Chronology of the War

Chronology of the War
Editor		Lord Edward Gleichen
Country		United Kingdom
Language		English
Volumes		▶ Volume I 1914–1915  ▶ Volume II 1916–1917  ▶ Volume III 1918–1919  ▶ Volume IV Atlas
Format		Hardcover
Subject		Chronology / History
Publish Date		1918–1920
Publisher		Constable & Co., London.

Chronology of the War is a three volume set edited by Lord Edward Gleichen and published between 1918 and 1920.

From inside the books

Preface

This Chronology is divided into three parts. (I) Tables of contemporaneous events (preceded in the first Volume by a short chapter on Events anterior to the outbreak of War), followed by a short Resume of the year's events; (II) Appendices explaining and enlarging on certain important events; and (III) a voluminous Index, which gives a record as well of a good many minor events which are not found in the Tables, and short abstracts of events in different theatres. The main basis has been the Times newspaper, corrected, checked, and amplified by various histories and records, the chief ones of which are: —

• Nelson's History of the War, by John Buchan. (Useful.)
• Times History of the War.
• Blue Books, White (Germany), Yellow (France), Orange (Russia), Grey (Belgium) and Red (Austria-Hungary) Books and Papers.
• Various Diaries of the War in different periodicals, notably in Whitaker's Almanack, the Journal of the Royal United Service Institution, and the Fortnightly Review.
• The Annual Register.
• Chronologie de la Guerre (Berger-Levrault, Paris).
• Tablettes Chronologiques (Larousse).
• Kriegsdepeschen (official, Boll u. Pickardt, Berlin).
• Kriegschronik (Münchner Neueste Nachrichten).
• Chronik des deutschen Krieges (Beck, Munich).

Various newspapers and ofi&cial records, English and foreign, besides other works. (For the pre-War part, acknowledgment is also due to Mr. J. W. Headlam and his book The History of Twelve Days, and to Mr. W. Archer's The Thirteen Days.) The Chronology has been compiled with the greatest care from the most reliable authorities — English, French and German — and where these give different dates for the same event every effort has been made to arrive at the right one. At the same time, it cannot be denied that where equally good authorities (even official ones in some cases) differ, it is more than possible that some errors may have crept in. The Editors do not, however, wish to overburden the text by giving the various authorities for conflicting dates; they must therefore content themselves with appealing to their readers to assist them in discovering any errors, fixing the correct dates, and notifying them for correction in a subsequent issue.

Addendum to preface (Vol. II)

The Third Volume will carry the Chronology, through 1918, down to the Signing and Ratification of Peace in 1919. To the list of Diaries of the War above must be added that of The New Europe since 1917. Attention is called to the separate small War Atlas, published as a companion volume. (Constable price 3/6.)

Notes

The Chronology has been compiled with the greatest care from the most reliable authorities — English, French and German — and where these give different dates for the same event every effort has been made to arrive at the right one. At the same time, it cannot be denied that where equally good authorities (even official ones in some cases) differ, it is more than possible that some errors may have crept in. The Editors do not, however, wish to overburden the text by giving the various authorities for conflicting dates; they must therefore content themselves with appealing to their readers to assist them in discovering any errors, fixing the correct dates, and notifying them for correction in a subsequent issue.

Major General Lord Gleichen's best thanks are due to Professor F. J. C. Hearnshaw (of King's College, London University) for his valuable assistance in the early stages as well as for compiling the Tables and Index and the Pre-War portion (up to 2 July) of the 1914 part; also to the twelve or more ladies and gentlemen who acted as compilers, and particularly to the Assistant-Editor, Mr. L. C. Jane (of the War Trade Intelligence Department). Mr. J. W. Headlam-Morley and Mr. H. C. O'Neill (of the Department of Information) also assisted with advice in the early stages.

The date of an event should first be looked out in the Index; additional information is sometimes given in the Tables or Appendices.

In the Pre-War and Tabular Parts, Sundays are marked by the day of the month being in heavy type, thus: Oct. 24. The more important events are also given in heavy type.

The figures in brackets in the Tabular part refer to the Appendices.

Spelling of Place-names: This very thorny subject has been settled by using the 1: 1,000,000 Map (Royal Geographical Society and General Staff) as the main authority, whilst spelling the better-known places in the ordinary English way.

Columns

• "Western Front" Comprises the Franco-German-Belgian front and any military action in Great Britain, Switzerland, Scandinavia and Holland.
• "Eastern Front" Comprises the German-Russian, Austro-Russian and Austro-Rumanian fronts.
• "Southern Front" Comprises the Austro-Italian and Balkan (including Bulgaro-Rumanian) fronts, and Dardanelles.
• "Asiatic and Egyptian theatres" Comprises Egypt, Tripoli, the Sudan, Asia Minor (including Transcaucasia), Arabia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Persia, Afghanistan, Turkestan, China, India, etc.
• "Naval and overseas operations" Comprises operations on the seas and in Colonial and Overseas theatres, America, etc.
• "Political, etc." Comprises political and internal events in all countries, including Notes, speeches, diplomatic, financial, economic and domestic matters. (These include mobilisations, dec-larations of war and similar semi-military matters. Diplomatic documents or despatches referring to definite active operations come under the column concerned, e.g., a Note on the sinking of the RMS Lusitania would come under 'Naval' but a Note on submarine warfare in general would come under 'Political').

On all the fronts, unfamiliar localities are generally defined by the name of some well-known district or place being given in brackets alongside; but when this is difficult on the Eastern or Western Front, the letters N., C. or S. (Northern, Centre or Southern) are given. On the Western Front the 'Centre' includes all ground between lines running East and West through Compiègne and through Nancy (inclusive), and on the Eastern Front through Grodno and through Kolomea (inclusive).