Diplomacy
Category
(475)1918
January
- 04
- Recognition of Finnish independenceOn 4 January 1918 VTsIK approved the Lenin government's recognition of Finland's independence. France, Sweden and Germany followed that day, then others.
- The Hogarth messageIn January 1918 Commander David Hogarth assured King Hussein at Jeddah that Jewish settlement in Palestine would not infringe the freedom of its inhabitants.
- Demand for the surrender of Dutch shipsOn 4 January 1918 the British proposed that the Dutch charter 600,000 tons of shipping to the Allies in return for grain, fodder and coal.
- 05
- Lloyd George on war aimsOn 5 January 1918 Lloyd George set out British war aims to trade unionists, demanding a restored Belgium and independent Poland and a league of nations.
- Brest-Litovsk peace talks suspendedOn 5 January 1918 Berlin announced that the Brest talks were broken off, as the Bolsheviks wanted them moved to Stockholm. Days later Trotsky came after all.
- 08
- Key eventWilson's Fourteen PointsOn 8 January 1918 Wilson laid a fourteen-point peace programme before Congress. In the thirteenth he demanded an independent Poland with access to the sea.
- Trotsky at Brest-LitovskOn 8 January 1918 peace talks resumed at Brest-Litovsk. The Soviet delegation was now led by Trotsky, who turned the sessions into a verbal duel with Kühlmann.
February
March
- 07
- German–Finnish peaceOn 7 March 1918 in Berlin Hertling and envoys of Finland's White government signed a peace treaty and a trade agreement. Finland entered Germany's orbit.
- Note on the Dutch shipsOn 7 March 1918 Britain demanded that the Dutch hand the Allies their ships with no limits on waters, by 18 March. The Hague replied conditionally.
April
- 10
- German-Turkish settlement treatyOn 10 April 1918 Germany and Turkey exchanged in Berlin the ratifications of the settlement treaty and nine other treaties replacing the capitulations.
- Pact of RomeOn 10 April 1918 a congress of the nations oppressed by Austria-Hungary adopted a joint declaration in Rome and endorsed the Italian–Yugoslav agreement.
May
- 11
- Finno-Turkish peaceOn 11 May 1918 in Berlin representatives of Finland and Turkey signed a peace treaty. It stated that there was no state of war between the two countries.
- Batum peace talksOn 11 May 1918 a Turkish-Transcaucasian peace conference met at Batum. The Turks rejected the Brest terms and demanded more land and railways.
June
July
August
- 13
- Key eventCzechoslovaks declare war on GermanyOn 13 August 1918, per the British chronology, the Czechoslovaks declared war on Germany too. They had three armies, in Russia, France and Italy.
- Britain recognises the CzechoslovaksOn 13 August 1918 the Balfour note of 9 August was published. Britain recognised the Czechoslovaks as an Allied nation and their council as a proto-government.
September
- 15
- Austrian peace noteIn mid-September 1918 Austria-Hungary invited all the belligerents to confidential talks on peace. Wilson rejected the proposal in under half an hour.
- German peace offer to BelgiumOn 15 September 1918 news spread that Germany had offered Belgium peace. The government in Le Havre rejected it, and Berlin denied any offer had been made.
October
- 14
- Wilson's second noteOn 14 October 1918 Wilson demanded guarantees of Allied superiority, an end to attacks on passenger ships and a change of rule. Berlin gave way on 20 October.
- Turkish peace noteOn 14 October 1918 President Wilson received, via Spain, an Ottoman government note asking for an armistice and peace on the basis of the Fourteen Points.
November
- 05
- Lansing noteOn 5 November 1918 Lansing passed to Germany the Allies' reservations on freedom of the seas and reparation and told it to apply to Foch for armistice terms.
- Polish-Czech agreement on Cieszyn SilesiaOn 5 November 1918 the Polish and Czech national councils split Cieszyn Silesia provisionally. Most of it, with Cieszyn and Bielsko, came under Polish rule.
- 11
- Key eventArmistice of CompiègneAt dawn on 11 November 1918 Germany signed an armistice with the Entente in Foch's railway carriage in the Forest of Compiègne. At 11 a.m. the guns fell silent.
- Recognition of Latvia and EstoniaOn 11 November 1918 Balfour confirmed in writing the recognition of the Latvian National Council. In Tallinn the Estonian Provisional Government resumed work.