Pre-1914 Events
January 18, 1871 Bismarck completes efforts to unify Prussia and the German kingdoms into a single nation and has King Wilhelm I proclaimed Kaiser.
May 10 France forced to sign humiliating treaty with Germany that ends the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian War.
1888 After his father's untimely death, 29 year-old Wilhelm II becomes ruler, Kaiser Wilhelm II, of Germany.
1894 Nicolas is crowned Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, a position he did not want. Germany and Russia do not renew a friendship treaty and begin their adversary relationship.
1901 Great Britain's Queen Victoria, whose bloodline runs through most of the ruling houses of Europe, dies.
1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War results in disastrous defeat for Russia and major civil unrest at home
January 22 "Bloody Sunday Massacre" by Tsarist troops in St. Petersburg left Russian workers dead and cost Nicholas support among the workers and farmers.
1906 British launch first "dreadnought" class battleship.
| DATE | REGION | EVENT |
1914 | ||
| 23 June | GERMANY | A deepened Kiel Canal opened by the Kaiser |
| 28 June | BALKANS/Bosnia | Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria assassinated at Sarajevo |
| 23 July | BALKANS/Belgrade | Austrian ultimatum presented to Serbia |
| 25 July | BALKANS | Serbia orders mobilisation |
| 26 July | - | Austria starts mobilisation on Russian border |
| 26 July | BALKANS | Montenegro orders mobilisation |
| 28 July | - | Austria declares war on Serbia |
| 31 July | - | Russia announces her general mobilisation |
| 31 July | - | Austria announces her general mobilisation |
| 31 July | - | Turkey start mobilisation |
| 01 August | - | Belgian mobilisation begins |
| 01 August | - | French mobilisation begins |
| 01 August | - | Germany orders general
mobilisation Germany declares war on Russia |
| 02 August | - | German troops invade Luxembourg German troops start invasion of France |
| 02 August | - | Germany invades Poland |
| 03 August | - | Germany declares war on France |
| 04 August | - | Germany declares war on and invades Belgium -- 07/08 - Liége captured -- 20/08 - Brussels captured |
| 04 August | - | Sir John Jellico takes command of British Fleet |
| 04 August | - | War declared between Germany and Gt. Britain |
| 05 August | - | Austria declares war on Russia |
| 07 August - 01 September |
EASTERN FRONT | Russia invades Prussia -- 26 - 29/08 Russians defeated at Battle of Tannenberg |
| 10 August - 20 September |
EASTERN FRONT | Austria invades Poland |
| 10 - 12 August | - | France and Gt. Britain declare war on Austria |
| 13 - 25 August | BALKANS | First Austrian invasion of Serbia |
| 20 August - 05 September |
WESTERN FRONT | Germans advance on Paris -- 21/08 - French defeated at Charleroi, and -- 23/08 - Namur |
| 23 August | - | Japan declares war on Germany |
| 23 August | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of Mons |
| 26 August | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of Le Cateau |
| 06 - 10 September | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of the Marne -- The "Race to the Sea" begins |
| 07 - 17 September | BALKANS | Second Austrian invasion of Serbia |
| 14 - 28 September | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of the R. Aisne |
| 25 - 29 September | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of Albert |
| 01 - 02 October | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of Arras |
| 03 October - 01 November |
EASTERN FRONT | Austro-German invasion of Poland |
| 09 October | WESTERN FRONT | Antwerp falls |
| 11 October - 20 November |
WESTERN FRONT | Battle of Flanders: -- 12/10 - 08/11 Battle of La Bassée -- 12/10 - 14/11 Battle of Yser -- 19/10 - 20/11 First Battle of Ypres |
| 29 October | - | Turkey enters war on the side of Germany |
| 01 November | NAVAL | Battle of Coronel (off the coast of Chile) |
| 02 - 13 November | EASTERN FRONT | Second Russian invasion of Prussia |
| 05 November | - | Gt. Britain declares war on Turkey |
| 08 November - 15 December |
BALKANS | Third Austrian invasion of Serbia -- Belgrade captured 02/12 |
1915 | ||
| 24 January | NAVAL | Battle of Dogger Bank |
| 03 February | MIDDLE EAST | Turks make unsuccessful attack on Suez Canal |
| 06 February - 21 March |
EASTERN FRONT | Russians driven from East Prussia |
| 18 February | NAVAL | German submarine blockade begins |
| 19 February - 06 April |
NAVAL | British attacks on the Dardanelles: -- 26/02 - Entrance cleared -- 18/03 - Attack on the Narrows fails |
| 08 March - 15 March |
WESTERN FRONT | Battle of Neuve Chappelle |
| 09 April | GALLIPOLI | Under Generals Sir Ian Hamilton and d'Amade, British and French forces concentrate outside the Dardanelles |
| April - July | MIDDLE EAST | Turkish massacres of 800,000 (?) Armenians |
| 22 April - 24 May |
WESTERN FRONT | Second Battle of Ypres |
| 25 - 28 April | GALLIPOLI | British troops land at Gallipoli. Heavy fighting. |
| 28 April - 03 July |
EASTERN FRONT | Massive Austro - German attacks in Galicia. Severe Russian losses |
| 07 May | NAVAL | Lusitania torpedoed |
| 09 May | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of Aubers Ridge |
| 15 - 25 May | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of Festubert |
| 26 May | - | British Coalition government formed |
| 26 June - 04 July | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of the Argonne |
| 15 July - 30 September |
EASTERN FRONT | Serious Russian defeats in Poland and Western Russia |
| 06 - 10 August | GALLIPOLI | Landings and Battle of Sulva Bay |
| 19 September - early December |
BALKANS | Austro - German invasion of Serbia. Serbia suffers heavy defeats |
| 21 September - December |
SALONIKA | Anglo - French attacks in Macedonia. |
| 25 September - end of October |
WESTERN FRONT | Franco - British attacks in Champagne and Artois. -- Battle of Loos -- 29/09 Vimy Ridge captured |
| 14 - 19 October | - | Allies declare war on Bulgaria |
| November | GALLIPOLI | Decision taken to retire from Dardanelles |
| 19 December | WESTERN FRONT | General Haig appointed Commander-in-Chief of British forces. |
| 20 December | GALLIPOLI | Anzac and Sulva Bays evacuated |
1916 | ||
| 21 February - 06 December |
WESTERN FRONT | Battle of Verdun |
| 09 March | - | Germany declares war on Portugal |
| 21 May | WESTERN FRONT | British lose Vimy Ridge |
| 31 May - 01 June |
NAVAL | Battle of Jutland |
| 04 June - 11 August |
EASTERN FRONT | Brusilov's massive Russian offensive in Galicia and southern Russia. |
| 05 June | - | Death of Lord Kitchener (Drowned at sea) |
| 01 July - 19 November |
WESTERN FRONT | Franco - British Offensive: Battle of the Somme -- 15/09 First use of tanks |
| 01 August - 03 November |
ITALY | Severe fighting on Isonzo Front |
| 27 August | - | Generals Hindenburg and Ludendorff take command of German armies |
| 28 August | - | Rumania declares war on Austria |
| 29 August | - | Germany declares war on Rumania |
| 04 October - 23 December |
EASTERN FRONT | Austro - German attacks on Rumania - severe Rumania losses |
| 09 November - 18 November |
WESTERN FRONT | Battle of the River Ancre - concludes the Battle of the Somme |
| 07 December | - | LLoyd George succeeds Asquith as British Prime Minister -- 16/12 - Forms new War Cabinet |
1917 | ||
| 01 February | - | Germany starts policy of unrestricted submarine warfare |
| 03 February | - | USA severs diplomatic relations with Germany |
| 21 February - 31 March |
WESTERN FRONT | German retreat to Hindenburg Line |
| 09 March | RUSSIA | Revolution in Russia: -- 09/03 - Food riots in Petrograd -- 13/03 - Provisional government formed -- 15/03 - Tsar abdicates, and -- 21/03 - made prisoner |
| 11 March | MIDDLE EAST | British capture Baghdad |
| 18 March, and after | WESTERN FRONT | After German retreat: - British occupy Péronne - French occupy Noyon |
| 06 April | - | USA declares war on Germany |
| 09 April | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of Arras begins -- Canadians capture Vimy Ridge |
| 16 April | WESTERN FRONT | Nivelle offensive - Second Battle of the R. Aisne - Chemin des
Dames -- French suffer heavy losses -- Nivelle dismissed, and -- 15/05 - succeed by General Pétain |
| April - August | WESTERN FRONT | Mutinies in French armies |
| 07 June | WESTERN FRONT | Start of Battle of Messines -- British capture Messines - Wytschaete Ridge |
| 25 June | WESTERN FRONT | First American fighting contingent arrives in France |
| 30 June | - | Greece breaks off relations with Germany and Austro-Hungary |
| 01 July | EASTERN FRONT | Russian offensive in Galicia -- initial success, but -- 23/07 Russians routed |
| 31 July - 10 November |
WESTERN FRONT | Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) begins |
| 14 August | - | China declares war on Germany and Austro-Hungary |
| 19 August - 20 September |
ITALY | Italy attacks on Isonzo-Carso front |
| 02 - 30 September | - | Numerous German air-raids on London and south-east England |
| 24 October | ITALY | Austro-German attacks break through Italian defences |
| 16 November | RUSSIA | Bolshevist government formed |
| 06 November | WESTERN FRONT | Village of Passchendaele captured by Canadians |
| 15 November | - | Clémenceau becomes French Prime Minister |
| 20 November | WESTERN FRONT | Start of Battle of Cambrai - Massed tanks spearhead attack |
| 25 November - 04 December | WESTERN FRONT | Many of Battle of Cambrai's initial gains by British lost to German counter-attacks |
| 15 December | EASTERN FRONT | Peace negotiations started between Russia and Germany at Brest-Litovsk |
| 07 December | - | USA declares war on Austria |
| 09 December | MIDDLE EAST | Capture of Jerusalem by General Allenby |
1918 | ||
| 03 March | EASTERN FRONT | Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed between Russia and Central Powers |
| 21 March - 29 April |
WESTERN FRONT | Great German "Spring" attack launched. The first attack - the
Michael offensive- made against the British: -- 21/03 - British lines penetrated -- 22/03 - Germans reach the Somme. Péronne lost -- 26/03 - Albert and Noyon lost -- 27/03 - Germans checked at River Scarpe -- 28/03 - French counter-attacks hold Germans in Somme region -- 23/04 - Heavy German attacks gain Villers-Bretonneux |
| 26 March | WESTERN FRONT | Allies hold "crisis" conference at Doullens on "Unity of Command" |
| 29 March | WESTERN FRONT | General Foch appointed to co-ordinate actions of Allies |
| 01 April | WESTERN FRONT | Royal Air Force created |
| 09 - 29 April | WESTERN FRONT | Germans attack in Belgium - the Georgette offensive. Very heavy
fighting. -- 15/04 - Bailleul lost -- 16/04 - Wytschaete and Meteren lost -- 17/04 - Germans capture Kemmel and Dranoutre |
| 14 April | WESTERN FRONT | General Foch appointed Commander-in-Chief of all Allied Armies in France |
| 22 - 23 April | NAVAL | Successful Zeebrugge raid |
| 01 May | WESTERN FRONT | American troops join front line at Amiens front |
| 24 May | - | British soldiers landed at Murmansk |
| 27 May - 02 June |
WESTERN FRONT | Germans attack on the Aisne - the Blucher offensive. -- 29/05 - French driven back across Aisne, and Germans capture Soissons -- 30/05 - Germans reach Marne |
| 09 - 13 June | WESTERN FRONT | Germans attack towards Compiègne - the Gneisenau offensive -- 11/06 - German advance checked |
| 15 - 23 June | ITALY | Massive Austrian attack at the Piave river. Eventually repulsed with very heavy losses |
| 15 July - 04 August |
WESTERN FRONT | Second Battle of the Marne. Fifth and last German attack - the
Friedensturm - of their Spring Offensive. -- 18/07 - Massive Allied counter-attack south-west of the Marne -- 22/07 - Germans on retreat -- 02/08 - French retake Soissons |
| 16 July | RUSSIA | Tsar and family shot at Ekaterinenburg |
| 01 August | RUSSIA | Allies land soldiers at Archangel |
| 03 August | RUSSIA | Allied soldiers land at Vladivostock: -- 03/08 - British -- 16/08 - Japanese -- 17/08 - American |
| 06 - 12 August | WESTERN FRONT | Second Battle of Amiens. Massive Allied attack with 2,000 guns and
200 tanks on 15 mile front drives in German lines. -- 18/08 - German retreat from Ancre begins |
| 09 - 16 August | WESTERN FRONT | French advance and capture Lassigny |
| 17 - 20 August | WESTERN FRONT | French drive Germans from Aisne Heights |
| 21 - 31 August | WESTERN FRONT | Second Battle of Bapaume. British recapture: -- 22/08 - Albert -- 29/08 - Bapaume -- 31/08 - Péronne |
| 26 August - 03 September |
WESTERN FRONT | Battle of the Scarpe. British: -- 26/08 - capture Monchy-le-Preux, and -- 02/09 - Break through Drocourt-Quéant switch line |
| 03 - 09 September | WESTERN FRONT | Germans fall back to Hindenburg Line. British: -- 04/09 - Force Canal du Nord -- 04/09 - Retake Ploegsteert, Bailleul, Kemmel, and Neuve Chapelle -- 06/09 - Americans reach the Aisne |
| 12 - 13 September | WESTERN FRONT | American capture St. Mihiel salient |
| 14 September | WESTERN FRONT | Germans retreat to area between Meuse and Moselle |
| 19 - 30 September | MIDDLE EAST | Successful British offensive in Palestine. Defeat of Turkish armies. -- 30/09 - British enter Damascus |
| 26 - 29 September | WESTERN FRONT | Great American attack in the Argonne. |
| 26 - 30 September | WESTERN FRONT | Successful French attacks in Champagne |
| 26 September - 05 October |
WESTERN FRONT | Second Battle of Cambrai. British troops attack on 30 mile front between St. Quentin and the Sensée. |
| 28 September - 22 October |
WESTERN FRONT | Battle of Flanders. British: -- 01/10 - reach outskirts of Menin -- 14/10 - liberate Roulers, -- 15/10 - Menin, -- 16/10 - Courtrai, -- 17/10 - Douai -- 18/10 - Lille. Belgians: -- 17/10 - enter Ostend -- 17/10 - liberate Zeebrugge and Bruges |
| 28 September | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of St. Quentin. British, French, and Americans attack on 12
mile front, cross St. Quentin Canal, and capture Bellecourt. -- 01/10 - French take St. Quentin -- 03/10 - Hindenburg Line stormed and crossed |
| 29 September | EASTERN FRONT | Bulgaria signs armistice with Allies, and -- 30/09 - surrenders |
| 28 September - 18 October |
WESTERN FRONT | Fierce American fighting in the Argonne Forest, and, -- 09/10 - Germans evacuate Argonne |
| 05 - 16 October | WESTERN FRONT | French attack on the Aisne, and, -- 16/10 cross river |
| 06 - 12 October | WESTERN FRONT | Second Battle of Le Cateau. British capture: -- 08/10 - Cambrai, and -- 10/10 - Le Cateau |
| 17 October | - | Proclamation in Prague of Czechoslovakian Republic. |
| 17 - 25 October | WESTERN FRONT | Battle of the Selle. -- 20/10 - British cross river. |
| 21 - 31 October | WESTERN FRONT | Stiff fighting north of Verdun and on Meuse by Americans and French |
| 24 - 30 October | ITALY | Third Battle of the Piave. -- 28/10 - River crossed followed by a general Italian-British advance |
| 25 - 30 October | MIDDLE EAST | Turkish army surrenders to British in Mesopotamia |
| 26 October | - | Ludendorff resigns |
| 27 October | - | Austro-Hungary applies to USA for armistice |
| 30 October | - | Allies sign armistice with Turkey |
| 31 October | - | Austrian soldiers seek armistice. Revolution in Vienna. Hostilities between Allies and Turkey end. |
| 01 - 11 November | WESTERN FRONT | Franco-American attack on Forêt de Bourgogne. Rapid American advance. -- 06/11 - French enter Rethel, and Americans, Sedan. |
| 01 - 11 November | WESTERN FRONT | British advance between Sambre and Scheldt (Battle of Sambre).
British: -- 02/11 - enter Valenciennes, clear Forêt de Mormal and by -- 11/11 have liberated Avesnes, Maubeuge, and Mons. |
| 03 November | - | German sailors mutiny at Kiel |
| 04 November | - | Hostilities between Austro-Hungary and Allies come to an end Revolution in Hamburg |
| 08 November | WESTERN FRONT | Marshal Foch receives German peace delegates |
| 09 November | - | Revolution in Berlin |
| 10 November | - | Kaiser abdicates and flees with Crown Prince to Holland. Germany proclaimed a republic. |
| 11 November | WESTERN FRONT | British enter Mons General armistice signed at 5 a.m. Hostilities come to an end at 11 a.m. |
| 16 November | - | Allied soldiers begin their move towards Germany Poland declared an independent and sovereign state |
| 21 November | NAVAL | German Battle Fleet surrenders to British off Firth of Forth |
| 23 November | BALKANS | Yugo-Slav state proclaimed |
| 01 December | - | Allies enter Germany |
1918-1919- Two waves of Influenza race around the world killing more people than all the causalities of the war.
1919
1919 Demobilization of the armies, millions return home.
1919-1921 Russian civil war fails to unseat the Bolsheviks.
January 10-15, 1919 A coup launched by German revolutionaries in Berlin is suppressed by paramilitary units.
January 15 German socialist rebels Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg are murdered.
February Allies' military intervention in Russia is secretly agreed to.
June 28 Peace Treaty signed by German delegates and Allies in Versailles.
July 19 The Cenotaph is unveiled in London.
August-September President Wilson brings his campaign for the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles and its League of Nations to the American people.
September 25 Wilson collapses and his whistle-stop tour of the country is over.
Post 1919
1920-1922 War cemeteries created on the fronts; war memorials dedicated in villages and cities at home.
March 19, 1920 The United States Senate fails to ratify the Treaty of Versailles and U.S. involvement in the League of Nations.
April 1920 Disgruntled officers fail in an attempt to overthrow the Weimar Republic.
August 26, 1920 The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the legal right to vote, was ratified.
November 11, 1920 The Unknown Warrior is buried in Westminster Abbey, London.
1921 Russian Civil War ends after three years with Bolsheviks, led by Lenin and Trotsky, in full control.
March 1921 American food aid helps save millions of famine victims in Russia.
1924-1925 Adolf Hitler imprisoned for sedition against the Weimar Republic; writes Mein Kampf.
August 20, 1932 Kathe Kollwitz's memorial to her dead son is unveiled in Vladslo, Belgium.
January 30, 1933 Adolf Hitler named Chancellor of Germany by President Hindenburg.
September 1939 Second World War begins.