The First World War

[paulhuk]

Originally Posted by Ennath

June 23 – July 8, 1905
War at Sea The steamer Brussels is captured by the Germans. Its commander, Captain Fryatt, had, on March 28, 1915, charged a U-Boat, forcing it to dive and thus escaping. The Germans consider this a hostile act by a non-combatant and now put Fryatt on trial before a military tribunal as a franc tireur. He is convicted and promptly shot. The execution is widely condemned in the neutral press. For the British, Fryatt is another victim of German atrocities.

I remember being astonished by the case of Captain Charles Algernon Fryatt when I first heard about it approx 15 years ago.

Compare with Edith Cavell, of whom I had heard and read much, he is a rather forgotten figure.

After the war his body was ceremoniously returned to England and received a funeral service at St Paul's Cathedral.

There is a memorial at Liverpool St. station.

Paul

[Ennath]

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.

[Mal Hombre]

In the Second World War thread,I mentioned an attack on shipping in Constantinople Harbour.This was carried out by LCDR Nasmith commanding E11

"Nasmith achieved his most spectacular feat early on 25 March, when he entered the harbor of Constantinople itself at periscope depth and after dodging one of his own torpedoes in a circular run, succeeded in sinking the large transport Stamboul at the Arsenal Quay just outside the Golden Horn. Before Nasmith could even confirm a hit, E-11 was suddenly caught up in the confused welter of cross-currents and density layers just south of the Bosphorus, lost depth control, bumped the bottom, and did at least two complete circles before escaping back to the Marmara. However, the effect on the Turks was electric, as the vulnerability of their capital to an attack from the sea sank home. Crowds rioted in the streets, all activity ceased on the docks, and reinforcements for the Gallipoli front were re-routed. Meanwhile, Nasmith and his men resumed their adventures for another ten days before exiting the Dardanelles on 6 June, sinking another large transport above the Narrows on the way out with a last, re-cycled torpedo."

E11 After the attack Nasmith and the crew of E11,Nasmith
is top centre

[deepsepia]

Originally Posted by Ennath

June 24, 1915

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.

The assassination of Walter Rathenau is one of history's turning point. He was an "assimilationist" and anti-Zionist, head of AEG (which had been founded by his grandfather, Emil Rathenau).

Had he lived, Germany's course might well have looked very different. Rathenau is a hero of moderation. Not reactionary, not revolutionary, trying to find a path for the liberal.

His fate is also testimony to the problem: How does a losing side make peace, without losing support (or worse) from their own Armed forces?

one interesting sidenote . . . his assasination is thought by some to have been the blow to confidence that collapsed the mark

"But as great as was the impact of Rathenau’s death upon German domestic politics, it left an even greater mark upon the economic scene. Now the tumble of the mark could not be stopped. The dollar, still under 350 on the day of the murder, climbed to 670 by the end of July, to 2000 in August, and to 4500 by the end of October."

[Ennath]

June 25, 1915
Western Front Fighting continues on the Meuse and north of Arras.
Eastern Front The Russians fight a rear-guard action at Bobrka.
Italian Front An Austrian attack in the Carnic Alps is repulsed.

June 25, 1916
Western Front, Verdun There is heavy fighting at Fleury and west of Thiaumont.
Eastern Front The Russians advance from Bukovina. There is heavy fighting on the Dniestr.
Italian Front The Italians open a major advance from the Brenta to the Adige. Asiago is retaken.
Britain The trial of Sir Roger Casement begins.
Russia With nearly 16 million men now drafted into military service, the government perceives a need for reserves to perform labor or serve in the military. Although an 1886 law exempts Muslims of Russia’s Central Asian regions from military service, Tsar Nicholas II issues a decree authorizing the drafting of 250,000 natives from the region as a labor reserve. Half are to come from Kazakhstan and Kirghizstan.

June 25, 1917
Western Front Fighting on the Souchez continues.
France The first contingent of American combat troops lands in Europe. They will require some time and retraining to be made ready for combat.
Italian Front Reinforced once again, the Austrians launch an early morning artillery barrage and infantry attack against the Italians on Monte Ortigara, recapturing the main summit. .
Black Sea The cruiser Medilli (Breslau) destroys the Russian radio station on the island of Fidonisi. There is an exchange of fire with two pursuing Russian warships as she escapes to the Bosporus. This is the last action between warships in the Black Sea during the war.
Norway After a bomb plot against him, the Germans recall their minister to Norway.

June 25, 1918
Italian Front The Italians secure a bridgehead at Capo Sile.
Ireland The British government drops its conscription plan.

June 25, 1921
Technology Friedrich Bergius liquefies coal into oil; it is the first synthetic oil.

[Ennath]

June 26, 1915
Western Front The Crown Prince’s army attacks in the Argonne.
Eastern Front The Russians are forced from the line Bukaczowce-Halicz in Galicia after heavy fighting.
Russian Command The indolent and self-indulgent General Sukhomlinov, whose administration has left the Russian army so badly supplied, resigns as Minister of War after scandalized members of the Duma pressure Nicholas II to sack him. Sukhomlinov is placed under arrest for suspicion of being involved in the gross corruption that afflicts the entire Russian armaments production and supply system. General Polivanov succeeds him.

June 26, 1916
Western Front, Verdun The French gain near Thiaumont.
Persia The Turks are defeated near Lake Urmia.
United States A report prepared by Captain Morey proving that the Americans were at fault at Carrizal appears in American newspapers, arousing public sentiment against hostilities with Mexico.
Diplomatic Relations Cotton shipments from Switzerland to Germany have been suspended due to German failure to pay. The Germans respond by threatening to halt shipments of coal to Switzerland. The Swiss make concessions.

June 26, 1917
Western Front British troops occupy La Coulotte.
Allied Planning General Pershing makes a second visit to Petain’s headquarters and requests that the AEF, when it arrives, be given the Lorraine sector between the Argonne Forest and the Vosges Mountains, so that the Americans can make use of the ports at St. Nazaire, La Pallice, and Bassens and the railroads connecting them to the front. Petain consents.
Italian Front At the Porta Lepozze sector, the Italians break off attacks and withdraw to new positions at the Porta Maora.
Persia Russian troops take Serdasht.
Russia The Rada proclaims an autonomous Ukrainian Peoples’ Republic within the Russian state under President Vinnichenko. Simon Petlyura is Military Secretary.

June 26, 1918
Western Front After 20 “days of hell”, American troops finally dislodge the Germans from Belleau Wood. During the prolonged struggle, the Marine Brigade suffers 5200 casualties, half its strength. Total American losses are 6700. The Battle of Belleau Wood establishes the Marine Corps’ elite reputation. General Degoutte orders that Belleau Wood is to renamed Bois de la Brigade de Marine.

[Ennath]

June 27, 1915
Western Front German attacks in the Argonne and at Metzeral make little progress.
Eastern Front The Germans occupy Halicz and advance to the Bug. Russian forces retreat from the Dniestr to the Grila-Lipa line. Russian attacks north of Przasnysz quickly break down. A new German 12th Army goes on the offensive in north Poland.
Serbian Front Serbian troops take the Danubian island of Michaiska.
Dardanelles A new British attack at Krithia carries four defensive lines but fails to break through.

June 27, 1916
Western Front, Verdun German attacks are repulsed at Fleury.
Western Front, Elsewhere A German attack at Ypres gets nowhere.
Eastern Front While his Austrian allies have fallen back to the south as far as the Hungarian border in the Carpathian foothills, von der Marwitz prepares to renew his counterattacks against the Russians, but he has suffered heavy casualties and his men are exhausted. The Germans are again repulsed in the Dvinsk sector.
Italian Front Italian troops retake Arsiero and Posina.

June 27, 1917
Italian Front An Austrian effort at Agnello Pass is repulsed.
War at Sea The armored cruiser Kleber is mined off Brest, with light loss of life.
Greece Venizelos returns to Athens as the new premier and declares his Provisional Government the official government of Greece.
British Planning Though doubtful of the accuracy of Jellicoe’s assessment, after mulling over his and Haig’s arguments, the War Cabinet is sufficiently persuaded to authorize Haig to continue preparations for his offensive while Lloyd George tries to determine how much support can be expected from the French. Content with the final outcome of the deliberations, the commander in chief returns to Flanders to pursue his plans. The delay in pressing whatever advantage resulted from the Battle of Messines, however, affords the Germans time to construct concrete bunkers and other defensive installations along the Flanders front, where Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, commanding the Northern Army Group, and his chief of staff, General Hermann von Kahl, are certain the British offensive will concentrate.

June 27, 1918
War in the Air A raid on Paris kills 11.
War at Sea The hospital ship Llandovery Castle is torpedoed southwest of Fastnet; 244 are lost.
Allied Diplomacy A Yugo-Slav delegation visits Rome. The Italians claim the Dalmatian coast, which would be part of the new state.
Persia Dunsterville’s force, nicknamed “Dunsterforce”, takes control of Enzeli.

June 27, 1919
Russia The Red Army abandons Kharkov.

[Ennath]

June 28, 1914
Bosnia, Austria-Hungary Celebrating St. Vitus’ Day commemorating Serbia’s rebellion and independence from Turkey, spectators line the streets of Sarajevo awaiting the open car of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir apparent to the Austro-Hungarian throne and his beloved wife, Duchess Sophie of Hohenberg, who are accompanied by General Oskar Potiorek, military governor of Bosnia. It is the royal couple’s fourteenth wedding anniversary. Among the onlookers lurk seven youthful Serbian nationalists, ostensibly associated with the Black Hand terrorist group, who are intent on assassinating the archduke in an effort to gain added recognition for Serbia, where he is considered a villain. As the archduke’s car traverses the Cumuria Bridge, one of the conspirators hurls a bomb. The driver, spotting the missile, speeds forward as the archduke throws up his arms to protect his wife. The bomb bounces off the folded-back convertible roof to explode beneath the following car, wounding two officers and twenty spectators. After a brief pause, the procession moves on to City Hall. Here the archduke berates Potiorek and considers cutting short his visit. Potiorek reassures him: “Do you think Sarajevo is filled with assassins?” The archduke then decides to alter his route, asserting that it is his duty to visit the bomb victims in the hospital. The duchess insists on accompanying him, despite his protestations of concern for her safety. En route, their driver makes a wrong turn and breaks abruptly in order to turn around. In this instant one of the conspirators, Gavrilo Princip, steps to within a few feet of the car and fires two shots. One bullet pierces the archduke’s neck, the other the duchess’s abdomen. Momentarily they appear to be unhurt. But suddenly blood spurts from the archduke’s mouth and Sophie collapses unconscious. Franz Ferdinand bends over his wife, begging her to survive for their children. General Potiorek orders the driver to speed ahead. The archduke’s aid asks if he is in pain. The archduke responds, “It is nothing” – his final words. It is now eleven o’clock in the morning.
Austria-Hungary The vacationing Emperor Franz Josef is informed during the night that his nephew and nephew’s wife have been assassinated by a Serb. Expressing no sense of outrage, the emperor declares calmly that the incident will probably serve to enhance order in his troubled domain.
Germany Kaiser Wilhelm II is racing his yacht Meteor in Kiel Bay when a launch brings news of the assassination. He blanches but otherwise accepts the news undemonstratively.

June 28, 1915
Western Front There is a small French advance near Souchez.
Baltic Sea German ships bombard Windau.
Black Sea The dreadnought Imperator Alexander III enters service, ending the Goeben’s superiority in the Black Sea.
Dardanelles British troops attack Achi Baba, a.k.a. Gully Ravine, gaining up to half a mile.
Cameroon During a tornado, a column of the Nigeria Regiment attacks and routs surprised German outposts at Ngaundere and occupies the town.

June 28 1916
Western Front, Verdun There is heavy fighting at Hill 321, Thiaumont, and Fleury.
Western Front, Somme Although their infantry attack was planned to begin today, the British decide to postpone it until July 1 while continuing the artillery bombardment of the German lines and the barbed wire across the front. There has been a difference in views between Haig and Rawlinson. Haig believes in the great push to crack the enemy line to enable the cavalry to rush through. Rawlinson sees success in terms of “bites” of German territory, but is overruled.
Germany Spartkist leader Karl Liebknecht is dismissed from the army and sentenced to two years’ hard labor.
Eastern Front Heavy fighting continues near Lutsk. The Russians cross the Styrpa, but fresh German forces drive them back. The Austrians are defeated on a 25-mile front near Kolomea, with 9000 prisoners and retreat behind the Pruth and Dniestr. A German attack in the Riga sector is repulsed.
Italian Front The Italians have regained half the positions lost to the Austrian offensive.
Mexico Carranza orders the release of the Americans captured at Carrizal, defusing the tension between Mexico and the United States.

June 28, 1917
Western Front British attacks along the Souchez take Oppy. At Verdun, the Germans take some trenches on Hill 304.
British Command Sir Edmund Allenby is appointed commander of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Palestine. The assignment comes with a simple statement from the Prime Minister: “I’d like you to take Jerusalem as a Christmas present for the nation.” Sir Julian Byng replaces Allenby at 3rd Army. Command of the Canadian Corps goes to Canadian Sir Arthur Currie.

June 28, 1918
Western Front The French secure Cutry Plateau.
Russia Soviet leaders have learned of the weakness of Allied forces in Russia and determine to attack the garrisons strung out along the Murmansk railway. A British-Serbian relief column bluffs the Soviets at Kandalaksha into disarming.
Arabia Arabs capture Kalaat el Almar, 200 miles north of Medina.

June 28, 1919
Diplomatic Relations The Treaty of Versailles is concluded. Germany is to be restricted to an army of 100,000 and not allowed tanks, military aircraft, or submarines. The Navy is permitted to retain two pre-dreadnoughts and a few cruisers. The Rhineland is to be occupied by Allied forces. Considerable reparations are to be paid but the amount of the burden is not yet fixed and Germany is forced to accept full responsibility for the war. Similar treaties with the other defeated Central Powers redraw the map of Europe. From the wreck of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire a whole group of new states is created. Each of these states has grievances against the others and none has a wholly homogeneous population. East Prussia is divided from the rest of Germany by a “Polish Corridor” designed to give the new nation access to the sea and Danzig becomes a Free City. Switzerland’s perpetual neutrality is recognized. The Charter of the League of Nations is part of the Versailles agreement but its scope is, according to conventional wisdom, left substantially weakened by the refusal of the United States Congress to ratify it.
The failure of the treaty to return Tsingtao leads to a Chinese refusal to sign.
Germany The Deutsche Zeitung reflects German opinion on the Treaty. “The German people will, with unstinting labor, work to regain the place among the nations to which it is justly entitled. Then will come vengeance for the shame of 1919.”

[Bruceov]

This was a book but was made into a movie. The saddest movie ever made. Concentrated on the poetry written during the war. Anyone remember this?

[Bruceov]

Ennath's post. People write about how cruel the peace was to the Germs, Few people realize that the Germs did not comply with the terms of the peace after WWI.