The Year of 1918

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January – September

T.E. Lawrence leads Arab guerrillas in successful campaign against Turkish positions in Arabia and Palestine

January 8

US President Woodrow Wilson makes “Fourteen Points” speech to Congress

February 11

US President Woodrow Wilson makes “Four Principles” speech to Congress

March 3

Soviet Russia concludes separate peace negotiations in treaty of Brest-Litovsk

March 21

Germany launches Spring push, eventually mounting five major offensives against Allied forces, starting with the Battle of Picardy against the British

March 26

Doullens Agreement gives General Ferdinand Foch “co-ordinating authority” over the Western Front

April 9

Germany launches second Spring offensive, the Battle of the Lys, in the British sector of Armentieres

April 14

Foch appointed Commander-in-Chief of Allied forces on Western Front

May 25

German U-boats appear in US waters for first time

May 27

Third German Spring offensive, Third Battle of the Aisne, begins in French sector along Chemin des Dames

May 28

US forces (28th Regiment of 1st Division) victorious in first major action, Battle of Cantigny

June 6

US 3rd Division captures Bouresches and southern part of Belleau Wood

June 9

Germans launch fourth Spring offensive, Battle of the Matz, in French sector between Noyan and Montdider

June 15

Italians prevail against Austro-Hungarian forces at Battle of Piave

July 6

US President Woodrow Wilson agrees to US intervention in Siberia

July 15

Final phase of great German Spring push, the Second Battle of Marne, begins

July 16-17

Former Tsar Nicholas II, his wife, and children, are murdered by the Bolsheviks

July 18

Allies counterattack against German forces, seizing initiative

August 3

Allied intervention begins at Vladivosto

August 8

Haig directs start of successful Amiens offensive, forcing all German troops back to the Hindenburg Line; Ludendorff calls it a “black day” for German army

September 12

US forces clear the St.-Mihiel salient, during which the greatest air assault of the war is launches by the US

September 19

Start of British offensive in Palestine, the Battle of Megiddo

September 26

Battle of the Vardar pits Serb, Czech, Italian, French and British forces against Bulgarian forces

September 26

Meuse-Argonne offensive opens; the final Franco-American offensive of the war

September 27 – October 17

Haig’s forces storm the Hindenburg Line, breaking through at several points

September 29

Bulgaria concludes armistice negotiations

September 28 – October 14

Belgian troops attack at Ypres

October 3-4

Germany and Austria send peace notes to US President Woodrow Wilson requesting an armistice

October 17 – November 11

British advance to the Sambre and Schledt rivers, taking many German prisoners

October 21

Germany ceases unrestricted submarine warfare

October 27

Erich Ludendorff resigns

October 30

Turkey concludes an armistice with the Allies

November 3

German fleet mutinies at Kiel

November 3

Trieste falls to the Allies; Austria-Hungary concludes an armistice

November 7-11

Germany negotiates an armistice with the Allies in Ferdinand Foch’s railway carriage headquarters at Compiegne

November 9

Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates

November 10

Kaiser Wilhelm II flees to Holland

November 10

German republic is founded

November 11

Armistice day; fighting ceases at 11am