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January 1 – March 30
Allied offensive in Artois and Champagne
January 15
Japan’s 21 demands on China
January 19-20
First German zeppelin attack on England
February 4
German U-boat attacks on Allied and neutral shipping; declares a blockade of Britain
February 7-21
Russians suffer heavy losses at Second Battle of Masurian Lakes (also known as the Winter Battle)
February – April
Austro-Hungarian attack on Russian Poland (Galicia) collapses, with the Russians counterattacking
February 19-August
Allied amphibious attack on the Dardanelles and Gallipoli (initiated by Winston Churchill, who resigns as a consequence) ends with the Turkish siege of the Allied forces
March 1
First passenger ship sinks, the British liner Falaba
March 11
Britain announces blockade of German ports
April-June
Germans focus on Eastern Front, breaking through Gorlice-Tarnow and forcing Russia out of much of Poland
April 22 – May 25
First use of poison gas by Germany starts Second Battle of Ypres
April 25
Allied landing at Gallipoli
April 26
France, Russia, Italy and Britain conclude secret Treaty of London
May 2
Austro-German offensive on Galicia begins
May 7
U-boat sinks British liner Lusitania with the loss of American lives, creating a US-German diplomatic crisis
May 9
Second Battle of Artois begins
May 23
Ignoring treaty agreements with the Central Powers, Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary
May 25
British Prime Minister Asquith reorganises his Liberal government as a coalition of the parties
June 29 – December 2
Italians launch an unsuccessful attack on Hungarians at 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Battles of Isonzo; there are to be 12 in total
September 5
Tsar Nicholas takes command of Russian armies
September 22
Second Battle of Champagne begins
October 3
Anglo-French force lands at Salonika in Greece
October – November
Austro-German-Bulgarian forces invade Serbia, expelling Serbian army from the country
December 19
Sir Douglas Haig replaces Sir John French as commander of British Expeditionary Force
December 28
Allies begin withdrawal of troops from Gallipoli