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| Admiral Schroder, Ludwig von |  |
| Aug Appointed Commander of the German Navy along the Belgian coast |
| Alliance Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von | |
| 5th July Assures Francis -Joseph Germany will not desert Austria during its conflict with Serbia |
| 5th July Informs the Austria Germany will support Austria against Serbia, the "blank cheque" |
| Ambassador Bulow, Bernhard Heinrich Martin | |
| Appointed Ambassador to Italy |
| Armament Gallwitz, Max von | |
| Gallwitz's corps is formed into the Army Group Gallwitz in Poland |
| Assassination of Franz Ferdinand Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von | |
| 28th June Sarajevo Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Bethmann Hollweg and Foreign Secretary Gottlieb von Jagow are instrumental in urging the Austrians to take a tough stand against Serbia |
| Battle of Albert, 1st Kluck | |
| 20th Sep Albert 1st day of the battle of Albert between the Germans & French for the "race to the sea" |
| 30th Sep Albert The 6th Army comes to Kluck's assistance & the French are driven back |
| 30th Sep Albert The French consolidate & become entreched in a line from Albert to Nyon |
| Battle of Albert, 1st Rupert | |
| 30th Sep Albert The 6th Army comes to Kluck's assistance & the French are driven back |
| 30th Sep Albert The French consolidate & become entreched in a line from Albert to Nyon |
| Battle of Augustov Hindenburg, Paul Ludwig Hans von | |
| 4th Dec Augustov The Russians regroup, counterattack & recapture Augustov & move into East Prussia |
| Battle of Bleid Rommel, Erwin Johannes Eugen | |
| 22nd Aug Bleid Takes part in the battle for Bleid |
| Battle of Coronel Spee, Maximilian Johannes Hubert von | |
| 1st Nov Coronel Defeats Craddock then sails around Cape Horn to scour the South Atlantic |
| 1st Nov Coronel British defeat by Admiral Spee including the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau & Nurnberg |
| 1st Nov Coronel Spee's forces sink the HMS Good Hope & HMS Monmouth |
| 1st Nov Coronel The British are outnumbered & defeated & lose 2 cruisers & 1,500 crew |
| 1st Nov Coronel The British under Craddock fail to prevent German commerce raiding in the sth Pacific |
| Battle of Falklands Spee, Maximilian Johannes Hubert von | |
| 8th Dec Falklands Bombards the Falkland Islands not knowing of the presence of Admiral Sturdee |
| 8th Dec Falklands British reversal of the defeat at Coronel |
| 8th Dec Falklands Spee attempts a raid on the coaling station at Stanley in the Falkland Islands, unaware the British had sent reinforcements |
| 8th Dec Falklands Sturdee sinks Spee's flagship, SMS Scharnhorst, together with SMS Gneisenau, SMS Nrnberg & SMS Leipzig |
| 8th Dec Falklands The German Navy's Sth American commerce raiding force is destroyed |
| 8th Dec Falklands The Scharnhorst is sunk & von Spee drowns |
| Battle of Gumbinnen Mackensen, August von | |
| 20th Aug Gumbinnen Commands Commander-XVIII Corps |
| Battle of Liege Ludendorf, Erich von | |
| 7th Aug Liege Ludendorf commands the 14th Infantry Brigade in Liege & accepts its surrender |
| 16th Aug Liege The last of the forts surrounding Liege surrenders to Ludendorf's forces |
| Battle of Lodz Mackensen, August von | |
| 11th Nov Lodz Although a Russian victory it causes the Russians to call off their offensive |
| 11th Nov Lodz Directs the succesful German offensive at Lodz |
| Battle of Marne, 1st Bulow, Bernhard Heinrich Martin | |
| 9th Sep River Marne Forced back by Joffre, leads to the collapse of the Schlieffen Plan |
| 9th Sep River Marne Kluck & Bulow retreat when the British begin to cross the Marne |
| 9th Sep River Marne The French 5th & the BEF move between Bulow & von Kluck forcing Bulow's retreat |
| 10th Sep River Marne The British & the French fail to pursue the Germans |
| 15th Sep River Marne The front is established alog the Aisne, Vesle, Argonne, Meuse hills, Moselle & Vosges |
| 15th Sep River Marne Trench warfare begins |
| Battle of Marne, 1st Kluck | |
| 5th Sep Meaux Begins when the French 6th Army & German IV Reserve Corps clash in the Meaux hills |
| 5th Sep Meaux Hills Begins when the French 6th Army & German IV Reserve Corps clash in the Meaux hills |
| 5th Sep River Marne Begins when the French 6th Army & German IV Reserve Corps clash in the Meaux hills |
| 6th Sep River Marne A decisive German breakthrough results in a general retreat |
| 6th Sep River Marne The French 6th Army attacks German 1st Army's flank |
| 9th Sep River Marne Kluck & Bulow retreat when the British begin to cross the Marne |
| 15th Sep River Marne The front is established alog the Aisne, Vesle, Argonne, Meuse hills, Moselle & Vosges |
| 15th Sep River Marne Trench warfare begins |
| 10th Oct River Marne Defeated by Joffre, Germany is retreats from Paris to the Soissons -Rheims line |
| Battle of Marne, 1st Moltke | |
| Marne Carries out the Schlieffen Plan but is defeated at the battle of the Marne |
| 9th Sep River Aisne Establishes a new line of defence & ends hope of a short war |
| 9th Sep River Aisne Orders a retreat of 65 km to the River Aisne |
| Battle of Masurian Lakes Hindenburg, Paul Ludwig Hans von | |
| 9th Oct River Vistula Hindenburg reaches the Vistula |
| Battle of Masurian Lakes Mackensen, August von | |
| 9th Sep Masurian Lakes Leads the XVIII Corps |
| Battle of Mons Kluck, Aleexander von | |
| 23rd Aug Mons Orders 150,000 soldiers to attack British positions |
| 23rd Aug Mons The German 1st Army suffer heavy losses but force the British to retreat |
| Battle of St Quentin Bulow, Bernhard Heinrich Martin | |
| 29th Aug St Quentin Prevents the French 5th Army from capturing St Quentin |
| Battle of St Quentin Kluck, Alexander von | |
| 30th Aug St Quentin Prevents the French 5th Army from capturing St Quentin |
| Battle of Tannenberg Ludendorf, Erich von | |
| Tannenberg Ludendorf & Hindenberg outflank & defeat the Russian 2nd Army |
| Tannenberg The Russians lose 92,000 compared to 13,000 Germans |
| Battle of Tannenburg Hindenburg, Paul Ludwig Hans von | |
| Aug Hohenstein Hindenburg drives Samsonov's army back to Hohenstein |
| 26th Aug Tannenburg Decisive victory against Russia in east Prussia |
| 26th Aug Tannenburg Later gives him Hindenburg & Ludendorf a legendary status during the Weimar Republic |
| 27th Aug Gumbinnen Gathers a force 100,000 against the threat posed by Samsonov & Rennekamp's armies |
| 27th Aug Hohenstein Hindenburg takes 90,000 prisoners & several hundred guns |
| 27th Aug Hohenstein Only 60,000 Russian troops escape |
| 27th Aug River Niemen Hindenburg defeats Samsonov & turns on Rennenkampf who retreats to the Niemen River |
| Battle of Tannenburg Mackensen, August von | |
| 27th Aug Tannenburg Leads the XVIII Corps |
| Battle of Yser Beseler, Hans von | |
| Dec Yser Commands the 1st Army at the battle of Yser |
| Battle of Yser Schroder, Ludwig von | |
| Dec Yser Schroder's marine forces are stopped at Yser |
| Dec Yser Spends next 4 years guarding Belgian naval bases |
| Bombing of Scarborough Hipper, Franz von | |
| Dec Scarborough Conducts an air raid on Scarborough |
| Capture of Amiens Moltke | |
| 30th Aug Amiens Germany captures Amiens |
| Capture of Antwerp Albert I |  |
| 9th Oct Antwerp Germany captures Antwerp |
| Capture of Antwerp Beseler, Hans von | |
| 9th Oct Antwerp Commands the capture of Antwerp by the First Army |
| Capture of Antwerp Moltke | |
| 9th Oct Antwerp Antwerp surrenders to the Germans |
| Capture of Antwerp Schroder, Ludwig von | |
| Oct Antwerp Takes part in the German capture of Antwerp |
| Capture of Augustov Hindenburg, Paul Ludwig Hans von | |
| 4th Dec Augustov The Russians regroup, counterattack & recapture Augustov & move into East Prussia |
| Capture of Brussels Albert I | |
| 20th Aug Brussels Germany captures Brussels |
| Capture of Brussels Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von | |
| 20th Aug Brussels Germany captures Brussels |
| Capture of Liege Albert I | |
| 7th Aug Liege Germany captures Liege |
| Capture of Liege Ludendorf, Erich von | |
| 7th Aug Liege Ludendorf commands the 14th Infantry Brigade in Liege & accepts its surrender |
| Capture of Tannenberg Wilhelm II | |
| Tannenberg Advises that the 90,000 Russian prisoners "should be left to starve" |
| Chief of General Staff Falkenhayn, Eric von | |
| Appointed Chief of General Staff, combined with Minister of War for 6 months |
| Commander 6th Army Rupprecht | |
| Appointed Commander of the 6th Army |
| Commander Baltic Sea Fleet Heinrich | |
| July Appointed Commander of the Baltic Sea naval forces |
| Commander Far Eastern Squad Spee, Maximilian Johannes Hubert von | |
| Aug Appointed Commander of the Far East Squadron, patrols the Pacific |
| Commander XVIII Corps Mackensen, August von | |
| 4th Nov Appointed Commander of the 9th Army |
| Death of Spee, Maximilian Johannes Hubert von Spee, Maximilian Johannes Hubert von | |
| 8th Dec Death of Maximilian Johannes Hubert von Spee |
| Declaration of War Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von | |
| 1st Aug Germany declares war on Russia |
| 3rd Aug Germany declares war on France |
| 4th Aug Germany declares war on Belgium |
| 12th Aug Montenegro declares war on Germany |
| 12th Aug Serbia declares war on Germany |
| 23rd Aug Japan declares war on Germany |
| Declaration of War Schoen | |
| 3rd Aug Declared because France had dropped bombs on Belgium & Germany as far as Nurnberg |
| 3rd Aug Declares war on France on behalf of the German Government |
| Declaration of War Stressman, Gustav | |
| Supports the war effort & annexationist war aims |
| Declaration of War Wilhelm II | |
| 1st Aug Berlin Declares war on his cousin Tsar Nicholas II of Russia |
| Declaration of War Nicholas II |  |
| 1st Aug Germany declares war on Russia |
| Diplomacy Ballin, Albert | |
| July London Reports that if France is attacked Britain will intervene |
| July London Sent to London by the German Chancellor to sound out the British reaction to war |
| Diplomacy Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von | |
| Will not invade France if Britain remains neutral but Edward Grey refuses such a deal |
| 31st July Berlin Telegrams Count Berchtold asking the Auastrians not to mobilize against Russia |
| Diplomacy Erzberger, Mathias | |
| Aug Placed in charge of overseas propaganda |
| Diplomacy Moltke | |
| 31st July Berlin Telegrams the Austrian Chief-of-Staff to mobilize at once against the Russians |
| Diplomacy Wilhelm II | |
| 29th July Berlin Asks the Tsar to spare Europe, "the most horrible war she has ever witnessed" |
| Director Einstein Einstein, Albert | |
| Appointed Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics |
| Dismissal Moltke | |
| Marne Carries out the Schlieffen Plan but is defeated at the battle of the Marne |
| Election Stressman, Gustav | |
| Elected Member of the Reichstag |
| Embassy Counselor Neurath Neurath, Constantin Freiher von | |
| Berlin Appointed embassy counselor at Constantinople |
| Field Marshal Hindenburg, Paul Ludwig Hans von | |
| Appointed Commander of the Army in East Prussia |
| Appointed Field Marshal & Commander of the German armies in the east |
| Appointed Commander of the Army in East Prussia |
| Appointed Field Marshal & Commander of the German armies in the east |
| First General Staff Officer Hoffman Hoffman, Maximilian | |
| Aug Appointed First General Staff Officer to the 8th Army in East Prussia |
| Aug Appointed First General Staff Officer to the Eighth Army in East Prussia |
| Head War Materials Dept Rathenau Rathenau, Walter | |
| Due to a shortage of supplies a new department is set up under Rathenau's direction |
| Health Rommel, Erwin Johannes Eugen | |
| 24th Sep Varennes Put in hospital with a leg injury for 3 months |
| Inspector General Sanders, Otto Liman von | |
| 8th Jan German General appointed as Inspector General of the Turkish Army |
| Invasion of Belgium Albert I | |
| 2nd Aug Germany demands passage through Belgium |
| 3rd Aug Liege Germany invades Belgium & is stopped at Liege |
| Invasion of Belgium Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von | |
| Aug Asks British Ambassador Goschen how Britain could go to war over a "mere scrap of paper" (the Treaty of London of 1839 protecting Belgium's neutrality), a remark which would become infamous |
| 2nd Aug Germany demands free passage through Belgium |
| 3rd Aug Liege German troops cross the Belgian frontier at Vise in the province of Liege |
| 3rd Aug Belgium rejects Germany's demand for troop access |
| 3rd Aug Germany calls for a free passage across Belgium but this is refused the following day |
| Invasion of France Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von | |
| 24th Aug Lille Germany enters France near Lille |
| Invasion of France Bulow, Bernhard Heinrich Martin | |
| Directs the German invasion of France |
| Invasion of France Kluck | |
| 29th Aug River Somme Kluck crosses the Somme |
| 1st Sep Crepy en Valois Kluck reaches Crepy-en-Valois, 30 miles from Paris |
| 1st Sep River Oise Kluck crosses the Oise |
| 1st Sep Villers Kluck reaches Villers -Cotterets, 30 miles from Paris |
| 2nd Sep River Marne Kluck crosses the Marne |
| 3rd Sep Paris Advances the First Army to within 50 km east of Paris |
| 5th Sep Follows orders to withdraw his troops & join up with the 2nd Army |
| Invasion of France Moltke | |
| France will be defeated in 6 weeks then Germany will concentrate on Russia |
| Invasion of France Rupprecht | |
| Fails to break through French defences east of the Moselle & the Schlieffen Plan |
| 20th Aug Launches an attack on the French right |
| Invasion of Poland Moltke | |
| Launches war on 2 fronts by invading Poland along the "Polish tongue" |
| Invasion of Russia Moltke | |
| France will be defeated in 6 weeks then Germany will concentrate on Russia |
| July Crisis Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von | |
| 5th July Assures Francis -Joseph Germany will not desert Austria during its conflict with Serbia |
| 5th July Informs the Austria Germany will support Austria against Serbia, the "blank cheque" |
| 6th July Encourages Austro-Hungarian aggression against Serbia with unconditional support |
| 29th July Advises Vienna to mediate |
| 29th July Proposes a neutrality agreement to Britain guaranteeing France's territory |
| 30th July Declares a "state of imminent war" |
| 30th July Learns of Russia's mobilization |
| 1st Aug Demands that France abandon the Franco-Russian alliance |
| 1st Aug Germany declares war on Russia |
| 2nd Aug Belgium is asked to accept German protection from a non-existent French attack |
| 3rd Aug Berk Makes an address in the Reichstag about the Russian "firebrand" |
| 3rd Aug Berlin Makes an address in the Reichstag about the Russian "firebrand" |
| 3rd Aug Germany declares war on France |
| Kiel Canal Wilhelm II | |
| May Kiel Canal Opens the widened Kiel Canal |
| Lieutenant, 2nd Rommel, Erwin Johannes Eugen | |
| Mar Ulm Appointed Member of the 49th Field Artillery Regiment |
| Lieutenant Doenitz Doenitz, Karl | |
| Appointed |
