse the onslaught of the Germans in a hard battle on the Marne in September 1914 (more than 1.5 million people took part in the battle, losses on both sides amounted to almost 600 thousand killed and wounded).
The plan to defeat France quickly failed. Unable to gain the upper hand over each other, the opponents "sat in trenches" along the huge front line (600 km long), crossing Europe from the North Sea coast to Switzerland. A protracted trench warfare ensued on the Western Front. By the end of 1914, a similar situation had developed on the Austro-Serbian front, where the Serbian army was able to liberate the territory of the country, which had previously been captured (in August-November) by Austrian troops.
During the period of relative calm at the fronts, diplomats became more active. Each of the warring factions sought to attract new allies into their ranks. Both sides negotiated with Italy, which declared its neutrality at the beginning of the war. Seeing the failures of the German and Austrian troops in conducting a lightning war, Italy in the spring of 1915 joined the Entente.
On the fronts
In the spring of 1915, the center of hostilities in Europe moved to the Eastern Front. The combined forces of Germany and Austria-Hungary carried out a successful offensive in Galicia, displacing the Russian troops from there, and the army under the command of General P. von Hindenburg by autumn captured the Polish and Lithuanian territories that were part of the Russian Empire (including Warsaw).
Despite the difficult position of the Russian army, the French and British commanders were in no hurry to advance on their front. In the military reports of that time, the proverbial phrase was quoted: "Quiet on the Western Front." True, trench warfare was also an ordeal. The fight intensified, the number of victims steadily increased. In April 1915, the German army launched a gas attack for the first time on the Western Front near the Ypres River. About 15 thousand people were poisoned, 5 thousand of them died, the rest remained disabled. In the same year, the war at sea between Germany and Great Britain intensified. To blockade the British Isles, German submarines began to attack all ships going there. During the year, over 700 ships were sunk, including many civilian steamers. Protests from the United States and other neutral countries forced the German command to abandon attacks on passenger ships for a while.
After the successes of the Austro-German forces on the Eastern Front, in the fall of 1915, Bulgaria entered the war on their side. Soon, as a result of a joint offensive, the allies occupied the territory of Serbia.
In 1916, believing that Russia was sufficiently weakened, the German command decided to strike again at France. The aim of the German offensive, launched in February, was the French fortress of Verdun, the capture of which would have opened the way for the Germans to Paris. However, it was not possible to take the fortress.
This was due to the fact that during the preceding break in active operations on the Western Front, the British-French troops secured an advantage over the Germans of several dozen divisions. In addition, at the request of the French command in March 1916, an offensive by Russian troops was launched near Lake Naroch and the city of Dvinsk, which diverted significant forces of the Germans.
Finally, in July 1916, a massive offensive by the British-French army began on the Western Front. Particularly heavy fighting took place on the Somme River. Here the French concentrated powerful artillery, creating a solid barrage of fire. For the first time, the British used tanks, which caused real panic among German soldiers, although they could not yet turn the tide of battles.
A bloody battle that lasted almost six months, in which both sides lost about 1.3 million people killed, wounded and captured, ended with a relatively small advance of British and French troops. Contemporaries called the battles of Verdun and the Somme "meat grinders".
Even the inveterate politician R. Poincaré, who at the beginning of the war was delighted with the patriotic upsurge of the French, now saw a different, terrible face of the war. He wrote:
“How much energy does this life of troops require every day, half underground, in trenches, in rain and snow, in trenches destroyed by grenades and mines, in shelters without clean air and light, in parallel ditches, always subject to the destructive action of shells, in side passages , which can suddenly be cut off by enemy artillery, at forward posts, where the patrol can be overtaken by an impending attack every minute! How can we still know the moments of deceptive calm in the rear, if there, at the front, people like us are doomed to this hell? "
Significant events unfolded in 1916 on the Eastern Front. In June, Russian troops under the command of General A.A. Brusilov broke through the Austrian front to a depth of 70-120 km. The Austrian and German command hastily transferred 17 divisions from Italy and France to this front. Despite this, Russian troops occupied part of Galicia, Bukovina, entered the Carpathians. Their further advance was suspended due to a lack of ammunition, the isolation of the rear.
In August 1916, Romania entered the war on the side of the Entente. But by the end of the year, her army was defeated, the territory was occupied. As a result, the front line for the Russian army increased by another 500 km.
Position in the rear
The war required the warring countries to mobilize all human and material resources. The life of people in the rear was built according to the laws of wartime. The working hours were extended at the enterprises. Restrictions were introduced on holding meetings, rallies, and strikes. The newspapers were censored. The state strengthened not only political control over society. During the war years, its regulating role in the economy increased noticeably. State bodies distributed military orders and raw materials, disposed of produced military products. Their alliance with the largest industrial and financial monopolies was formed.
The daily life of people has also changed. The work of young, strong men who left to fight fell on the shoulders of old people, women and adolescents. They worked in military factories, cultivated the land in immeasurably more difficult conditions than before.
From the book by S. Pankhurst "Home Front" (the author is one of the leaders of the women's movement in England):
“In July (1916) I was approached by women working in aviation enterprises in London. They covered the wings of the aircraft with camouflage paint for 15 shillings a week, working from 8 am until half past seven in the evening. They were often asked to work until 8 p.m., and were paid for this overtime work as for ordinary work ... According to them, six or more of the thirty women who worked in the painting were constantly forced to leave the workshop and lie on the stones for half an hour and more before they could return to their workplace. "
In most of the warring countries, a system of rigidly rationed distribution of food and essential goods on the cards was introduced. At the same time, the norms were cut by two or three times in comparison with the pre-war level of consumption. It was possible to purchase products in excess of the norm only on the “black market” for fabulous money. Only industrialists and speculators who got rich on military supplies could afford it. Most of the population was starving. In Germany, the winter of 1916/17 was called "rutabaga", as because of the poor harvest of potatoes, rutabagas became the main food product. People also suffered from a lack of fuel. In Paris, during the winter mentioned, there were cases of death of people from the cold. The protraction of the war led to an ever greater deterioration in the situation in the rear.
The crisis is ripe. The final stage of the war
The war brought ever-increasing losses and suffering to the peoples. By the end of 1916, about 6 million people had died on the fronts, and about 10 million were wounded. The cities and villages of Europe became the battlegrounds. In the occupied territories, the civilian population was subjected to robberies and violence. In the rear, both people and machines worked for wear and tear. The material and spiritual forces of the peoples were depleted. Both politicians and the military already understood this. In December 1916, Germany and its allies suggested that the Entente countries begin peace negotiations, and representatives of several neutral states also spoke in favor of this. But each of the warring parties did not want to recognize themselves as a loser and sought to dictate their own terms. Negotiations did not take place.
Meanwhile, in the warring countries themselves, dissatisfaction with the war and those who continued to wage it was growing. The "civil world" was falling apart. Since 1915, the workers' strike struggle has intensified. At first, they demanded mainly an increase in wages, which were constantly depreciating due to rising prices. Then anti-war slogans began to sound more and more often. The ideas of the struggle against the imperialist war were put forward by the revolutionary Social Democrats in Russia and Germany. On May 1, 1916, during a demonstration in Berlin, the leader of the left-wing Social Democrats Karl Liebknecht made calls: "Down with the war!", "Down with the government!" (for this he was arrested and sentenced to four years in prison).
In England, the workers' strike movement in 1915 was led by the so-called shop leaders. They presented the workers' demands to the administration and steadily sought their fulfillment. Active anti-war propaganda was launched by pacifist organizations. The national question has also become aggravated. In April 1916 there was an uprising in Ireland. Rebel detachments led by socialist J. Connolly seized government buildings in Dublin and declared Ireland an independent republic. The uprising was ruthlessly suppressed, 15 of its leaders were executed.
An explosive situation has developed in Russia. Here, the matter was not limited to the growth of strikes. The February Revolution of 1917 overthrew the autocracy. The provisional government intended to continue the war "to a victorious end." But it did not retain power either over the army or over the country. In October 1917, Soviet power was proclaimed. As for their international consequences, the most tangible at that moment was Russia's withdrawal from the war. At first, unrest in the army led to the collapse of the Eastern Front. And in March 1918, the Soviet government concluded the Brest-Litovsk Peace with Germany and its allies, under whose control vast territories remained in the Baltics, Belarus, Ukraine and the Caucasus. The impact of the Russian revolution on events in Europe and the world was not limited to this, it, as it became clear later, also affected the internal life of many countries.
Meanwhile, the war continued. In April 1917, the United States of America declared war on Germany, and then on its allies. They were followed by several Latin American states, China and other countries. The Americans sent their troops to Europe. In 1918, after the conclusion of peace with Russia, the German command made several attempts to attack in France, but to no avail. Having lost about 800 thousand people in battles, the German troops withdrew to their original lines. By the fall of 1918, the initiative in the conduct of hostilities passed to the Entente countries.
The question of ending the war was decided not only at the fronts. Anti-war protests and discontent increased in the warring countries. At demonstrations and rallies, the slogans advanced by the Russian Bolsheviks were increasingly heard: "Down with the war!", "Peace without annexations and indemnities!" Workers 'and soldiers' councils began to appear in different countries. The French workers adopted resolutions stating: "A spark ignited in Petrograd will light up the light over the rest of the world enslaved by militarism." In the army, battalions and regiments refused to go to the front line.
Germany and her allies, weakened by defeats on the fronts and internal difficulties, were forced to ask for peace.
On September 29, 1918, Bulgaria stopped fighting. On October 5, the German government made a request for an armistice. On October 30, the Ottoman Empire signed an armistice with the Entente. On November 3, Austria-Hungary surrendered, seized by the liberation movements of the peoples living in it.
On November 3, 1918, a sailor uprising broke out in Germany in the city of Kiel, which marked the beginning of the revolution. On November 9, the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II was announced. On November 10, the Social Democratic government came to power.
On November 11, 1918, the commander-in-chief of the allied forces in France, Marshal F. Foch, in his staff carriage in the Compiegne forest, dictated the terms of an armistice to the German delegation. Finally, the war ended, in which more than 30 states participated (in terms of population they accounted for more than half of the world's population), 10 million people were killed and 20 million were injured. A difficult road to peace lay ahead.
References:
Aleksashkina L. N. / General history. XX - early XXI century.
The starting point in the history of the war, later called the First World War, is considered to be 1914 (July 28), and the end - 1918 (November 11). Many countries of the world, divided into two camps, took part in it:
Entente (a bloc that originally consisted of France, England, Russia, to which Italy, Romania, and many other countries also joined after a certain period of time)
Quadruple Alliance (Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire).
If we describe the segment of history known to us as the First World War, briefly, then it can be divided into three stages: the initial, when the main participating countries entered the arena of actions, the middle, when the situation turned in favor of the Entente, and the final, when Germany and her the allies finally lost their positions and surrendered.
First stage
The war began with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand (heir to the Habsburg Empire) and his wife by the Serbian nationalist terrorist Gavrila Princip. The assassination led to a conflict between Serbia and Austria, and, in fact, served as a pretext for the outbreak of a war, which had been brewing for a long time in Europe. Austria in this war was supported by Germany. This country entered the war with Russia on August 1, 1914, and two days later - with France; further, the German army broke into the territory of Luxembourg and Belgium. The enemy armies advanced to the sea, where the Western Front line was eventually closed. For some time, the situation here remained stable, and France did not lose control over its coast, which German troops were unsuccessfully trying to capture. In 1914, namely in mid-August, the Eastern Front opened: here the Russian army attacked and quickly captured territories in the east of Prussia. Victory for Russia, the Battle of Galicia took place on August 18, which temporarily put an end to the fierce clashes between the Austrians and the Russians.
Serbia recaptured Belgrade, previously captured by the Austrians, after which no particularly active battles followed. Japan also opposed Germany, capturing its island colonies in 1914. This secured the eastern borders of Russia from invasion, but from the south it was attacked by the Ottoman Empire, which was on the side of Germany. At the end of 1914, she opened the Caucasian Front, which cut off Russia from convenient communication with allied countries.
Second phase
The Western Front became more active: here, in 1915, fierce battles between France and Germany resumed. The forces were equal, and the front line remained almost unchanged at the end of the year, although both sides suffered significant damage. On the Eastern Front, the situation changed for the worse for the Russians: the Germans made the Gorlitsky breakthrough, recapturing Galicia and Poland from Russia. By the fall, the front line had stabilized: now it ran almost along the pre-war border between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia.
In 1915 (May 23) Italy entered the war. At first, she announced the war on Austria-Hungary, but soon Bulgaria also joined the hostilities, opposing the Entente, which ultimately led to the fall of Serbia.
In 1916, the Battle of Verdun took place, one of the largest battles in this war. The operation lasted from late February to mid-December; During this confrontation, a flamethrower was used for the first time between the German forces, which had lost 450,000 soldiers, and the Anglo-French forces, which suffered losses of 750,000 people. On the Western Russian front, Russian troops made the Brusilov breakthrough, after which Germany transferred most of its troops there, which played into the hands of England and France. Fierce battles were also fought on the water at that time. So, in the spring of 1916, a major battle of Jutland took place, which strengthened the positions of the Entente. At the end of the year, the Quadruple Alliance, having lost its dominant position in the war, proposed an armistice, which the Entente rejected.
Third stage
In 1917, the United States joined the Allied forces. The Entente was close to victory, but Germany held a strategic defense on land and also tried to attack the British forces with the help of the submarine fleet. Russia in October 1917, after the Revolution, had almost completely withdrawn from the war, absorbed in internal problems. Germany eliminated the Eastern Front by signing a truce with Russia, Ukraine and Romania. In March 1918, the Brest Peace Treaty was concluded between Russia and Germany, the terms of which turned out to be extremely difficult for Russia, but this treaty was soon canceled. The Baltic states, part of Belarus and Poland were still under Germany; The country transferred the main military forces to the west, but, together with Austria (the Habsburg Empire), Bulgaria and Turkey (the Ottoman Empire), was defeated by the Entente forces. Finally exhausted Germany was forced to sign the Act of Surrender - it happened in 1918, on November 11. This date is considered the end of the war.
The Entente troops won the final victory in 1918.
After the war, the economies of all participating countries suffered greatly. The state of affairs was especially deplorable in Germany; in addition, this country lost an eighth of the territories that belonged to it before the war, ceded to the Entente countries, and the bank of the Rhine River remained occupied by the victorious allied forces for 15 years. Germany was obliged to pay reparations to the allies for 30 years, severe restrictions were imposed on all types of weapons and on the size of the army - it was not supposed to quantitatively exceed 100 thousand soldiers.
However, the victorious member countries of the Entente bloc also suffered losses. Their economy was extremely depleted, all branches of the national economy suffered a severe decline, the standard of living deteriorated sharply, and only the military monopolies were in an advantageous position. The situation in Russia was also extremely destabilized, which is explained not only by internal political processes (primarily, the October Revolution and the events that followed it), but also by the country's participation in the First World War. The United States suffered the least - mainly because military operations were not conducted directly on the territory of this country, and its participation in the war was not long. The US economy experienced a real boom in the 1920s, which was replaced by the so-called Great Depression only in the 1930s, but the war that had already passed and did not greatly affect the country had nothing to do with these processes.
And, finally, about the losses that the First World War brought, briefly: human losses are estimated at 10 million soldiers and about 20 million civilians. The exact number of victims of this war has not been established. The lives of many people were taken away not only by armed conflicts, but also by hunger, epidemics of disease, as well as extremely difficult living conditions.
The First World War began on August 1, 1914. It lasted more than 4 years (ended on November 11, 1918), 38 states took part in it, over 74 million people fought on its fields, of which 10 million were killed and 20 million maimed. This war led to the collapse of the most powerful European states and the formation of a new political situation in the world.
On the eve of the war, relations between the strongest countries - England and Germany - worsened. Their rivalry turned into a fierce struggle for domination in the world, for the seizure of new territories. There were also alliances of states that were at enmity with each other.
The reason for the war was the murder on June 28, 1914 in the city of Sarajevo (in Bosnia on the Balkan Peninsula) of the heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire Franz Ferdinand. As a result, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia a month later. On August 1, Germany declared war on Russia, on August 3 - on France and Belgium, and on August 4, England declared war on Germany. Most of the world's countries were involved in the war. On the side of the Entente (England, France, Russia) - 34 states, on the side of Germany and Austria - 4. Military operations covered the territory of Europe, Asia and Africa, were conducted on all oceans and many seas. The main land fronts in Europe, on which the outcome of the war was decided, were the Western (in France) and the Eastern (in Russia).
In August 1914, German troops were already almost near Paris, where bloody battles were fought. A continuous front line stretched from the Swiss border to the North Sea. But Germany's hopes for a quick defeat of France failed. On August 23, Japan declared war on Germany, and in October Turkey entered the war on the side of Germany. It became clear that the war was becoming protracted.
In the rear, in many countries, people were faced with want, food supplies were no longer enough. The situation of peoples, especially of the belligerent states, has deteriorated sharply. To change the course of the war, Germany decided to use a new type of weapon - poisonous gases.
It was very difficult to fight on two fronts. In October 1917, a revolution took place in Russia, and she withdrew from the war by signing a peace treaty with Germany. But this did not help Germany too much, her offensive on the Western Front in 1918 failed.
In August-September, the Allied armies, using their superiority in troops and equipment (in March 1918, troops from the United States, which entered the war in 1917, began to arrive on the Western Front), went on the offensive and forced German troops to withdraw from France.
In early October, Germany's position became hopeless. Defeats at the fronts, devastation led to a revolution in Germany. On November 9, the monarchy in it was overthrown, and on November 11, Germany declared herself defeated. The terms of the peace treaties with Germany and its allies were finally signed at the Paris Conference of 1919-20. Germany paid large sums of compensation to the winners (except for Russia, which withdrew from the Entente after the October Revolution). In 1918, Austria-Hungary also disintegrated.
The First World War changed the entire map of Europe.
On June 28, 1914, the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Ferdinand and his wife was committed in Bosnia, in which Serbia was accused of involvement. And although the British statesman Edward Gray called for a settlement of the conflict, offering the 4 largest powers as mediators, this only managed to intensify the situation and draw the whole of Europe, including Russia, into the war.
Almost a month later, Russia announces the mobilization of troops and conscription after Serbia turns to her for help. However, what was originally planned as a precautionary measure prompted a backlash from Germany demanding an end to the conscription. As a result, on August 1, 1914, Germany declares war on Russia.
The main events of the First World War.
Years of the First World War.
- When did World War I start? The year of the outbreak of the First World War - 1914 (July 28).
- When did World War II end? The year of the end of the First World War is 1918 (November 11).
Key dates of the First World War.
During the 5 years of the war, there were many important events and operations, but several of them stand out that played a decisive role in the war itself and its history.
- On July 28, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. Russia supports Serbia.
- On August 1, 1914, Germany declares war on Russia. Germany in general has always strived for world domination. And throughout August, all of them put ultimatums to each other, and all they do is declare war.
- In November 1914 Great Britain begins a naval blockade of Germany. Gradually, in all countries, an active mobilization of the population into the army begins.
- At the beginning of 1915, large-scale offensive operations were launched in Germany, on its eastern front. The spring of the same year, namely April, can be associated with such a significant event as the start of the use of chemical weapons. Again from Germany.
- In October 1915, hostilities were unleashed against Serbia by Bulgaria. In response to these actions, the Entente declares war on Bulgaria.
- In 1916, the use of tank equipment began, mainly by the British.
- In 1917, Nicholas II abdicated the throne in Russia, a provisional government came to power, which led to a split in the army. Active hostilities continue.
- In November 1918, Germany proclaims itself a republic - the result of the revolution.
- On November 11, 1918, from the very morning, Germany signed the Compiegne armistice and from that time on, the hostilities ended.
End of the First World War.
Despite the fact that for most of the war German forces were able to deliver serious blows to the Allied army, by December 1, 1918, the Allies were able to break through to the borders of Germany and begin its occupation.
Later, on June 28, 1919, having no other choice, the German representatives signed a peace treaty in Paris, which was eventually called the "Peace of Versailles", and put an end to the First World War.