1916: Première Guerre Mondiale and Erster Weltkrieg (Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Montenegro, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey)

Originally posted on 11th September 2018

5th January - Beginning of the Montenegrin Campaign of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

After the Kingdom of Serbia was defeated by the Central Powers and after the remnants of the Serbian army had withdrawn through Montenegro and Albania to Italy and later to Corfu, the Austro-Hungarian Empire also turned towards Montenegro. At the end of the Montenegrin Campaign, that was fought between the 5th and the 17th January 1916, Montenegro was defeated and occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The Battle of Mojkovac was fought on 6th and 7th January and is probably the most famous battle of the campaign. Although the Montenegrin army won the battle, this could not prevent the final defeat, but still gave the Serbian army more time for their retreat.

10th January - Beginning of the Erzurum Offensive

The Erzurum Offensive was a winter offensive of the Imperial Russian Army against the Ottoman Empire. It took place in January and February 1916 and ended with the conquest of the strategic city Erzurum on 16th February.

24th January - Afghanistan and the German Empire sign a friendship and trade agreement.

In 1915 the diplomatic Niedermayer-Hentig Expedition was sent to Afghanistan by the German and the Ottoman Empire. Its purpose was to encourage Afghanistan to declare full independence from the British Empire, enter World War I on the side of the Central Powers and attack British India. Although the Russian Empire and the United Kingdom tried to intercept the mission, it reached Kabul in September 1915. The mission failed in its main task of rallying Afghanistan, but a friendship treaty between Afghanistan and the German Empire was signed in January 1916.

27th January - The United Kingdom introduces the military conscription for all unmarried men between 18 and 41.

21st February - Beginning of the Battle of Verdun

The Battle of Verdun began on 21st February 1916, when the German army attacked the French defences of the Fortified Region of Verdun. Despite initial German success the French forces recaptured much of the lost territory in August and December. When the battle was finally over on 18th December 1916, it had become the longest battle on the Western Front of World War I and one of the most costly battles in human history. In both France and Germany Verdun became a symbol of the futility of the war. Beginning in the 1960s it has also become a symbol of the Franco-German reconciliation.

1st March - Beginning of the Fifth Battle of the Isonzo

8th or 12th March - An avalanche buries a Prisoners of War camp on the Vršič pass.

During World War I approximately 12000 Russians were transported by the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the Vršič pass as Prisoners of War. There they were forced to build a road over the pass so that the reaching of the new front line in the Isonzo Valley would become easier. Several thousand young Russian prisoners died building this road. The prisoners also built a wooden Russian Chapel to honour their fallen countrymen.

9th March - Portugal enters World War I alongside the Entente.

At the beginning of World War I Portugal remained officially neutral, but already shortly after there were hostile engagements between Portugal and the German Empire due to the German campaign in Angola and the submarine warfare which sought to blockade the United Kingdom, the most important market for Portuguese products. On 9th March 1916 the German Empire declared war on Portugal followed by Portugal's reciprocal declaration. Around 12000 Portuguese troops died during World War I. After the war the German Empire was forced to cede the port of Kionga to Portugal.

24th April - Beginning of the Easter Rising against British rule in Ireland, which was quelled six days later

29th April - End of the Siege of Kut Al Amara

The Siege of Kut Al Amara took place between the 7th December 1915 and the 29th April 1916, when a British-Indian garrison was besieged by the Ottoman Army in the town of Kut in modern day Iraq. The siege happened, as Allied troops had to retreat after the Battle of Ctesiphon and as General Townshend decided to stay in Kut instead of moving forward to Basra. The Ottoman army was supported by the German general and military historian Baron von der Goltz. After some efforts to relieve the city had failed, the Allied surrendered after 147 days of siege. The surviving soldiers became prisoners and were forced to march to Aleppo. The British went back on the offensive in December 1916 and retook Kut on the 23rd February 1917.

16th May - Due to the foreseen defeat of the Ottoman Empire, France and the United Kingdom divide the Middle East into spheres of influence with the Sykes-Picot Agreement.

31st May - Beginning of the Battle of Jutland

The Battle of Jutland was fought between the 31st May and 1st June 1916 near the coast of Denmark's Jutland Peninsula. It was the largest naval battle and the only major encounter between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during World War I. It formed a part of a larger German strategy to break the British blockade against Germany and to allow German naval vessels to access the Atlantic. Fourteen British and eleven German ships were sunk with a great loss of life. But although more ships and sailors were lost on British side, they were able to prevent the German plans. In German it is known as Skagerrakschlacht (Battle of Skagerrak).

4th June - Beginning of the Brusilov Offensive

The Brusilov Offensive was a Russian offensive against the Central Powers between June and September 1916. Although many soldiers lost the lives, it was one of the most successful Allied offensives of World War I.

5th June - Death of Lord Kitchener

Herbert Kitchener became Secretary of State for War in 1914 and then already foresee a long war. He organised the largest volunteer army that Britain had seen and oversaw a significant expansion of materials production to fight on the Western Front. On 5th June 1916 Kitchener was on the HMS Hampshire to attend negotiations in Russia, when it struck a German mine.

10th June - Hussein ibn Ali al-Hashimi, the Sharif and Emir of Mecca, officially initiates the Arab Revolt against Ottoman rule.

1st July - Beginning of the Battle of the Somme

The Battle of the Somme was fought between the 1st July and the 18th November 1916 by the German Empire against France and the United Kingdom. The battle started with a large-scale offensive of the Triple Entente and ended without a big achievement. It was the largest battle on the Western Front of the World War I and one of the bloodiest battles in human history. At the Somme the British used tanks for the first time in a battle.

19th July - Beginning of the Battle of Fromelles

The Battle of Fromelles was fought on the 19th and 20th July 1916 between troops of the German Empire and the British Empire. It was subsidiary to the Battle of the Somme and resulted in a German victory, as preparations for the attack were rushed, the troops involved lacked experience in trench warfare and the power of the German defence was underestimated. The attack was the debut of the First Australian Imperial Force on the Western Front. Later it was described as the worst 24 hours in Australia's entire history.

4th August - Beginning of the Sixth Battle of the Isonzo

The Sixth Battle of the Isonzo, also known as Battle of Gorizia, was the most successful of the twelve battles of the Isonzo for the Italians. It resulted in the Italian conquest of Gorizia, but also saw many Italian casualties.

27th August - Romania enters World War I alongside the Entente.

8th September - Beginning of the Battle of Tabora

The Battle of Tabora was fought in September 1916 between forces from the Belgian Congo and German East Africa. During the battle the Belgian forces conquered Tabora, Kigoma and the Tanganjikabahn railway. The victory left much of the Ruanda-Urundi territory under Belgian military occupation.

13th September - Beginning of the Allied Monastir Offensive in modern day Macedonia, which was intended to lead to a Bulgarian defeat, but which just stabilised the Macedonian Front after the Allied capture of Monastir

14th September - Beginning of the Seventh Battle of the Isonzo

9th October - Beginning of the Eighth Battle of the Isonzo

31st October - Beginning of the Ninth Battle of the Isonzo

5th November - The Regency Kingdom of Poland is founded on former Russian territory as puppet state of the Central Powers.

21st November - Death of Emperor Franz Joseph I

12th December - The Central Powers sent a peace offer to the Entente, but it is rejected.

1914: Grote Oorlog and Први светски рат (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Burundi, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Isle of Man, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, United Kingdom)

Originally posted on 11th July 2018

28th July - World War I begins with the declaration of war of the Austro-Hungarian Empire on Serbia.

 1st August - The German Empire enters the war with a declaration of war on Russia.

1st August - General Mobilisation in France, two days later the German Empire declares war on France

2nd August - Luxembourg is invaded by German troops.

Already on 1st August 1914 the troops of the German Empire used without authorisation Troisvierges station to come to France. One day later the German Empire launched a full invasion of Luxembourg. Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde ordered the army not to resist. In the evening she and Prime Minister Paul Eyschen met the German commander Richard Karl von Tessmar in Luxembourg City and after a small protest they accepted German military rule. During the occupation Luxembourg was allowed to retain its own government and political system. The occupation just ended on 11th November 1918.

3rd August - World War I comes to Africa.

When Germany entered the war, also its colonies became involved. Although the most of them were quite easily under the control of Entente countries, Africa remained a theatre of the war until 1918. On the German side the war in Africa is mainly associated with Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, who was undefeated in the field in German East Africa. For the British and especially the French Africa was used to recruit soldiers for the war in Europe. On the French side especially the Tirailleurs Sénégalais became famous.
Unfortunately I was not able to get many collectibles about World War I in Africa for my collection (in fact just one card and one stamp), so this will be the first of just two mentions of Africa in this post series. This is not because I think that the war in Africa was not important, but as said because I do not have much to show.

The German Fault in Burundi, which was once a part of German East Africa,
was once home to a German military post.

4th August - The parties of the German parliament declare the Burgfriedenspolitik, which included the omission of strikes, the voting for war credits in the parliament and the agreement not to criticise the government and its war.

4th August - Beginning of the German Invasion in Belgium

German forces invaded Belgium at the beginning of World War I and occupied it until the end. Not only did to Western Front run through Belgium, but the German troops also committed various war crimes in the country.

4th August - The United Kingdom and its Empire enter the war.

The United Kingdom joined the war on 4th August 1914 alongside Russia and France with the declaration of war on the German Empire, as the German Empire captured Belgium whose guarantor power the United Kingdom was. Together with the mother land also its colonies were involved in the war. 

7th August - Montenegro declares war on the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

16th August - The Fortress of Liege is destroyed by German troops.

19th August - German troops capture Brussels. Belgium's military leaders flea to Antwerp.

23rd August - Massacre of Dinant

During the German invasion Dinant was fought between French and German troops. On 23rd August 1914, after the city was captured by the Germans, 674 inhabitants were summarily executed by the German Army and within a month some five thousand Belgian and French civilians were killed by the Germans at numerous similar occasions. It was the biggest massacre committed by the Germans in 1914 and contributed greatly to the propagandistic image of the Rape of Belgium.

23rd August - Beginning of the Battle of Mons

The Battle of Mons took place from 23rd to 24th August 1914 near Mons and was fought between British and German forces. The battle was the first major activity of the British army in the war and ended with a retreat of the British forces.
The Saint-Symphorien military cemetery was laid out by the German troops after the Battle of Mons. Today it is the last resting place of 284 German and 229 Commonwealth soldiers, including the first and the last Commonwealth soldier killed in World War I.

23rd August - Japan declares war on the German Empire. The Austro-Hungarian Empire declares war on Japan

25th August - The Fortress of Namur is captured by German troops

25th August - Destruction of Leuven

Leuven was ravaged by rampaging German soldiers, as they were in fear of Belgian franctireurs. Nearly 300 civilians lost their lifes and a sixth of the city was destroyed including the university library with its important book collection. The destruction of Leuven was one of cruelest German war crimes during World War I and contributed greatly to the propagandistic image of the Rape of Belgium.

26th August - Beginning of the Battle of Tannenberg

The Battle of Tannenberg was fought by German and Russian troops in East Prussia between the 26th and 30th August 1914. It resulted in a decisive German victory and drove the Russians out of East Prussia. Furthermore the Russian Second Army was almost completely destroyed. If this would be enough the battle also was the beginning of an important political myth and paved the way for the rise of a man, Paul von Hindenburg, the Hero of Tannenberg. Together with his staff-officer Erich Ludendorff he won more battles on the Eastern Front and as Chief of the General Staff from August 1916 onwards they formed a de facto military dictatorship that dominated German policymaking for the rest of the war. After the war he retired (once again), but due to his popularity among the German public he returned to public life in 1925 and became the second President of the Weimar Republic.

29th August - The German colony of Samoa is captured by troops from New Zealand.

As part of the British Empire New Zealand entered the war on 5th August 1914. The dominion sent nearly 100,000 of its 1,000,000 civics to the war, of which nearly 18,500 did not come back. One of the New Zealandians who left for the war was Melville Mirfin. He was a bank clerk from the South Island and signed up short after the proclamation. Melville Mirfin was one of the 1385 men who captured Samoa from the Germans as New Zealand's first duty in World War I.

1st September - Beginning of the Battle of Lviv

2nd September - Beginning of the British-Japanese siege of the German colony Qingdao (or Tsingtau as it is known in German) in China, which ended with the colony's capture on the 7th November

5th September - Beginning of the First Battle of the Marne

The First Battle of the Marne was fought from the 5th until the 12th September between the German Empire and the Triple Entente countries France and the United Kingdom. The battle stopped the German advance and wrecked the Schlieffen Plan as the German Empire was not able anymore to capture France as easy as they thought. It is widely considered to have been a turning point of World War I. The Triple Entente bought time and was able to get a back-up for the Western Front from the French and British colonies. The battle created the French myth of the Renault Taxis de la Marne, which were used to bring soldiers to the front and thus showed the determination of the French nation.

24th September - Beginning of the Siege of Przemyśl

Przemyśl in modern day Poland was besieged by Russian troops during World War I. First Przemyśl was besieged from the 24th September to the 12th October 1914 and then for 133 days from the 9th November 1914 onwards. The Siege of Przemyśl was the largest siege of World War I and ended with a defeat of the Austro-Hungarian troops.

Tank Cupola from the Siege of Przemyśl,
now in the Museum of Military History in Vienna

10th October - German troops capture Antwerp. After this a Belgian government in exile was installed in Saint-Adresse in France, where it stayed until November 1918. The leader of the government was Charles de Broqueville. The Belgian King Albert I stayed in the non-occupied part of Belgium and never visited Saint-Adresse.

16th October - Beginning of the Battle of the Yser

The Battle of the Yser was fought between the 16th and 31st October 1914 by German against Belgian and French troops. It was started by an attack on the city of Diksmuide, which was largely destroyed by the end of the war, and ended with an Allied victory and the creation of the Yser Front. To stop the German advance into this last corner of unoccupied Belgium the Belgian and French troops flooded the area by opening the flood gates of the Yser river.

Diksmuide was already rebuilt in the 1920s.

The Dodengang on the Yser Front is one of the
oldest World War I memorials in Belgium.

20th October - Beginning of the First Battle of Ypres

The Belgian city of Ypres of hard fought during World War I. The First Battle of Ypres was fought by Belgian, British and French against German troops between the 20th October and the 22nd November 1914. Although many soldiers lost their lives, the battle remained without military results. Until the end of the war there were three more big battles in the region, which are subsumed as Vier Flandernschlachten (Four Battles of Flanders) in German.

The famous Ypres Cloth Hall was destroyed
in the First Battle of Ypres. After the war it was reconstructed and
now houses the In Flanders Fields Museum.

29th October - The Ottoman Empire enters the war alongside the Central Powers by declaring war on France and Russia.

11th November - The Battle of Basra begins. On 21st November the Ottoman city in modern day Iraq is captured by British troops.

14th November - The Ottoman Sultan declares the holy war on the Entente. Thus he hoped to mobilise Muslim soldiers in the Entente forces to rebel against their commanders.

8th December - Battle of the Falkland Islands

19th December - The Sultanate of Egypt is declared.

22nd December - Beginning of the Battle of Sarikamish

The Battle of Sarikamish was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire during the Caucasus Campaign from 22nd December 1914 to 15th January 1915. It ended with a victory of the Imperial Russian Army.

24th December - Beginning of the short Christmas Truce

On 24th December 1914 and on the next days British and German soldiers on the Western Front stopped the war and exchanged small gifts. This Christmas Truce was not authorised by the level of command. After a few days the battles started again.

31st December - First battles at the Hartmannswillerkopf

The Hartmannswillerkopf is a peak in the Alsace. During World War I it was hard-fought between France and the German Empire. The battles took mainly place in 1915 as both sides withdrew big parts of their troops in 1916. Around 30000 soldiers lost their lifes at Hartmannswillerkopf. Today is the area a National Monument of France and has a museum and a cemetery. The trenches can also be visited.