Primary
Documents - 1917
Updated - Saturday, 19 June, 2004
This page of the Primary Documents section of the website collects together archive source documents originating in 1917, the tumultuous third year of the war which heralded two revolutions in Russia, French military disaster along the Aisne, severe British difficulties at Passchendaele - and perhaps most notable of all, America's decisive entry into the war.
Included among the following documents is the transcript of the decoded Zimmermann Telegram which helped bring about America's entry into the war; President Wilson's speech to the U.S. Congress declaring war against Germany; and Tsar Nicholas II's abdication proclamation.
The list presented below - with each entry accompanied by a brief summary of its significance - is sorted by date, with earlier documents listed first.
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German Propaganda
Order (click
here) January - Instructions for use on the Italian Front |
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King Constantine's
Letter to Neutrals (click
here) January - The King's protest against Allied interference |
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Zimmermann Telegram (click
here) January - Secret German telegram to Mexico |
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Peace Without Victory (click
here) January - President Wilson's proposal to European powers |
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German Reintroduction
of U-Boat Warfare (click
here) January - Germany's decision to re-start U-boat warfare |
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Bethmann-Hollweg on U-Boat Warfare (click
here) January - German Chancellor's speech to Reichstag |
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Woodrow Wilson on U-Boat Warfare (click
here) February - U.S. President's breaking off of relations |
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Spain's Position on U-Boat Warfare (click
here) February - Neutral Spain's dismay at new German policy |
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Brazil's Position on U-Boat Warfare (click
here) February - Neutral Brazil's stance against German policy |
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Chile's Position on U-Boat Warfare (click
here) February - Neutral Chile's statement against German policy |
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Tsar Nicholas II's
Abdication Proclamation (click
here) March - Russian Tsar's belated abdication announcement |
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First Russian
Provisional Government (click
here) March - Public announcement of new government |
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Grand Duke Mikhail's
Manifesto (click
here) March - New Russian Tsar's position |
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von Mackensen on
Romanian Campaign (click
here) March - German Field Marshal's triumphant announcement |
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German Report on
Romanian Campaign (click
here) March - Semi-official German narrative of early campaign |
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President Wilson's
Inauguration Address (click
here) March - Address given by Wilson at start of second term |
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Manchester Guardian
on Fall of Baghdad (click
here) March - British newspaper journalist's account |
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Sir Frederick Maude
on Fall of Baghdad (click
here) March - British Commander-in-Chief's official despatch |
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Austro-German Report
on Fall of Baghdad (click
here) March - Report by Gaston Bodart into Britain's success |
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Arthur Zimmermann on
his Telegram (click
here) March - Speech confirming telegram's authenticity |
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Japan's Reaction to
Zimmermann Telegram (click
here) March - Prime Minister's rebuttal of connivance |
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Ulema's Support for
Arab Independence (click
here) March - Ulema's crucial support for King Hussein |
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French Report on
Hindenburg Line Retreat (click
here) March - Investigation into reports of German atrocities |
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Frederic Penfield on
the German Retreat (click
here) March - U.S. Ambassador's first-hand report of aftermath |
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Philip Gibbs on the
Battle of
Vimy Ridge (click
here) April - British war reporter's newspaper account |
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Canadian War Office on
Vimy Ridge (click
here) April - Official Canadian reaction to success at Vimy Ridge |
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William Sharp on the
German Retreat (click
here) April - U.S. Ambassador's eye-witness account |
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Bethmann-Hollweg on
War with America (click
here) April - German Chancellor's regret at war likelihood |
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British Reply to Bethmann-Hollweg's
Note (click
here) April - Britain's dismissal of German Chancellor's arguments |
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U.S. Declaration of
War (click
here) April - President Wilson's address to Congress |
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Formal U.S.
Declaration of War (click
here) April - Formal U.S. declaration of war with Germany |
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Alexandre Ribot on
U.S. Decision for War (click
here) April - French Prime Minister's applause for U.S. stance |
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Cuba's
Declaration of War (click
here) April - Formal Cuban declaration of war with Germany |
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Mario Menocal on
Cuba's Decision for War (click
here) April - Cuban President's rationale for war |
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Pres. Valdez on
Panama's Decision for War (click
here) April - President's statement of reasons for war |
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David Lloyd George on
U.S. War Declaration (click
here) April - British Prime Minister's support for U.S. decision |
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President Wilson: "Do
Your Bit For America" (click
here) April - President Wilson's call to American people |
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Wilhelm on Success at
Aisne/Champagne (click
here) April - Kaiser's congratulations to Crown Prince Wilhelm |
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Ludendorff on Success at
the Aisne (click
here) April - Erich Ludendorff's triumphant announcement |
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Lenin's April Theses (click
here) April - Lenin's prescription for revolution in Russia |
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Alexander Guchkov on
Unrest in Russia (click
here) May - War Minister's warning of imminent "abyss" |
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Alexander Kerenski on
Unrest in Russia (click
here) May - Justice Minister's warning against military unrest |
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Manifesto of Council
of Workmen & Soldiers (click
here) May - Statement supporting Russia's military effort |
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Pres. Wilson's
Conscription Proclamation (click
here) May - U.S. President's formal call for conscription |
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Samuel Gompers on U.S.
Conscription (click
here) May - U.S. trade union leader's position on conscription |
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Douglas Haig's
Hindenburg Line Despatch (click
here) May - British Commander-in-Chief's report of operations |
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Thomas Nelson Page on
10th/11th Isonzo (click
here) May - U.S. Ambassador to Italy's summary |
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Brazil's Steps
Towards War (click
here) June - Brazilian government's legal steps to authorise war |
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Allied Ultimatum to
King Constantine I (click
here) June - Demand for Constantine's abdication |
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William H. Taft on
the Reasons for War (click
here) June - Former U.S. President's rationale for war |
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King Constantine's
Abdication Proclamation (click
here) June - Exiled King's farewell speech |
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King Alexander's
Inaugural Proclamation (click
here) June - New Greek King's promise to follow his father's lead |
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Allied Proclamation on
King Constantine (click
here) June - Allies' proclamation applauding King's abdication |
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U.S. Espionage Act (click
here) June - U.S. law defining acts of espionage during wartime |
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Russia's Note of
Thanks to the U.S. (click
here) June - Russian government's letter of appreciation |
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David Lloyd-George on
Origins of War (click
here) June - Blame for Germany's actions in 1914 |
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U.S. Press Bureau on
Role of Destroyers (click
here) June - Controversial government bureau's press release |
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Brusilov on
the Kerenski Offensive (click
here) July - Call to Russian arms in launching offensive |
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Brusilov's Dispatches
Re Kerenski Offensive (click
here) July - Commander-in-Chief's increasing despair at events |
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Painleve on French
Failure at the Aisne (click
here) July - French War Minister's public statement |
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Reichstag's Peace
Resolution (click
here) July - German parliament's call for peace |
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Corfu Declaration (click
here) July - Established basis of post-war Greater Serbia |
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Manifesto of Council
of Workmen & Soldiers (click
here) July - Statement urging support for Provisional Govt. |
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Manifesto of Council
of Workmen & Soldiers (click
here) July - Striking a note of desperate urgency |
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Anton Denikin on
Mutiny in Russian Army (click
here) July - Army Chief of Staff's official report |
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Erich Ludendorff on
Third Ypres (click
here) July - Account of German losses at Passchendaele |
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Sir David Watson on
Third Ypres (click
here) July - Canadian General's summary of Canadian role |
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Pope Benedict XV's
Peace Note (click
here) August - Seven-point peace initiative |
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King Alexander's
Address to Parliament (click
here) August - Incoming Greek King's coronation address |
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G.M. Trevelyan on 11th
Battle of the Isonzo (click
here) August - Account by head of British Red Cross in Italy |
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U.S. Report into
Atrocities in Belgium (click
here) September - U.S. Ambassador to Belgium's critical report |
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U.S. Report into
Atrocities in Poland (click
here) September - U.S. Commission member's report |
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Polish Speech on
Atrocities in Poland (click
here) September - By Polish member of Prussian parliament |
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Lenin's Appeal for
Civil Unrest (1) (click
here) October - Appeal for further civil unrest in Russia |
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Lenin's Appeal for
Civil Unrest (2) (click
here) October - Further appeal for civil disobedience |
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Lenin's Statement of
Bolshevik Demands (click
here) October - Bolshevik's catalogue of revolutionary demands |
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Lenin's Call to Power (click
here) October - Lenin's urgent call to overthrow government |
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Bolshevik
Proclamation of Victory (click
here) October - Proclamation declaring Kerenski's overthrow |
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Lenin's Three
Proclamations (click
here) October - Three post-revolution Bolshevik proclamations |
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Lenin's Decree on
Peace (click
here) October - Defining the nature of Soviet foreign policy |
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Bolshevik Peace
Resolutions (click
here) October - Resolutions of Workmen's and Soldiers' Congress |
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Luigi Cadorna on
Defeat at Caporetto (click
here) October - Italian Army's Chief of Staff admits defeat |
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Von Cramon on the
Battle of Caporetto (click
here) October - German liaison officer's countdown to action |
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Romanian Ambassador on
the War (click
here) October - Statement outlining Romania's experiences |
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Brazil's Justification
to the Vatican for War (click
here) October - Open letter explaining the need for war |
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Balfour Declaration (click
here) November - Britain's recommendation for a Jewish homeland |
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Hindenburg on the
Battle of Cambrai (click
here) November - German Army Chief of Staff's account |
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Conan Doyle on the
Battle of Cambrai (click
here) November - Arthur Conan Doyle's Summary |
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Leon Trotsky on
Bolshevik Foreign Policy (click
here) November - Bolshevik desire for a prompt armistice |
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Vinichenko on
Ukrainian Independence (click
here) November - Ukrainian President's aims for autonomy |
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von Kühlmann on the
October Revolution (click
here) November - German Foreign Secretary's Reichstag speech |
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Fall of Jerusalem (click
here) December - Decree of surrender to British rule |
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Leon Trotsky on
Armistice Negotiations (click
here) December - Trotsky's report on progress of talks |
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German Report on
Armistice Negotiations (click
here) December - Official German report on progress of talks |
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Edmund Allenby
on the Fall of Jerusalem (click
here) December - British Commander-in-Chief's account |
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Declaration of
Marshal Law in Jerusalem (click
here) December - Allenby's official declaration |
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Austro-German Report
on Fall of Jerusalem (click
here) December - Gaston Bodart's summary of events |
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E W G Masterman on the Fall of Jerusalem (click
here) December - Summary by British Palestine Society |
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Russo-German Armistice (click
here) December - Preliminary armistice agreement |
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Lenin's Ultimatum to
the Ukraine (click
here) December - Ultimatum threatening war |
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Soviet Recognition of
Finnish Independence (click
here) December - Soviet government's acceptance |
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Douglas Haig's Report
of 1917 Campaign (click
here) December - British Commander-in-Chief's report |
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French Statement on
Blockade of Germany (click
here) December - Statement arguing need to block commerce |
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League of Neutral
Countries on Serbia (click
here) December - Statement protesting Bulgarian occupation |
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D F Houston on U.S.
War Readiness (click
here) December - Secretary of Agriculture's account |
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Daniel Willard on
Role of U.S. Railroads (click
here) December - View of President of U.S. Railroads' War Board |
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To "chat" was the act of removing lice from one's clothing. |
Original Material © Michael Duffy 2000-09, SafeSurf Rated
