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Erich Ludendorff
Person page: Erich Ludendorff →
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(38)
1914
August
04
German troops enter Belgium and attack Liège
At 8.02 a.m. on 4 August 1914 German troops crossed the Belgian border at Gemmenich and advanced on the fortress of Liège. The battle for Liège had begun.
07
German troops occupy Liège
On 7 August 1914 a brigade led by Erich Ludendorff entered Liège and took the citadel. The forts surrounding the city, however, continued to resist.
23
Hindenburg takes command of the Eighth Army
On 23 August 1914 General Paul von Hindenburg, recalled from retirement, took command of the Eighth Army in East Prussia, with Ludendorff as chief of staff.
September
18
Hindenburg takes command in the east
On 18 September 1914 General Paul von Hindenburg took command of the new Ninth Army, formed in Silesia to help Austria-Hungary after its defeat in Galicia.
November
27
Hindenburg becomes field marshal
On 27 November 1914 Paul von Hindenburg, Commander-in-Chief of German forces in the East, was promoted to the rank of field marshal.
1915
February
04
Winter Battle of Masuria begins
The British chronology dates the start of the Winter Battle of Masuria to 4 February 1915. The Germans were still massing; the attack began on 7 February.
April
30
The Germans take Šiauliai
On 30 April 1915 German cavalry entered Šiauliai in Lithuania, set ablaze by the retreating Russians. The raid was to draw the Russians away from Galicia.
September
09
Start of the Battle of Vilna
On 9 September 1915 the German 10th Army struck north of Vilna, into the gap between two Russian armies. General Garnier's cavalry pushed into the breach.
October
02
End of the battle of Vilna
On 2 October 1915 the front east of Vilna settled between Lakes Drysviaty and Naroch and Smorgon. The German attempt to outflank the Russians had failed.
1916
August
29
Key event
Hindenburg becomes Chief of the General Staff
On 29 August 1916 Wilhelm II dismissed Falkenhayn. Hindenburg became Chief of the General Staff of the Field Army, with Ludendorff as his deputy.
October
30
Stein becomes Prussian minister of war
At the end of October 1916 General Hermann von Stein became Prussian minister of war. He replaced Wild von Hohenborn, who had fallen foul of Hindenburg.
November
25
Creation of the German air force
In autumn 1916 Germany combined its aviation, army airships, anti-aircraft artillery and home air defence into the Luftstreitkräfte under a single commander.
1917
July
14
Michaelis becomes Reich Chancellor
On 14 July 1917 Georg Michaelis became Reich Chancellor. He replaced Bethmann Hollweg, brought down by the army chiefs with the help of Reichstag deputies.
September
05
End of the Battle of Riga
On 5 September 1917 fighting at Riga ended. The Russian Twelfth Army escaped encirclement to Wenden; Ludendorff halted the Eighth Army and sent divisions away.
October
03
End of the Battle of Polygon Wood
On 3 October 1917 near Ypres the last German attempt to retake ground at Polygon Wood failed. Plumer was finishing preparations for the attack on Broodseinde.
November
01
End of the Battle of La Malmaison
On the night of 1–2 November 1917 the Germans quietly left the Chemin des Dames for the Ailette. The French found empty trenches up to Craonne.
1918
March
21
Key event
Operation Michael begins
On 21 March 1918, after a five-hour bombardment and in thick fog, three German armies broke the British front on the Somme. The British lost over 38,000 men.
28
Key event
German attack at Arras
On 28 March 1918 the Germans attacked at Arras in Operation Mars. The British defence held; in the evening Ludendorff called it off and turned to Amiens.
April
05
Key event
Fighting on the Ancre
On 5 April 1918 the Germans attacked on the Ancre. At Dernancourt the Australians lost the embankment but held the ridge. Ludendorff then ended Michael.
09
Key event
Start of the Battle of the Lys
On 9 April 1918, in fog, the German Sixth Army struck on the Lys. The Portuguese 2nd Division broke, but the British held Givenchy and the line of the rivers.
13
Key event
Battle of Bailleul begins
On 13 April 1918 the Germans attacked the hills between Bailleul and Neuve-Église. The British gave up an exposed salient but held the Ravelsberg ridge.
15
Germans take Bailleul
On 15 April 1918 the Germans took the Ravelsberg ridge east of Bailleul. That night the British left the town, which in later months was reduced to ruins.
29
Key event
Fighting for the Scherpenberg
On 29 April 1918 the Germans attacked the Scherpenberg and Mont Rouge. The French and British repulsed them, and that evening Ludendorff halted the offensive.
May
27
Key event
Third Battle of the Aisne begins
On 27 May 1918, after a bombardment by over 1,000 batteries, the Germans took the Chemin des Dames, broke British IX Corps and crossed the Aisne to the Vesle.
June
06
End of the Third Battle of the Aisne
On 6 June 1918 the British retook the hill at Bligny and the German Aisne offensive died down. The Germans stood on the Marne, but in a narrow, exposed salient.
09
Key event
Start of the Battle of the Matz
On 9 June 1918 the German Eighteenth Army struck between Montdidier and Noyon. The French knew the hour of attack, yet by evening lost 10 km in the centre.
24
Kühlmann's speech
On 24 June 1918 Richard von Kühlmann told the Reichstag that the war could not be ended by military decisions alone. The right was outraged.
July
09
Hintze becomes foreign secretary
On 9 July 1918 Richard von Kühlmann lost his post as Foreign Secretary. He was replaced by Rear Admiral Paul von Hintze, a candidate acceptable to the generals.
15
Key event
Second Battle of the Marne begins
On 15 July 1918 the Germans attacked either side of Reims. In Champagne they broke against Gouraud's defence; on the Marne they crossed at Dormans and stalled.
20
Germans withdraw back across the Marne
On the night of 19–20 July 1918 the Germans left their bridgehead south of the Marne, won on 15 July. In the morning the French found empty ground ahead.
August
11
Battle of Amiens ends
On 11 August 1918 Haig halted the Amiens offensive, which had stalled on the old 1916 trenches. At Avesnes Ludendorff offered his resignation.
14
Key event
Crown council at Spa
On 14 August 1918 a crown council at Spa accepted that Germany could not win the war militarily. It resolved to seek peace, but only at a "suitable moment".
17
Key event
Second Battle of Noyon begins
On 17 August 1918 Mangin's French Tenth Army attacked between the Oise and the Aisne to drive back German outposts. Three days later it struck in full strength.
19
The British retake Merville again
On 19 August 1918 British Fifth Army troops entered Merville on the Lys, lost to the Germans in April. The Germans began to leave their Flanders salient.
September
02
Key event
Breaking of the Drocourt–Quéant Line
On 2 September 1918 the Canadians broke the Drocourt–Quéant Line near Arras, and at noon the German command ordered a retreat to the Hindenburg Line.
29
Key event
Ludendorff demands an armistice
On 29 September 1918 at Spa Hindenburg and Ludendorff demanded an immediate armistice request. The Kaiser agreed to appeal to Wilson and to parliamentary rule.
October
09
Scheuch becomes minister of war
On 9 October 1918 General Heinrich Scheuch became Prussian minister of war. He replaced Hermann von Stein, who left under pressure from the new chancellor.
26
Ludendorff dismissed
On 26 October 1918 the Emperor accepted General Erich Ludendorff's resignation, demanded by the chancellor after an army order rejecting Wilson's third note.