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sophistication – and tactical stalemate. It was one of the deadliest conflicts in history, paving the way for major political changes, including revolutions in many of the nations involved. The war drew in all the world’s great economic powers, which were assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies (based on the Triple Entente of the United Kingdom, France and the Russian Empire) and the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary. These alliances were both reorganised and expanded as more nations entered the war: Italy, Japan and the United States joined the Allies, and the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria joined the Central Powers. Ultimately, more than 70 million military personnel were mobilised.
The war was triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by a Yugoslav nationalist, Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo, June 28th 1914. This set off a diplomatic crisis when Austria-Hungary delivered an ultimatum to Serbia, and international alliances were invoked. Within weeks, the major powers were at war and the conflict soon spread around the world. By the end of the war, four major imperial powers; the German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires—ceased to exist. The map of Europe was redrawn, with several independent nations restored or created. On peace, the League of Nations formed with the aim of preventing any repetition of such an appalling conflict, encouraging cooperation and communication between the newly autonomous nation states. This laudatory pursuit failed spectacularly with the advent of the Second World War however, with new European nationalism and the rise of fascism paving the way for the next global crisis.
This book is part of the World War One Centenary series; creating, collating and reprinting new and old works of poetry, fiction, autobiography and analysis. The series forms a commemorative tribute to mark the passing of one of the world’s bloodiest wars, offering new perspectives on this tragic yet fascinating period of human history.
Amelia Carruthers
A Timeline of the Major Events of World War One in Europe
| 1914 | |
| 28th June | Franz Ferdinand Assassinated at Sarajevo. |
| 29th June | Austro-Hungary send despatch to Vienna accusing Serbian complicity in the killing. |
| 5th July | Kaiser Wilhelm promises German support for Austria against Serbia. |
| 20th July | Austria-Hungary sends troops to the Serbian frontier. |
| 25th July | Serbia mobilises its troops, Russia sends troops to the Austrian frontier. |
| 28th July | Austria-Hungary Declares war on Serbia. |
| 29th July | Austrians bombard Belgrade and German patrols cross the French border. Britain warns it cannot remain neutral. |
| 1st August | Germany declares war on Russia. Italy and Belgium announce neutrality. French mobilisation ordered. |
| 3rd August | Germany declares war on France and invades Belgium (Schlieffen plan). Great Britain mobilises. |
| 4th August | Britain declares war on Germany and Austria-Hungary (after ultimatum to stand down). US declares neutrality. Germany declares war on Belgium. |
| 6th August | First British casualties with the HMS Amphion sunk by German mines in the North sea. 150 men dead. |
| 7th August | First members of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) arrive in France. |
| 11th August | Start of enlisting for Kitchener’s New Army ‘Your King and Country Need You’. |
| 20th August | Brussels is evacuated as German troops occupy the city. |
| 23rd August | The BEF started its retreat from Mons. Germany invades France. |
| 26th August | Russian army defeated at Tannenburg and Masurian Lakes. BEF suffers over 7000 casualties at the Battle of Le Cateau –forced to retreat. |
| 6th September | Battle of the Marne starts; checks German advance, but at the cost of 13,000 British, 250,000 French and 250,000 German casualties. |
| 19th October | First Battle of Ypres. |
| 29th October | Turkey enters the war (on Germany’s side). |
| 22nd November | Trenches are now established along the entire Western Front. |
| 8th December | Battle of the Falkland Islands. |
| 1915 | |
| 19th January | First Zeppelin raid on Britain (Great Yarmouth and Kings Lynn – killing 5). |
| 18th February | Blockade of Great Britain by German U-boats begins. All vessels considered viable targets, including neutrals. |
| 22nd April | Second Battle of Ypres begins Widespread use of poison gas by Germany. |
| 25th April | Allied troops land in Gallipoli. |
| 2nd May | Austro-German offensive on Galicia begins. |
| 7th May | The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-Boat – creating US/ German diplomatic crisis |
| 23rd May | Italy declares war on Germany and Austria |
| 31st May | First Zeppelin raid on London, killing 35 and shaking morale. |
| 30th June | German troops use flamethrowers for the first time, against the British at Hooge, Ypres. |
| 5th August | Germany captures Warsaw from the Russians. |
| 21st August | Final British offensive in the Dardanelles (Scimitar Hill, Gallipoli). They lose, and suffer 5000 deaths. |
| 25th September | Start of the Battle of Loos and Champagne. The British use gas for the first time, but the wind blows it over their own troops, resulting in 2632 casualties. |
| 31st October | Steel helmets introduced on the British Front. |
| 15th December | Sir Douglas Haig replaces Sir John French as Commander of the BEF. |
| 1916 | |
| 8th January | Allied evacuation of Helles marks the end of the Gallipoli campaign. |
| 21st February | Start of the Battle of Verdun – German offensive against the Mort-Homme Ridge. The battle lasts 10 months and over a million men become casualties. (Finishes 18th December, the longest and costliest battle of the Western Front). |
| 9th March | Germany declares war on Portugal. Six days later, Austria follows suit. |
| 31st May | Battle of Jutland – lasts until 1st June. German High Seas Fleet is forced to retire despite having inflicted heavier losses on the Royal Navy (14 ships and 6,100 men). German fleet irreparably damaged. |
| 4th June | Start of the Russian Brusilov Offensive on the Eastern front. Nearly cripples Austro-Hungary. |
| 1st July | Start of the Battle of the Somme – 750,000 allied soldiers along a 25 mile front. Nearly 60,000 are dead or wounded on the first day. |
| 14th July | Battle of Bazetin Ridge marks the end of the first Somme Offensive. The British break the German line but fail to deploy cavalry fast enough to take advantage. 9,000 men are lost. |
| 23rd July | Battle of Pozières Ridge marks the second Somme Offensive, costs 17,000 allied casualties – the majority of whom are Australian. (ends 7th August). |
| 10th August | End of the Brusilov Offensive. |
| 9th September | The Battle of Ginchy. The British capture Ginchy – a post of vital strategic importance as it commands a view of the whole battlefield. |
| 15th September | First use en masse of tanks at the Somme. The Battle of Flers-Courcelette signifies the start of the third stage of the Somme offensive. |
| 13th November | Battle of Ancre. The fourth phase of the Somme Offensive is marked by the British capturing Beaumont Hamel and St. Pierre Division, taking nearly 4,000 prisoners. |
| 12th December | Germany delivers Peace Note to Allies suggesting compromise. |
| 1917 | |
| 1st February | Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare campaign starts. |
| 3rd February | US sever diplomatic relations with Germany as U-boats threaten US shipping. Intercepted messages reveal that Germany is provoking the Mexicans into war with the US. |
| 21st February | The great German withdrawal begins. Serre, Miraumont, Petit Miraumont, Pys and Warlencourt are evacuated, falling back 25 miles to establish stronger positions on the Hindenburg Line. |
| 15th March | Tsar Nicholas II abdicates as Moscow falls to Russian Revolutionaries. Demise of the Russian army frees German troops for the Western front. |
| 6th April | USA declares war on Germany – troops mobilise immediately. |
| 9th April | Battle of Arras. British successfully employ new tactics of creeping barrages, the ‘graze fuse’ and counter battery fire. |
| 16th April | France launches an unsuccessful offensive on the Western Front. |
| - Second Battle of Aisne begins as part of the ‘Nivelle Offensive’. Losses are horrendous, triggering mutinies in the French Army. | |
| 7th
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