June 24, 1915
Western Front There is heavy fighting on the Meuse.
Italian Front Subsidiary to the main effort, the Italians launch three days of attacks on Hill 383. All fail.
June 24, 1916
Western Front, Verdun French troops led by Nivelle’s right-hand man, the ferocious and intractable Charles Mangin, counterattack. Mangin hurls successive waves of troops at the flanks of the Germans defenses at Fleury as French artillery rains shells on them. The Germans hold. The Germans are at the farthest point of their advance.
Allied Planning Premier Aristide Briand, deeply concerned about the fate of the French army at Verdun, visits Sir Douglas Haig’s headquarters to plead with him to move the Somme offensive forward once again. Haig acquiesces and orders the preliminary bombardment to begin today, a week earlier than his revised plans called for. Sir Henry Rawlinson, commander of British 4th Army that will stage the attack in conjunction with Emile Fayolle’s French 6th Army positioned along the southern sector of the front, has assembled over 1500 guns, one hundred of them French, and two million shells for this bombardment, planned to last five days. Following the bombardment, the Allies are to attack along a 25-mile front, with the British responsible for a line from Gommecourt south to Maricourt, over two thirds of the entire front. The French segment runs from Maricourt to Dompierre.
Western Front, Somme The bombardment begins in the late afternoon.
Eastern Front Russian attacks are checked near Lutsk. The Austrians are driven out of Bukovina.
Italian Front Eight Austrian divisions depart for the east.
German East Africa Brigadier Sheppard defeats Major Kraut’s force in a battle near Makunda on the Lukigura River. Kraut and most of his force escape into the jungle.
Greece Allied restrictions on Greek shipping are suspended.
June 24, 1917
Western Front The French recover more ground near Vauxillon.
Russia There is a mutiny in the Black Sea Fleet at Sevastopol.
Austria-Hungary Dr. Ernst von Seidler becomes Austrian premier.
Serbia Pasic forms a new exile ministry.
Palestine Lawrence leads a raid on the railway at Minifir. His purpose is to convince the Turks that his ultimate target is Damascus, whereas he plans to attack Aqaba.
June 24, 1918
Italian Front The right bank of the Piave is cleared of Austrian troops. The Italians attack northwest of Monte Grappa, but are repulsed.
Austria-Hungary Emperor Karl refuses to accept von Seidler’s resignation.
June 24, 1919
Hungary A truce is agreed between the Hungarian and Czech armies. The disputed areas are divided.
June 24, 1922
Germany German-Jewish industrialist Walther Rathenau is assassinated by right-wing terrorists. Many of these people associate Jews with the Republican “stab in the back” that robbed a still “undefeated” German army of victory in the World War.
Russia Japan announces its intent to withdraw its forces from Siberia. They are all out by the end of October.
June 24-25, 1924
Egypt There are widespread riots against the British presence.
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