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(20)
1914
August
08
Defence of the Realm Act
On 8 August 1914 the Defence of the Realm Act received royal assent. The British government could now restrict citizens' freedoms by regulation.
26
Loss of the cruiser SMS Magdeburg
On 26 August 1914 the German cruiser Magdeburg ran aground at the entrance to the Gulf of Finland. The Russians captured her codebooks.
October
17
Battle off Texel
On 17 October 1914 the British cruiser Undaunted and four destroyers sank four German torpedo boats off Texel that were on their way to lay mines.
1915
December
04
US demands recall of Boy-Ed and Papen
On 4 December 1915 Lansing confirmed by note the demand to recall the German attachés Boy-Ed and Papen, linked by Washington to illegal acts in America.
10
Germany recalls Boy-Ed and Papen
On 10 December 1915 Bernstorff told Lansing that the Kaiser had recalled the attachés Boy-Ed and Papen. For several days Berlin had first demanded explanations.
30
Sarrail arrests the Central Powers' consuls
After an air raid on Salonika on 30 December 1915, Gen. Sarrail had the consuls of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey arrested and expelled.
1916
January
15
Publication of the Papen papers
In mid-January 1916 the papers taken from Papen by the British at Falmouth were made public. The stubs of his cheques pointed to the agents he had paid.
February
17
Arrest of the consuls on Chios
In mid-February 1916 Allied sailors arrested the German and Austro-Hungarian consuls on the Greek island of Chios. Greece protested.
August
02
Sinking of the battleship Leonardo da Vinci
On the night of 2–3 August 1916 the Italian dreadnought Leonardo da Vinci blew up and capsized in Taranto harbour. About 250 men died. Sabotage was suspected.
October
20
Explosion of the battleship Imperatritsa Mariya
On 20 October 1916 the dreadnought Imperatritsa Mariya, flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, blew up and sank at Sevastopol. More than 200 sailors were killed.
1917
January
19
Key event
The Zimmermann Telegram
On 19 January 1917 the German embassy in Washington passed a secret offer of an alliance against the US to Mexico. The British had been reading it for two days.
23
Harwich Force clashes with German torpedo boats
On the night of 23 January 1917 the Harwich Force tried to intercept the German 6th Flotilla bound for Flanders. It damaged V69 but lost the destroyer Simoom.
February
13
Arrest of Mata Hari
On 13 February 1917 French police arrested the dancer Mata Hari in a Paris hotel on suspicion of spying for Germany and locked her up in Saint-Lazare.
28
Publication of the Zimmermann Telegram
On the evening of 28 February 1917 the State Department gave the AP the text of the Zimmermann Telegram. Next day Germany's offer to Mexico was front-page news.
March
03
Zimmermann admits the telegram
On 3 March 1917 Berlin confirmed that the Zimmermann Telegram was genuine. American talk of a British forgery died down, and Germany defended its offer.
September
21
The Bernstorff affair
On 21 September 1917 Lansing released a cable in which Ambassador Bernstorff asked Berlin for $50,000 to influence Congress. Washington was in uproar.
October
15
Key event
Execution of Mata Hari
On 15 October 1917 Mata Hari, a Dutch dancer convicted of spying for Germany, was shot at Vincennes. The evidence of her guilt is disputed to this day.
27
Third Battle of Gaza begins
On 27 October 1917 the British began shelling Gaza. That day the Turks struck yeomanry outposts at El Buqqar, but did not see through Allenby's plan.
1918
August
31
Murder of Francis Cromie
On 31 August 1918 Chekists burst into the British embassy in Petrograd. The naval attaché, Francis Cromie, was killed defending the building, weapon in hand.
September
11
Macdonogh appointed adjutant-general
On 11 September 1918 the Director of Military Intelligence, General George Macdonogh, became Adjutant-General of the British Army in place of Nevil Macready.