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Timeline - 1915

German floating mine exploded by rifle shot The First World War spanned four years and involved many nation states.

This section lists the landmark events of the year 1915, the first full year of the war, which saw the Allies strive vainly to achieve a breakthrough on the Western Front, while the Germans achieved numerous successes elsewhere.  It was to prove a disappointing year for the Allies, a correspondingly positive one for Germany and its allies.

For a day by day account click any given month using the sidebar to the right.

Date Event
TimelineJanuary 1 - March 30 Allied offensive in Artois and Champagne
TimelineJanuary 15 Japan's 21 demands on China
TimelineJanuary 19-20 First German zeppelin attack on England
TimelineFebruary 4 German U-boat attacks on Allied and neutral shipping; declares blockade of Britain
TimelineFebruary 7-21 Russians suffer heavy losses at Second Battle of Masurian Lakes (also known as the Winter Battle)
TimelineFebruary - April Austro-Hungarian attack on Russian Poland (Galicia) collapses, with the Russians counterattacking
TimelineFebruary 19-August Allied amphibious attack on the Dardanelles and Gallipoli (initiated by Winston Churchill, who resigns as a consequence) ends with the Turkish siege of the Allied forces
TimelineMarch 1 First passenger ship sinks, the British liner Falaba
TimelineMarch 11 Britain announces blockade of German ports
TimelineApril-June Germans focus on Eastern Front, breaking through Gorlice-Tarnow and forcing Russia out of much of Poland
TimelineApril 22 - May 25 First use of poison gas by Germany starts Second Battle of Ypres
TimelineApril 25 Allied landing at Gallipoli
TimelineApril 26 France, Russia, Italy and Britain conclude secret Treaty of London
TimelineMay 2 Austro-German offensive on Galicia begins
TimelineMay 7 U-boat sinks British liner Lusitania with the loss of American lives, creating a US-German diplomatic crisis
TimelineMay 9 Second Battle of Artois begins
TimelineMay 23 Ignoring treaty agreements with the Central Powers, Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary
TimelineMay 25 British Prime Minister Asquith reorganises his Liberal government as a coalition of the parties
TimelineJune 29 - December 2 Italians launch unsuccessful attack on Hungarians at 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Battles of Isonzo; there are to be 12 in total
TimelineAugust 4 Germans capture Warsaw
TimelineSeptember 5 Tsar Nicholas takes command of Russian armies
TimelineSeptember 22 Second Battle of Champagne begins
TimelineOctober 3 Anglo-French force lands at Salonika in Greece
TimelineOctober - November Austro-German-Bulgarian forces invade Serbia, expelling Serbian army from the country
TimelineDecember 19 Sir Douglas Haig replaces Sir John French as commander of British Expeditionary Force
TimelineDecember 28 Allies begin withdrawal of troops from Gallipoli

Britain introduced conscription for the first time on 2 February 1916.

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