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Spanish Influenza
Influenza outbreak killed more people than the war did in 1918- 600,000 Americans died from influenza that year -
Statistics
By January of 1918:
daily flour ration in Vienna drops to 165 grams
food trains from east were plundered
desertions from forces rose sharply -
Cool Picture
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Period: to
World War I: 1918
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Wilson's Fourteen Points
Makes Fourteen Points speech to Congress
Path to permanent world peace -
German Won Offensive #1
First German offensive is launched
German troops on the Somme made a 65 km advance against British -
Allied forces under control-- Foch
General Foch appointed as Commander-in-Chief of Allied forces in France -
German Won Offensive #2
at Flanders: breakthrough that threatened Allied control of the Channel ports
"Operation Georgette"
Battle of the Lys from the 9th to the 21st
Main goal was to push German advancement to reach French coast -
German Won Offensive #3
Operation Blücher-Yorck
Focus French attention in this region & stop them from moving reserves further north to support British defence in the Flanders-Lys battle sector. The Third Battle of the Aisne (27th May - 2nd June 1918) was launched with an artillery bombardment by over 4,500 guns. Aisne river bridgers were captured by Germans- advanced 10 miles 1st day.
greatest gain of ground in one day for either side since "race to the sea" in 1914 -
First American Action
US troops capture village of Cantigny from GMs. American Expeditionary Force (AEF) commanded by General John Pershing's main goal: maintain all-American fighting units, not spread out American troops to the British/French -
Talks about Compromise Peace
GM Sec. of State- Kuhlmann- publicly talks about compromise peace
*later disowned/forced from office by military leaders -
Last German Offensive
After every victory, GM was left in a salient- narrow area where an army has pushed its front line forward into enemy territory- while Allies were growing forces.
Last offensive- around Reims, made no significant progress
French counter-attack made a breakthrough -
The Black Day
The beginning of the end for Germany
A Britishtank attack east of Amiens broke GM lines & advanced 9 km. -
Final Offensive on western Front
American troops- Pershing's -
Hidenburg Line Broken
General Ludendorff suffers a nervous collapse at his headquarters, losing all hope for victory- war must end. The next day- urges Kaiser to end war *army is becoming weaker amid irreversible troop losses, declining discipline & battle-readiness due to exhaustion, illness, food shortages, desertions & drunkenness. He agrees with the need for an armistice. -
Surrender of Bulgaria
Germany surrenders Bulgaria ***reverses on Western front in october & this start to change mind about compromise peace -
Bulgaria- First Central Power to Quit the War
Bulgaria signs armistice w/ Allies -
Germany wants armistice
new government led by liberal Prince Max of Baden
requests armistice based on Fourteen Points -
End of GM Submarine Warfare
it's going down.... -
GM naval protest
naval crews at Kiel begin to mutiny in protest against orders to resume operations at sea -
Disintegration
AH empire quietly disintegrates
*peaceful declaration of independent nationhood by Czech, Yugoslavia, Hungary ** 3 days later, Habsburg armies request armistice -
German Republic
German republic proclaimed in Berlin by Social Democrats
Kaiser leaves home, exiled to Holland -
End of War
Germany signs armistice in northern France
*hand over fleet & stocks of war materials
*evacuate occupied territories
*perit allied occupation on left bank of Rhine
*annul peace treaties made w/ Russia & Romania
