Asia and the Pacific

Front

(48)

1914

August

15
- Japan issues an ultimatum to GermanyOn 15 August 1914 Japan demanded that Germany withdraw its warships from Far Eastern waters and hand over the Kiautschou lease with the port of Tsingtao.
23
- Germany breaks off diplomatic relations with JapanOn 23 August 1914, after the Japanese ultimatum expired, Germany broke off relations with Japan. Ambassador Arthur von Rex left Tokyo.
- Key eventJapan declares war on GermanyOn 23 August 1914 Japan declared war on Germany. The war spread to the Far East and the Pacific, and Japan reached for Germany's possessions in Asia.
24
- Austria-Hungary breaks off diplomatic relations with JapanOn 24 August 1914 Austria-Hungary broke off relations with Japan. The Emperor ordered the cruiser Kaiserin Elisabeth to defend Tsingtao alongside the Germans.
25
- Japan breaks off diplomatic relations with Austria-HungaryOn 25 August 1914 Japan broke off diplomatic relations with Austria-Hungary. The ambassador, Baron Ladislaus Müller von Szentgyörgy, left Tokyo.
- Japan declares a state of war with Austria-HungaryOn 25 August 1914 Japan and Austria-Hungary found themselves at war. The reason was the Austro-Hungarian cruiser Kaiserin Elisabeth, stationed at Tsingtao.
30
- New Zealanders occupy SamoaOn 29–30 August 1914 New Zealand troops occupied German Samoa without a fight. Germany lost its second colony of the war after Togoland.

September

October

November

1915

February

15
- Mutiny in SingaporeOn 15 February 1915 part of the Indian 5th Light Infantry mutinied in Singapore. More than 30 soldiers and civilians were killed before it was put down.

December

11
- Yuan Shikai accepts the throneOn 11 December 1915 China's Council of State announced the vote for monarchy and offered Yuan Shikai the throne. He declined, and accepted it the next day.

1916

March

June

06
- Death of Yuan ShikaiOn 6 June 1916 the Chinese President Yuan Shikai died in Peking. The next day Vice-President Li Yuanhong took office, recognised also by the rebel south.

July

03
- Russo-Japanese agreement on the Far EastOn 3 July 1916 in Petrograd Sazonov and Motono signed a public convention on cooperation in the Far East, together with a secret alliance concerning China.

October

09
- Terauchi becomes prime minister of JapanOn 9 October 1916 Marshal Masatake Terauchi, Governor-General of Korea, replaced Ōkuma as head of Japan's government. His cabinet did not rest on the parties.

November

21
- Motono becomes Foreign Minister of JapanOn 21 November 1916 Prime Minister Terauchi handed the foreign ministry to Viscount Ichirō Motono, Japan's representative in Russia for ten years.

1917

February

16
- British–Japanese agreement on the German islandsIn mid-February 1917 London secretly promised to back Japan's claims to Shantung and the islands north of the equator. In return Japan sent destroyers.

March

14
- China breaks off relations with GermanyOn 14 March 1917 China broke off relations with Germany in protest against submarine warfare. The German minister Paul von Hintze was given his passports.

July

August

14
- Key eventChina declares war on Germany and Austria-HungaryAt 10 a.m. on 14 August 1917 China proclaimed a state of war with Germany and Austria-Hungary. The proclamation was signed by President Feng Guozhang.

November

02
- Lansing–Ishii AgreementOn 2 November 1917 Lansing and Ishii exchanged notes on China in Washington. The US recognised Japan's "special interests"; both upheld the Open Door.

1918

April

May

16
- Sino-Japanese military agreementOn 16 May 1918 China and Japan signed in Peking a secret pact of joint defence against Germany and the Bolsheviks, and on 19 May a naval one. Chinese protested.

July

10
- Horvat governmentIn July 1918 Dmitry Horvat, head of the Chinese Eastern Railway, declared himself Provisional Ruler of Russia at Grodekovo. The Allies told him to withdraw.

August

September

October

11
- Feng Guozhang steps downOn 10 October 1918 Feng Guozhang handed the presidency of China to Xu Shichang. The same day his rival Duan Qirui stepped down as premier.