Chapter 245
Dec. 22--Allies press offensive; Germans sh.e.l.l hospital at Ypres; they claim that Allies' advance has failed.
Dec. 23--Allies make slight gains.
Dec. 24--British are using new howitzers; some German trenches have been torn to bits by French guns.
Dec. 25--Reported that the French are sh.e.l.ling the outer forts of Metz; unofficial truce along much of the battle front; soldiers feast and get many gifts from home; in some instances Allies and Germans exchange gifts and visits.
Dec. 26--Fog halts fighting in Flanders.
Dec. 27--Germans pus.h.i.+ng preparations for defense of Antwerp.
Dec. 28--New Paris defenses are completed; the Rhine is being additionally fortified.
Dec. 29--Germans reinforce line in Belgium.
Dec. 31--Lull in the fighting on most of the front in Flanders and France; French take half of the village of Steinbach, Upper Alsace, which is of strategic importance.
Jan. 3--French gain near Rheims and St. Mihiel, but are repulsed near St. Menehould; floods hinder fighting; conditions in Yser trenches are very bad.
Jan. 4--Germans admit loss of Steinbach.
Jan. 5--Germans are moving big guns from Ostend; French press on toward Cernay.
Jan. 6--French make further progress at St. Mihiel; bombardment of Furnes necessitates s.h.i.+fting of Belgian headquarters.
Jan. 7--French make progress in direction of Altkirch.
CAMPAIGN IN FAR EAST.
Oct. 30--j.a.panese attack Germans at Tsing-tau; Indian troops aid j.a.panese.
Nov. 1--Desperate fighting at Tsing-tau; city is in flames.
Nov. 4--j.a.panese capture German guns and 800 prisoners at Tsing-tau.
Nov. 6--Germans surrender Tsing-tau fortress.
Nov. 7--Formal capitulation of Tsing-tau; j.a.panese will administer city.
CAMPAIGN IN AFRICA.
Oct. 28--Belgians defeat Germans on Lake Tanganyika.
Oct. 29--Allies take
Nov. 4--Germans defeat British in German East Africa.
Nov. 7--Belgians aid British forces in the Congo.
Nov. 23--British defeated in attack on German railway terminus in East Africa.
Nov. 27--Maritz, Union of South Africa revolutionist, defeated.
Dec. 10--Governor General Lord Buxton says that the revolution in the Union of South Africa is ended and reports capture of 7,000 rebels.
Dec. 23--Portuguese retreat before Germans in Angola.
CAMPAIGN IN ASIA MINOR AND EGYPT.
Oct. 29--Turkey begins war with Russia by bombarding Odessa from the sea.
Nov. 2--Russians and Turks are fighting near Trebizond.
Nov. 3--Turks claim victory over Russians in Armenia; German officers are with camel corps on Turkish-Egyptian frontier; Suez Ca.n.a.l threatened.
Nov. 4--Russia begins invasion of Armenia.
Nov. 5--England and France declare war on Turkey; Russians seize Armenian towns; Turks have successes in Kara-Killissa and Tehan districts; England annexes the Island of Cyprus; German officer sentenced to life imprisonment by Egyptian police for having plans to dynamite Suez Ca.n.a.l.
Nov. 6--Armenians besiege town of Van.
Nov. 7--Russians have successes northeast of Kara-Killissa.
Nov. 8--Russians take Keprekioi in Armenia and hold road to Erzerum.
Nov. 9--Russians take Turkish fort near Erzerum and pursue Kurdish cavalry; Russians win at Kohrikoi on River Araxes.
Nov. 10--France, England, Russia, Belgium, and Servia issue a formal declaration of war against Turkey; both sides claim victories in Erzerum region.
Nov. 13--Russians advance on Erzerum from three directions; Turks fail in flank attack.
Nov. 14--Russians rout Kurds in cavalry battle in Armenia; Turks have success on Caucasian border.
Nov. 15--Turks occupy Persian town of Kotur; British troops land in Basra Province; Indian troops, aided by British cruiser, occupy Turba, Arabia.
Nov. 16--Russians defeated near Koprukeui; British take Turkish camp at Fao.
Nov. 17--Russians checked near Fao; Turks occupy Duzkeuy.
Nov. 19--Russians defeat Kurds in Persian Armenia; fighting near Urumiah; British success in Arabia.
Nov. 22--Turks win near Port Said and reach Suez Ca.n.a.l; Russians gain near Juzveran.
Nov. 23--British defeat Turks near Persian Gulf.
Nov. 24--Russians defeat Turks in Armenia.