WWI CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE Before the start of the war Date 1898 1904 28 June 1914 19 Jul. – 5 Aug. 1914 31 Jul. 1914 1 Aug. 1914 General events Murder of Franz-­‐
Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian Emperor, in Sarajevo. British French events events Start of naval race with Germany Entente cordiale between UK and France Military service moves from 2 to 3 years. Murder of Jean Jaurès by a fanatical nationalist. Listen to Jacques Brel’s song Pourquoi ont-­‐ils tué Jaurès? on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq
Z2pxLFYxA Order for general mobilisation 1 1914 Date 3 Aug. 1914 General events British events 4 Aug. 1914 Aug. 1914 – Jan. 1916 Aug. – Sept. 1914 6-­‐9 Sept. 1914 17 Sept. – 17 Nov. 1914 United Kingdom declares war on Germany Great Britain relies on voluntary recruits, but then in 1916 introduces conscription Battle of the Frontiers Battle of the Marne. The Germans are 50km away from Paris. Race to the sea Date 15 Feb. – 18 Mar. 1915 19 Feb. 1915 – 9 Jan. 1916 22 Apr. 1915 May 1915 7 May 1915 19 Dec. 1915 French events Germany declares war on France 1915 General events British events Gallipoli Campaign Lethal gas used for the first time by the Germans, in Flanders. Asquith at the head of a new coalition government. The ocean liner RMS Lusitania torpedoed by German U-­‐boat. Haig replaces French as head of the British Expeditionary Force. French events French offensive in Champagne 2 Date 21 Feb. – 18 Dec. 1916 1 Jul. – 18 Nov. 1916 1916 General events British events French events Battle of Verdun Battle of the Somme (with considerable French support). First use of the tank by the British. Lloyd George Prime Minister. 15 Sept. 1916 3 Dec. 1916 25 Dec. 1916 Joffre nominated as Marshal of France and replaced by Nivelle at the head of the French army. 3 1917 Date Jan. 1917 General event British events 31 Jan 1917 15 Mar. 1917 16 Apr. 1917 Nicholas II of Russia abdicates. The United-­‐States enter the war Beginnig of the unrestricted submarine warfare. 17 Apr. 1917 15 May 1917 16 Jul. – 10 Nov. 1917 6 Nov. 1917 Bolshevik revolution in Russia. Lenin in power. Battle of Passchendaele (3rd battle of Ypres). 2 Apr. 1917 16 Nov. 1917 French events First important wave of strikes Offensive of the Chemin des Dames. First collective refusal to obey in the French army. Pétain replaces Nivelle at the head of the French army. Clémenceau government. 4 Date 8 Jan. 1918 1918 23 Mar. 1918 General events Statement in Congress by the President of the United-­‐States, Wilson, on the ’14 Points’. Signature of the Brest-­‐Litovsk treaty. 14 Apr. 1918 May 1918 27 May – 6 Jun. 1918 15 Jul. – 6 Aug. 1918 Beginning of the Paris bombings with Big Bertha. Foch made Supreme Commander of the Allied Armies Massive strikes in France. Third Battle of the Aisne 8 Aug. – 11 Nov. 1918 Oct. 1918 3 Mar. 1918 9 Nov. 1918 11 Nov. 1918 Beginning of the Spanish flu. The German Emperor William II abdicates. The Republic is proclaimed in Berlin. Armistice with Germany. British events French events Second Battle of the Marne with American support Hundred Days Offensive. 5