jesperpehrson
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Excerpts from newspapers between July 28th and November 21st 1914
July 28th:
"Austria-Hungary declares war to Serbia"
In the aftermath of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, Austria made ten demands of Serbia. These included: the suppression of all publications critical of Austria-Hungary and the withdrawal of schoolbooks filled with propaganda against the Empire. Army officers, school teachers and government officials holding these views would have to be dismissed. Specific individuals would be targeted for arrest. Finally, an Austrian official would be appointed to monitor the fulfillment of these demands. The Serbians accepted all but the last demand.
"Montenegro declares war to Austria-Hungary"
The independent kingdom of Montenegro declared war on Austria on July the 28th. The Montenegrin army will fight together with the Serbs against Austria-Hungary on the Balkan Front.
"British Expeditionary Force ready to be sent to France"
The british army consists of a total of 250,000 regular troops in 1914 and half are in the British Expeditionary Force ready to aid our French ally (Britain joined France in the Entente Cordiale ('friendly understanding') in 1904).
July 31st:
"Russia declares War to Austria-Hungary"
The rising ideas of Pan-Slavism had led Russia to issue treaties of protection to Serbia. Nicholas wanted neither to abandon Serbia to the ultimatum of Austria-Hungary, nor to provoke a general war. However it proved too late for personal communications to determine the course of events.The Russians had no contingency plans for a partial mobilisation, and on July 31, 1914, Nicholas, under political pressure from abroad, and military pressure at home, took the fateful step of confirming the order for a general mobilisation. As Germany and Austria-Hungary had mutual defence treaties in place, this led almost immediately to a German mobilisation and declaration of war.
"German cruiser group Breslau in the Mediterranean!"
At the outbreak of the this war war, Breslau and Goeben were to interdict French transports transferring troops from Algeria to France however, due to concentrations of French and British warships, Breslau only succeeded in conducting a nuisance bombardment of the embarkation port of Bône on 4 August 1914 before being sunk.
August 1st:
"Germany declares War to Russia"
The Germans, having pledged their support to Austria-Hungary, sent Russia an ultimatum on July 31 to stop mobilization within 12 hours. On August 1, with the ultimatum expired, the German ambassador to Russia formally declared war.
"Cruiser Emden sighted in the Far East"
In the August of 1914 Emden raided Allied shipping in the Indian Ocean, sinking or capturing a few Allied merchant vessels and warships before being run aground by its captain to prevent it from sinking, after engaging HMAS Sydney at the Battle of Zanzibar.
August 3rd:
"Germany declares war to France"
On August 2, Germany occupied Luxembourg, as a preliminary step to the invasion of Belgium and the Schlieffen Plan (which was rapidly going awry, as the Germans had not intended to be at war with a mobilized Russia this quickly).
The same day, yet another ultimatum was delivered to Belgium, requesting free passage for the German army on the way to France. The Belgians refused. At the very last moment, the Kaiser Wilhelm II asked Moltke, the German Chief of General Staff, to cancel the invasion of France in the hope this would keep Britain out of the war. Moltke, horrified by the prospect of the utter ruin of the Schlieffen Plan, refused on the grounds that it would be impossible to change the rail schedule—"once settled, it cannot be altered". The question of whether such a radical change in Germany’s plans would have indeed been possible was the subject of much dispute. When Moltke’s reply was revealed after the war to General von Staab, Germany’s Chief of the Railway Division, he saw it as an affront to the capabilities of his unit, and proceeded to write a book proving such a change was indeed possible.
"British Prime Minister Asquith orders mobilisiation"
In response to German aggresion towards their ally Britain mobilises it´s profesional army.
August 4th:
"Britain declares war to Germany"
PM Asquith declared war on the German Empire on August 4, 1914 in response to the German invasion of Belgium, as the 1839 Treaty of London had committed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to guard Belgium's neutrality in the event of invasion.
"French Plan XVII is underway: ATTACK!"
The offensive French military strategy in World War I known as Plan XVII was initially created by Ferdinand Foch. The offensive plan used brute force and a mystical belief in the French "élan" or "fighting spirit." General Joseph Joffre adopted this plan upon becoming commander-in-chief in 1911.
"Germany invades neutral Belgium and capture Liege!"
At the outbreak of the war, the German army executed a modified version of the Schlieffen Plan, designed to quickly attack France through Belgium before turning southwards to encircle the French army on the German border. Armies under German generals Alexander von Kluck and Karl von Bülow attacked Belgium on 4 August 1914. Luxembourg had been occupied without opposition on 2 August. The first battle in Belgium was the Siege of Liège, which lasted from 5.00 AM to 16.00 PM . Liège was well fortified and surprised the German army under von Bülow with its level of resistance. After the initial surprise the Germany army overcame the defenders with the aid of heavy artillery.
August 6th:
"Austria declares war to Russia"
"Turkey commissions Battleships"
The Ottoman fleet was in a period of transition with many obsolete ships. It had been expecting to receive two powerful dreadnoughts fitting out in Britain, but the UK seized the completed Reshadiye and Sultan Osman I with the outbreak of war with Germany and incorporated them into the Royal Navy.
August 8th:
Willhelm II "Troops will be home before the leaves fall"
German Kaiser adresses soldiers before they are sent of to the front. Generals on both sides are reported to have doubts about the optimism of the Kaiser.
* Russian mobilisation faster than expected and the 1st army is ready!
"Plan XVII is cancelled after a resounding failure to make any progress."
The execution of Plan XVII ended in total failure. The German defense of Alsace-Lorraine turned out to be of much better quality than expected, and within a few weeks, the French were back in their starting positions, while the Germans had advanced almost unopposed through Belgium and northern France
* "Italy declares neutrality. Austria angered! France relieved!"
At the beginning of the war, the German and Austro-Hungarian request of Italian intervention, was rejected by the Italian Government based on the fact that Austria and not Serbia declared war, so it was not a defensive war.
August 15th:
* Refugees on the streets in Northern France
"Bruxelles falls but the King vows to continue the fight!"
German forces following the "Shlieffen Plan" invaded Belgium and Luxembourg. They engaged the heavily defended Belgium forces at Liege and overran it. By August 15th the Germans had entered Brussels.
* Medieval Louvin is bombed, world opinion is shocked
* Victory in Africa for the Entente! Cruiser Königsberg sunk !
August 22nd:
"General Hindenburg recalled to duty from retirement"
Hindenburg retired from the army in 1911, but has returned on the outbreak of the war in August 1914. He was called to service to command the armies in East Prussia essentially to serve as a Junker front man for his Chief of Staff, the middle-class officer, Erich Ludendorff.
* News of alleged German execution of Nurses shock poeple
August 29th:
"Japan declares war to Germany!"
Japan entered World War I in 1914, seizing the opportunity of Germany's distraction with the European War and wanting to expand its sphere of influence in China.
"Central Powers capture Verdun"
The battle began in early August, when the Germans had amassed 400 guns. The Germans made a determined attempt to break through and made some headway. The Germans were finally succesful, in a grinding battle that lasted until August 29th. The French lost an estimated 150,000 troops in the battle.
September 5th:
"Russian and Austro-Hungarian forces are ready in Galicia"
The Russians invaded East Prussia, winning their initial engagement against the Germans. At the same time, the Russian Army attacked Galicia, where they faced the Austro-Hungarian army. The Austrians were victorious at the Battle of Lemberg and the Russians were forced to withdraw.
"Royal Navy fully operational"
The Grand Fleet consists 35-40 state of the art navyvessels. It is commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe.
September 12th:
* French city of Paris summons city reserves to fight!
September 19th:
"First Trenches start to appear"
The Allies counterattacked against the German forces, with little success. The Germans then attacked the French lines and their attack succeded. As German forces were solid, they could keep their line along the Somme river. It soon became clear that this war was not going to be one of sweeping battlefield victories, but a long drawn out struggle over trenches.
"Entente capture Windhoek"
Is it the end of the German colonial era when british colonial troops occupied Windhoek in September 1914 on behalf of Great Britain?
October 3rd:
British admiralty start to lay down minefields
To protect it´s convoy against the increasing threat of German submarines the British admirality ordered that minefields were laid out in the english channel and the north sea.
"Italy faces strong rebels in Lybian Fezzan and Cyrenaica"
Following the outbreak of hostilities between Italy and Turkey in 1911, Italian troops occupied Tripoli. Italian sovereignty was recognized in 1912. Libyans continued to fight the Italians in 1914, by which time Italy lost control of most of the land.
* In the Pacific, Japan occupies the Marshall Islands
* Romanian King Carel dies, replaced by Ferdinand I
* South Africa declares Martial Law throughout the Union
October 10th:
"Warsawa falls"
The Germans attacked the Russian forces in Poland. Battles raged across Poland both in the north, around Warsaw, and in the south, around Cracow. On October 10th, the Germans captured Warsaw.
"Russian morale low at news of fall of Warsaw"
The Germans broke the Russian attack on East Prussia at the battle of Tanneberg. Greatly aided by intercepted Russian communications, the Germans surrounded parts of the Russian army and captured over 100,000 Russian prisoners.
"Tsar Nicolas II in general command of Russian forces"
A war of bloody battle defines the vast Eastern Front, where the Russians were facing the combined forces of the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires, and they are suffering staggering losses. Nicholas, feeling that it is his duty, and that his personal presence would inspire his troops, decided to lead his army directly. He assumed the role of commander-in-chief after dismissing his cousin from that position, the highly respected and experienced Nikolai Nikolaevich following the loss of the Russian Kingdom of Poland.
"Libyan rebels capture Tripoli"
The Italian debacle in Africa is concluded by the loss of Tripoli. The question now is wether or not they are able to reclaim it.
October 17th:
"First Canadian troops arrive in England"
Sir Robert Borden, the Canadian Prime Minister, was swift in offering support, both financial and military. He practised a policy of complete support for the British war effort.
( http://www.zippyvideos.com/9577098166140246/canadiantrooptrain.gif/ )
October 29th:
* Ottoman empire enters War!
November 7th:
"AH commissions four new improved Teggetthof ships"
Among the ships commisioned SZENT ISTVAN (King Stephen 1 of Hungary)is one. The Austrian admirality wants to expand it's naval influence outside of the Adriatic ocean. The increasing interest in naval warfare is said to be directly related to recent Austrian victories at sea.
"Germany commissions two new Sachsen BBs and two BCs"
SMS Sachsen is a Bayern class battleship launched and was completed for service in the German Imperial Navy. Sachsen was laid down as the third member of the Bayern class and the 44th battleship of the Imperial Navy. Construction was begun at Germaniawerft on Kiel, and the ship was launched on 7th November 1914.
November 14th:
* British and French discuss plans to attack the Ottomans
"Belgrade falls!"
A joint attack between the Austrian 5th army and the German Bavarian korps drove the defending Serbs from Belgrade today. In spite of the surprise of this attack King Peter managed to flee on a train heading south. Reports of his destination unknown but rumours claim Saloniki.
November 21st:
* Russia receives more reinforcements from Siberia
* Riga falls!
* Russian morale low at news of the loss of Riga
November 28th
British declares North Sea to be a military area
King of England George V visits troops in France
Italy makes demands for Trieste and Trento
German Cruiser Squadron sighted Near Falklands
December 12th
Kein artillerie munizion mehr! Industrie zu mobilizieren
Shell scandal! No more artillery ammunition!!
Forces are exhausted! Trench warfare settles in
Ottoman Sultan proclaims a Jihad against The Entente
THIS IS WORK IN PROGRESS!  I will edit this document to cover the events that occur until the war ends, so please check back here now and then even if there is no new post. Some pictures before posted may be reposted to exemplify an event.
Disclaimer: the texts are often taken from actual historical sources but has in some cases been altered according to "our" war.
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< Message edited by capitan -- 10/16/2006 10:48:59 AM >
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RE: The Great war by Piero - AAR - - 
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