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Notable Days of the War

Purple text indicates date of special American interest.

Generals Reviewing the Troops

1914
June 28   Archduke Francis Ferdinand murdered at Sarajevo, Serbia.
July 28   Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
July 31   General mobilization ordered in Russia.
August 1   Germany declares war on Russia.
August 2   Germany invades Belgian neutrality.
August 3   Germany declares war on France.
August 4   Germany declares war on England.
August 4   President Wilson proclaims our neutrality.
August 6   Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia.
August 10   France declares war on Austria-Hungary.
August 12   England declares war on Austria-Hungary.
September 3   French government moved to Bordeaux.
September 6   French stop Germans on the Marne.
October 10   Antwerp falls to Germans.
October 31   Allies stop drive to Channel Ports.
November 7   Japanese capture Kiao Chau.
December 8   British navy wins Falkland Islands battle.
December 14   Serbians drive Austrians out of Belgrade.
December 24   First German air raid on England
 
1915
January 24   British win naval battle of Dogger Bank.
January 28   American merchantman, William P. Frye, sunk.
February 10   Wilson sends "strict accountability" note.
February 12   Russian disaster at Masurian Lakes.
February 18   German blockade of England begins.
March 4   British land at Gallipoli.
March 10   Battle of Neuve Chapelle.
March 17   Russians capture Przemsyl.
April 23   Germans make first use of poison gas.
May 1   American steamer, Gulflight, sunk by Germans.
May 7   Lusitania sunk and 1134 lives lost.
May 24   Italy enters war on side of Allies.
June 8   Secretary of State Bryan resigns.
August 4   Germans capture Warsaw.
September 1   Germans promise to sink no more of our ships.
September 25-30   French offensive in Champagne fails.
October 6   Conquest of Serbia is begun.
October 12   Edith Cavell is executed by Germans.
October 13   Bulgaria enters the war.
December 15   Haig succeeds French as British commander.
1916
January 9   British evacuate Gallipoli.
February 22   Germans launch drive on Verdun.
March 24   Steamer Sussex, with American citizens, sunk.
April 19   Wilson addresses Congress on German relations.
April 29   15,000 British surrender to Turks at Kut-el-Amara.
May 31   British fleet wins Jutland battle.
June 5   Lord Kitchener is drowned.
August 27   Roumania enters war with the Allies.
September 14   British make first use of "tanks."
October 24   French stop Verdun drive after six months.
December 6   Germans capture Bucharest.
December 7   Lloyd George becomes British premier.
December 12   First German peace offer is made.
 
1917
January 31   Germany announces unrestricted submarine warfare.
February 3   Ambassador Bernstoff handed passports.
February 26   Wilson asks authority to arm merchant ships.
March 11   Bagdad captured by the British.
March 12-15   Russian revolution; Czar deposed.
March 17   Germans retire to the Hindenburg line.
April 2   Wilson asks declaration of war on Germany.
April 6   Congress passes war resolution.
April 8   Austria-Hungary severs diplomatic relations.
May 18   President Wilson signs draft law.
June 5   10,000,000 Americans register for service.
June 7   British blow up Messines Ridge.
June 12   Greeks depose King Constantine.
June 15   First Liberty Loan oversubscribed billion dollars.
June 26   First American troops reach France.
June 29   Greece enters war against Central Powers.
July 20   Kerensky becomes head Russian republic.
August 10   Food and Fuel Control Bill is passed.
August 15   Pope Benedict proposes peace terms.
October 23   First American troops enter the trenches.
October 25   Americans capture first German prisoner.
October 27   Second Liberty Loan oversubscribed.
November 2   Privates Enright, Gresham, Hay - first Americans killed.
November 13   Clemenceau becomes French premier.
November 28   Premier Kerensky overthrown by Bolsheviki.
December 7   War declared on Austria-Hungary.
December 9   British capture Jerusalem.
December 31   204,965 American troops in France.
 
1918
January 5   President Wilson announces "14 peace points."
February 1   General March made chief of general staff.
February 2   American troops take over Toul sector.
February 9   Ukraine surrenders to Central Powers.
February 22   U. S. troops are in Chemin des Dames sector.
February 26   Roumania forced to make peace with Huns.
March 3   Brest-Litovsk treaty is signed.
March 21   Great German drive on Amiens begins.
March 24   German "Big Bertha" shells Paris.
March 27   Pershing tenders all troops to stop drive.
March 29   Marshal Foch made commander-in-chief.
March 29   Germans claim 70,000 prisoners, 1,100 guns.
April 4   Germans start drive to Channel Ports.
April 16   Messines Ridge falls before Germans.
April 17   First U. S. Division in line at Montdidier.
April 20-26th   Division beats off attack at Seicheprey.
April 22   British navy "bottles" Zeebrugge.
May 4   Third Liberty Loan largely oversubscribed.
May 5   Austrians start drive on Italy.
May 27   Germans start drive in Marne salient.
May 28   First American offensive takes Cantigny.
June 1   Germans cross the Marne.
June 2   7th Machine Gun Battalion holds Chateau-Thierry bridge.
June 2   Marines stop Prussian Guards near Chateau-Thierry.
June 3   Submarines sink ships off U. S. coast.
June 6   Marines capture part of Belleau Wood.
June 17   Austrian offensive on Piave breaks down.
July 1   American troops capture Vaux.
July 4   Americans celebrate by taking Hamel.
July 12   Eleven American divisions in battle line.
July 15   Germans begin final drive on Paris.
JULY 18   MARSHAL FOCH LAUNCHES COUNTER-OFFENSIVE.
July 20   Americans capture 20,000 men, 560 guns.
July 23   Germans retreat in Marne salient.
August 5   U. S. troops land at Archangel, Russia.
August 6   Americans capture Fismes on Vesle River.
August 15   American troops land at Vladivostok.
August 31   1,553,000 Americans have reached France.
September 2   Allies have captured 188,000 men, 2,069 guns since July 18.
September 6   Allies advance on 90-mile front in Picardy.
SEPTEMBER 12   AMERICAN OFFENSIVE IN ST. MIHIEL SECTOR.
September 14   Salient wiped out, 16,000 prisoners, 443 guns taken.
SEPTEMBER 26   AMERICANS LAUNCH DRIVE IN ARGONNE.
September 27   British capture 45,000 Turks in Palestine.
SEPTEMBER 28   AMERICANS TAKE 10,000 PRISONERS IN ARGONNE.
SEPTEMBER 29   30th and 27th DIVISIONS SMASH HINDENBURG LINE.
September 30   Bulgaria surrenders to Allies.
October 1   French capture St. Quentin.
October 1   1,976,000 U. S. troops in France.
October 2   2nd and 36th Divisions on Rheims front.
October 3   Turkey asks for peace terms.
October 4   Second phase of Argonne battle begins.
OCTOBER 6   GERMANS ASK U. S. FOR ARMISTICE.
October 10   Americans have cleared the Argonne of Germans.
October 11   Allies take Lille, Bruges, Ostend, Zeebrugge.
October 19   Austrian peace plea rejected.
October 19   Fourth Liberty Loan largely oversubscribed.
October 30   Italians rout Austrians, capture 33,000.
November 1   Final advance in Argonne drive begins.
November 3   Austria surrenders to allies.
November 6   American troops enter Sedan.
November 8   Marshal Foch receives German armistice delegates.
November 9   Kaiser and Crown Prince renounce throne.
November 10   Kaiser and Crown Prince flee to Holland.
NOVEMBER 11   ALL FIGHTING CEASED AT 11 A. M.
     
JUNE 28, 1919 PEACE TREATY SIGNED AT VERSAILLES.
 
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