June 20th, 1915

- Another diversionary attack is launched today by the French army, this time against the northern flank of the St.-Mihiel salient, where repeated attacks by II and VI Corps manage to seize the first trench line held by the German 9th Division.  The French, however, are not the only ones capable of such secondary operations: today 9th Landwehr and 27th Württemberg Division attack on the western edge of the Argonne, and with the aid of flamethrowers seize a strech of the French line.

- With the German breakthrough of the Russian position at Horodysko and the subsequent advance to the Rawa Ruska-Lemberg road yesterday, General Brusilov of 8th Army realizes that the rest of the Russian line running south along the Wereszyca is now in danger of being outflanked from the north.  As a result, he issues orders this morning for 8th Army to fall back on Lemberg to the east, occupying the trenches protecting the city.  On the German side, General Mackensen directs the bulk of 11th Army to pivot to the north; while the advance eastward has lengthened the northern flank of 11th Army, it has also stretched the Russian 3rd Army opposite, and opened an opportunity to strike against the exposed flank of the Russian armies holding central Poland.  The Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army, meanwhile, was assigned responsibility for the recapture of Lemberg.

As the Russian corps south of Zotkiew pull back this morning, the southern wing of the German 11th Army and the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army spend today in pursuit, and by evening IV, XIX, and XVIII Corps of the latter had closed up to the Russian defences at Lemberg.  To the north, while the German Guard Corps holds its position along the Rawa Ruska-Lemberg road, advance elements of XXII Reserve Corps enter Rawa Ruska itself.

- At the beginning of the month, the Russian government had appointed a special commission to supervise the supply of the war, mainly to head off criticism of their management of the war.  Reflective of the administrative chaos endemic within the Russian government, today that commission is replaced by a new council that does essentially the same thing, and has the authority to compel private industry to accept government orders for munitions.  The primary purpose of this new council, however, remains to counter political criticism; hence the inclusion among its membership the president and four other members of the Duma.

April 11th, 1915

- The Germans have completed the installation of chlorine gas cylinders between the villages of Poelcappelle and Steenstraat on the northeastern face of the Ypres salient, and now await a favourable wind make use of them for the first time.

- For the past week the French have launched regular attacks on the German lines at Vauquois in the Argonne, in order to draw German reserves away from the St.-Mihiel salient as the French offensive there continues.  However, the operations against Vauquois have not only failed to distract the Germans, but have not gained any significant ground whatsoever.

- At the end of March, General Ruzskii had finally been dismissed as commander of North-West Front.  His replacement was General Mikhail Alexeyev, formerly Ivanov's chief of staff for South-West Front.  Despite his former working relationship with Ivanov, he proves no more willing to co-operate than Ruzskii had been, jealously guarding the units assigned to North-West Front from perceived efforts to reassign them southwards.  Today Russian army headquarters warns Alexeyev that western Galicia, in the area of Gorlice and Tarnow, might be threatened with attack.  Alexeyev ignores the message, likely believing that it is simply another plot by Ivanov to steal more of his divisions.  Though this area is precisely that being examined by the Germans, the warning is premature, given that Falkenhayn has not even decided whether to send more forces to the Eastern Front.  Nevertheless, the irony of Alexeyev's non-response is telling of the muddle in the Russian command structure.

- General Nixon, the new commander of Indian forces in southern Mesopotamia, decides today to send the just-arrived 30th Brigade from Basra west to reinforce the defensive position at the village of Shaiba.  Unknown to Nixon, the commander of Ottoman forces in the region, Suleiman Askeri Bay, has assembled a force of 4000 regulars and 18 000 Arab-Kurdish irregulars to target Shaiba in the first significant counteroffensive since the British occupied Basra and the surrounding territory.  Their advance is observed by the Indian garrison today, and their British commander sends warning to Nixon that an enemy attack is imminent.

April 4th, 1915

- West of Verdun the French 3rd Army launches a diversionary attack against Vauquois in support of the French offensive against the St.-Mihiel salient.

- Concerned with the possibility that an Italian attack on Austria-Hungary might induce the latter to seek a separate peace with Russia, Falkenhayn has invited Conrad to Berlin for discussions today.  On the issue of a separate peace, Falkenhayn is reassured that Austria-Hungary would not approach the Russians without first communicating with the Germans and asking for their participation.  The two chiefs of staff also discuss the situation in the Carpathians and, despite the repeated requests of Conrad, Falkenhayn is unwilling to commit to the deployment of additional German forces to reinforce that front.  The most Falkenhayn is willing to say to Conrad is that the question remains open as to whether the newly-raised Germans divisions can be most profitably employed in the West, the East, or against Serbia.

Nevertheless, the deteriorating military position of Austria-Hungary, combined with the possibility of Italy and Romania joining the ranks of Germany's enemies, has Falkenhayn contemplating whether a more substantial German commitment to the Eastern Front is necessary to prop up their faltering ally.  The German Chief of Staff still views a campaign in the Carpathians as foolhardy, and has no intention of sending German divisions to that front as Conrad desires.  Falkenhayn is, however, more open to the possibility of a German offensive elsewhere on the Eastern Front.  Today he asks General August von Cramon, the German military attache at Conrad's headquarters, to make inquiries regarding the condition of the railways between the Vistula River and the Carpathians, especially near the town of Gorlice.  Falkenhayn emphasizes the importance of discretion, not to keep the Russians from learning about his inquiry, but rather the Austro-Hungarians: if German forces need to be shifted east for a major offensive, he intends this to be German-led operation, and does not want Conrad either interfering or demanding redeployments to the Carpathians.  Such is the nature of coalition politics between Germany and Austria-Hungary.

- In the central Carpathians the retreat of the centre and right of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army is completed today.  Despite heavy pressure from the Russians, the Austro-Hungarians are able to establish themselves in their new defensive positions without significant mishaps.

The position of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army after its retreat of April 2nd to 4th, 1915.

At the far eastern end of the mountain range, the Russian 9th Army has been attacking the Austro-Hungarian force under General Pflanzer-Baltin for several weeks, attempting to cross the Dniester River.  The Russian objective is the city of Czernowitz, the capture of which may induce the Romanians to adopt a more positive line towards the Entente.  Though the Austro-Hungarian defenders have been outnumbered, they have been able to prevent a Russian breakthrough.  Today a Russian attack forces back the right wing of XI Corps, but the timely intervention of 93rd Division not only halts the enemy advance but succeeds in recovering the lost positions by nightfall.

March 15th, 1915

- In addition to yesterday's attacks in the Argonne, French infantry attack Vauquois.  However, they are unable to achieve anything of note.

- The British operation against the port of Smyrna is abandoned today, after negotations with the local governor bear no fruit while mobile artillery batteries have prevented the minefields from being swept.  The attempt has not been without loss: the seaplane carrier Anne Rickmers has been severely damaged by the Ottoman torpedo-boat Demir Hissar.  On the other hand, the Ottomans have sunk five steamers in the channels leading to the port, which ironically accomplishes the British objective of preventing the use of Smyrna as a submarine base.  Moreover, the pre-dreadnoughts Triumph and Swiftsure are needed back at the Dardanelles for the daylight attack scheduled for the 18th.

- At dawn breaks over the Red Sea, the zambuk under the direct command of First Officer Mücke finds that overnight it has drifted into the middle of the English blockade line, with no wind available to allow for their escape.  However, though the mast-head of an English ship appears over the horizon, the zambuk is left unmolested; Mücke attributes this to the disinclination of the English to work on weekends.  When a breeze rises in the afternoon, they are able to resume its progress northwards.

March 14th, 1915

- In Champagne the commander of the French XVI Corps reports to General de Langle that his force has made a small 'crack' in the German line, but that efforts to enlarge the breach have been thwarted by murderous flanking fire.  De Langle's response is to alter the direction of the assaults and order their continuation.

- After several hours of artillery preparation and the detonation of several mines, French infantry assault German positions held by XVI Corps today on the Bolante Plateau and west of Boureuilles in the Argonne.

- Though the fighting continues in Champagne, Joffre is already looking forward to future operations.  Near the German border is the French Provisional Army of the East, which includes 1st and 3rd Armys and Army Detachments Vosges and Lorraine, and is commanded by General Auguste Dubail.  Today Joffre instructs Dubail to commence preparations for an offensive against both flanks of the St. Mihiel salient, for which he will provide three corps and a cavalry division as reinforcements.

- In the central Carpathians all available reserves of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army are rushed to prop up the reeling XIX Corps and prevent a Russian breakthrough.  With nothing left to send to the aid of the corps advancing on Baligrod, 2nd Army commander calls off the offensive.  Over the past fourteen days, 2nd Army has lost 33% of its strength, numbering 51 086 men.  Even Conrad now acknowledges that his winter offensives to relieve Przemysl have failed, and that the garrison cannot be relieved before it is starved into surrender.  This, of course, does not deter Conrad from planning further offensives in the Carpathians, as he informs Falkenhayn today.

- In the early morning hours a determined effort is made to sweep the minefields in the Dardanelles.  First the pre-dreadnought Cornwallis enters the straits and bombards the searchlights and mobile batteries, followed by the light cruiser Amethyst and four destroyers at 2am.  An hour later, seven trawlers, with crews that now included naval volunteers, enter the Dardanelles, intending to sail in, turn, and sweep on their way out.  Despite the ongoing shore bombardment, they are quickly illuminated by Ottoman searchlights, and by the time they reach the point to turn and begin sweeping, they are under intense fire.  Two trawlers had their sweeping gear blown away, a third had its captain and deck crew all killed, and two more collided and drifted down the straits, entangled and seemingly the target of every Ottoman gun in range.  The two remaining trawlers manage to sweep several mines, but it is a meagre return, especially considering that Amethyst takes a large shell to its mess deck, killing twenty-four and injuring thirty-six.

Assessing the results in the daylight hours, Admiral Carden concludes that the only way for the minesweeping operation to succeed is if a smothering naval bombardment can first obliterate the Ottoman guns.  To do this requires the fleet to sail into the Dardanelles in daylight, and planning begins for such an attack in four days' time.

- At 5pm the two zambuks carrying Emden's landing party departs from Yabana, just north of Hodeida, with both ships flying the German naval pennant.  Aware that a blockade line to the north is maintained by several English gunboats, First Officer Mücke orders the zambuks to part ways, to avoid both being captured together.

- At dawn this morning, the armoured cruiser Kent and the light cruiser Glasgow round Cumberland Point on Más á Tierra.  Before them is the German light cruiser Dresden, at anchor and still waiting for its collier.  When Dresden trains its guns on the British warships, Glasgow opens fire.  Within four minutes, having already been struck at its waterline, the Germans raise the white flag.  A steam launch departs Dresden carrying Lieutenant William Canaris (yes, that Canaris) to register a complaint to the captain of Glasgow that the German warship was in Chilean waters and thus under Chilean protection.  The response of Glasgow's captain is, in the finest traditions of the service, that unless Dresden surrenders immediately, he will blow it out of the water, neutrality be damned.  The German response is to scuttle their ship and escape to shore, singing the German anthem as Dresden keels over.  Thus sinks the last survivor of the German East Asiatic Squadron, and it is fitting that Glasgow, who escaped from the squadron's greatest triumph, is present at its final demise.

The German light cruiser Dresden, scuttled today at Más á Tierra.

February 26th, 1915

- In the Argonne, the German IV Reserve Corps seizes a section of the French trench line southwest of Malancourt, and the fighting is notable for marking the first use of flamethrowers in combat during the war.  The Germans had developed flamethrowers in the decade prior to the war, and on January 18th, 1915 a Flamethrower Detachment was formed under Captain Bernhard Reddeman consisting of volunteers, many of whom had been firemen in civilian life.  The Detachment refined flamethrowers, producing a larger model with longer range but which required installation and a smaller model capable of being carried by a soldier as he crossed No Man's Land, and pioneered tactics for their use.  Near Malancourt the attack was directed at a point where the German line was within forty metres of the first French trench, and Reddeman's soldiers were able to install several of the larger models.  When the attack began, the flamethrowers shot jets of fire into the French position, and even though most of the defending infantry had not been burned, the shock of the unexpected terror paralyzed them and allowed the attacking German infantry, including several soldiers carrying the smaller model into battle, to capture the enemy line with light casualties.

- In the Carpathians, the only significant Austro-Hungarian success achieved since late December has been on the far eastern part of the line, where General Pflanzer-Baltin's forces have been able to undertake a moderate offensive.  This accomplishment, however, has not resulted in a decisive Austro-Hungarian advance - the Russians opposite Südarmee have refused to budge, and General Brusilov of the Russian 8th Army is mobilizing reinforcements to block further advances by Pflanzer-Baltin.  Moreover, while the supply situation is tenuous along the entire front, it is particularly problematic in the far east, where only a single rail line supports Plfanzer-Baltin's army group.

The position of Südarmee and Pflanzer-Baltin's army group, February 26th, 1915.

Conrad, however, is obsessed with the besieged fortress of Przemysl, and relieving its garrison before it can be forced to surrender to the Russians in March.  Thus, despite the terrible weather and the exhausted and depleted state of the Austro-Hungarian army, he is determined to launch another offensive.  He has tasked 2nd and 3rd Armies in the centre of the Carpathian line with breaking through the Russian lines, and overrules the misgivings the commanders of both armies have.  For one, the Austro-Hungarian divisions are significantly understrength, and the replacements that have arrived are poorly trained and ill-prepared.  Further, the weather remains terrible, hindering movement and resupply, while the new units that Conrad has sent to the two armies are disorganized and have been committed to fighting piecemeal.  Finally, much of the two armies have been fighting constantly on the defensive, with no time to prepare for offensive operations.

Despite the difficulties, Conrad is insistent - Przemysl must be relieved.  The only concession he makes to reality is a slight delay, to allow roads closed by bad weather to be cleared.  The offensive is now scheduled to be launched tomorrow, regardless of whether 2nd and 3rd Armies are actually capable of achieving success.

The position of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd and 3rd Armies, February 26th, 1915.

- At the mouth of the Dardanelles the British warships send a number landing parties ashore, each consisting of about fifty Royal Marines guarding about thirty sailors, the latter tasked with destroying Ottoman artillery pieces.  They methodically go through each of the abandoned forts, blowing up fifty guns with explosive charges and effectively clearing the way for the Entente squadron to enter the straits.  Incidentally, one of the landing parties reaches the village of Krithia, four miles inland of the southern tip of Gallipoli Peninsula, which constitutes the high tide of the entire Entente amphibious operation to come - at no point between April and December will Entente soldiers again reach Krithia.

With the outer forts neutralized, attention turns to the inner defences.  Inside the mouth of the Dardanelles the passage widens to four and a half miles, guarded by five forts on the north shore and four on the south shore, augmented by a numer of mobile howitzer batteries.  Fourteen miles upstream is the Narrows, where the channel is less than a mile wide, and where the Ottomans had concentrated their largest artillery pieces.  The Narrows is also guarded by several hundred mines, laid out in ten lines from the Narrows to Kephez, the latter located just over halfway from the entrance of the Dardanelles to the Narrows.

Today the pre-dreadnoughts pass the ruined outer forts and begin to engage the western-most forts inside the straits.  It becomes quickly apparent to the British and the French that the mobile howitzer batteries are the most effective Ottoman defence - well-concealed, they are difficult to hit, and when the pre-dreadnoughts find the range the howitzers are simply moved to another location.  The shells from the howitzers cannot penetrate the armour of the pre-dreadnoughts and are little more than a nuisance, but the difficulty in elimination them highlights the limitations of naval gunfire against land targets.

- Intellgence reaches the Entente commanders in central Africa that the Germans forces in their colony of Kamerun have been deployed to defend Ngaundere, in the northern highlands, instead of Jaudre in the west.  The French governor-general of Equatorial Africa, however, dismisses the report, and continues to insist that the French and British concentrate against Jaudre.

February 17th, 1915

- As the French 4th Army continues to struggle in Champagne, failing to achieve a breakthrough, its commander General de Langle asks Joffre for reinforcements.  He wants to avoid repeated small-scale assaults and instead mass forces for one powerful attack that can overwhelm the Germans.

- The woods of the Argonne west of Verdun have been the scene of regular skirmishing between the Germans and French over the past several months, but today the French launch a major attack.  Since the German successes of January in carving out a salient towards Four-de-Paris, General Sarrail of 3rd Army has been eager to go onto the offensive in order to restore the morale of his solders.  The targeted sector is the western 'shoulder' of the German salient, between the ravines of Fontaine-aux-Charmes and Fontaine-de-Madame northeast of La Harazee.  Here the attack is highlighted by the explosion of three mines dug underneath the German line.  The detonation of the mines at 8am stuns the Germans, and the French are able to seize the first trench line.  Over the rest of the day there is fierce fighting as both sides struggle for the ruins of the German trench.  Gradually the French run out of ammunition, the intensity of the fire preventing resupply over the ruins of No Man's Land - indeed, for a period some French soldiers fight using captured German arms.  By 430pm the position has been regained by the Germans, the French suffering 40% casualties.

- In the pre-dawn hours the German 8th Army occupies the town of Augustow, on the western edge of the forest which bears its name.

- In the eastern Carpathians Austro-Hungarian cavalry recaptures the city of Czernowitz, while the main body of Pflanzer-Baltin's army group is directed northwest towards Dolina.  It is hoped that the latter drive into the flank of the Russians facing Südarmee, allowing the latter to advance.

- In Singapore the British authorities are gaining the upper hand on the Indian mutineers of the 5th Light Infantry.  Warships from Russia, France, and Japan have docked at the naval base, and added several hundred sailors to the colony's defenders.  Further, the mutiny is riven with internal tensions; only the Rajput half of the battalion  rebelled, while the Pathans remained loyal.

- For the past two weeks the landing party of the Emden has been at the Yemenese city of Sanaa, where they have found the climate not as inviting as they had hoped.  Because of the altitude the region is quite cold, and within several days of arrival 80% of the Germans had taken sick with fever.  Moreover, First Officer Mücke learns today that the difficulties of continuing the journey northwards by land are much greater than he had originally been informed.  Reluctantly, he concludes that they shall have to return to Hodeida and attempt to continue their voyage by sea, though this will need to wait until the sick are sufficiently recovered to travel again.

January 31st, 1915

- General Sarrail, commander of the French 3rd Army in the Argonne, reports to Joffre today on the recent fighting.  He notes how the French line has been pushed back, yielding a portion of the heights overlooking the Verdun railway to the Germans.  Six separate counterattacks have failed to dislodge the enemy, while the French have suffered 2400 casualties.  Sarrail complains that the effect of the recent fighting has had a negative impact on the morale of the infantry, which can only be restored by a major offensive.  While Joffre is sympathetic, he remains focused primarily on operations in the Champagne.

- In central Poland the German 9th Army launch a minor attack today near Bolimów, southwest of Warsaw.  The battle is notable for being the first time the Germans attempt to use gas in combat, but it is a thorough failure.  The only way to use gas on the battlefield is to open canisters and have the wind blow it towards the enemy; however, the wind shifts and the gas clouds pass back over the German infantry.  Luckily for the Germans, the extremely cold weather renders the gas ineffective.  Indeed, such is the extent of the failure that the Russians did not even realize that the Germans were attempting to gas them, an oversight that will come to haunt their allies on the Western Front in several months time.

- In Galicia, though the mixed Austro-Hungarian units under General Szurmay have taken Uszok Pass itself, the heights to the north remain in Russian hands, threatening their control over the vital transit point through the Carpathians.  In an effort to restart the general offensive by 3rd and push onwards towards Przemysl, Szurmay today orders his forces to seize the heights.

Austro-Hungarian infantry in the Uszok Pass.

- After evacuating northern Persia a month ago when the crisis in the Caucasus was at its most acute, the crushing triumph at Sarikamish has allowed the Russians to return, pushing out the weak and poorly-organized Ottoman forces and retaking Tabriz today.

- A small German force attacks South African forces at Kakamas near the border today, in an effort to support Boer rebels.  Not only does the attack fail, but it had already been rendered pointless given Kemp's surrender of yesterday.

January 29th, 1915

- In the Argonne today the German 27th Division, in the western part of the woods, attacks the French line opposite and is able to advance several hundred metres.  Over the past month of fighting in the Argonne, the Germans have been able to incrementally push their line forward, while capturing three thousand French soldiers.

January 22nd, 1915

- After the German advance towards Le Four de Paris in the Argonne on the 11th, today elements of 34th Division expand the German salient by seizing ground to the northwest of the town.

- The struggle for the summit of Hartmannswillerkopf in the Vosges comes to a close.  Following two days of heavy artillery bombardment and repeated German attacks, the French infantry holding the mountain have been reduced to almost nothing.  The last surviving French infantry, numbering about forty, strap on their skis today and set off down the slopes in an attempt to break out of the German encirclement.  The effort fails, however, as the French are wiped out to a man by small-arms fire.  The Germans now begin to fortify the summit in the expectation of French counterattacks to regain Hartmannswillerkopf.

- Today Conrad issues final orders to the Austro-Hungarian Army for the offensive to be undertaken in the Carpathian Mountains.  This operation is one of the two planned for the Eastern Front, the other being the German offensive out of East Prussia.  The main burden of the attack, with the recapture of the Uszok Pass as a core objective, is to fall on 3rd Army, the east wing especially, and Südarmee, the latter comprised of both German and Austro-Hungarian units.  As these two armies advance through Zmigrod and Dukla they will be joined progressively by the corps of 4th Army to the west, and ultimately push the Germans out of the Carpathians and relieve the beleagured fortress of Przemysl.

The preparation of 3rd Army for the operation has been limited by the poor weather and scarcity of rail lines running up to the front.  This has reduced the amount of reinforcements sent to 3rd Army, leaving the responsibility for the attack primarily on formations already exhausted after months of fighting in the brutal terrain and climate of the Carpathians.

The Austro-Hungarian plan for the January offensive in the Carpathians.

January 11th, 1915

- North of Soissons the French attack launched on the 8th has succeeded in pushing back the German lines at Clamecy.  General Ewald von Lochow, commander of the German III Corps and tasked undertaking the imminent German offensive, decides today to postpone his own attack and reorients his 5th Division to execute a counterattack against the French advance tomorrow.

- After holding off the French attack of the 5th, the German 33rd Infantry Division counterattacked in the Argonne on the 8th.  Following three days of ferocious combat, by today the Germans have carved out a salient that reaches southwest almost to Four-de-Paris, and have taken 1600 French prisoners.

The German advance in the Argonne, January 1915.

- In Vienna the Italian ambassador informs the Austro-Hungarian government, in no uncertain terms, that the price for continued Italian neutrality is the cession of territory along their mutual frontier.

January 5th, 1915

- Joffre today formalizes the place of General Foch in the command structure of the French army when the latter is appointed to lead the Provisional Group of the North, with responsibility for French armies in northern France and Belgium.  Similarly, General Yvon Dubail, who had commanded 1st Army in the Battle of the Frontiers, now heads the Provisional Group of the East, covering the front in Alsace and Lorraine.  Joffre reserves for himself direct control over the armies in the centre of the line, consisting of 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Armies.  The French Commander-in-Chief also specifics that Foch and Dubail are responsible for operations in their regions, but that he retains control over administration, personnel, and strategy, leaving Joffre still firmly in control of the French army.

- Bad weather has continued to plague the offensive of the French 10th Army in Artois, with almost no gains secured while suffering heavy casualties.  Today Joffre informs Foch that he intends to transfer fifteen battalions from 10th Army to the Vosges, which severely curtails the former's offensive capability.

- In the Argonne west of Verdun, the French undertake a heavy assault on the lines held by the German 33rd Division, but are repulsed.

- From the eastern Mediterranean Admiral Carden replies today to Churchill's message of the 3rd regarding an attack on the Dardanelles.  Carden states that while he does not believe that the straits can be rushed, it might be possible to force a large British squadron through after a prolonged operation.  Churchill naturally focuses on the 'possible' and ignores the Admiral's reservations.

The French government, while also open to an operation against the Dardanelles, is also suspicious of British motives.  As the minster of war writes the minister of foreign affairs today, it is essential that the British do not land in Asia Minor by themselves.  Instead, a French presence is necessary to ensure that ongoing French interests in the region are protected.

- In fighting near the Rawa River the German 9th Army wins an unexpected victory over the Russians.  In order to be able to take advantage of any opportunity to exploit the success, Ludendorff informs Conrad that he is now only willing to transfer two and a half infantry and one cavalry division from 9th Army to support Austro-Hungarian operations in Galicia.

- In German Kamerun German forces attack the French Senegalese infantry defending Edea.  Though the determined assault is unsuccessful, it does accomplish its main objective - the British, fearing further German attacks, restrict themselves to the defensive perimeter around Duala, thus posing no risk to the German-held interior.

October 13th, 1914

- As the Belgians continue their retreat to the Yser River, tonight the British 7th Division is at Roulers, with the British 3rd Cavalry Division to the south covering its movement towards Ypres.  Meanwhile, this morning the British III Corps completes its assembly at Hazebrouck, and begins its advance at 1030am.  Though its objective is a line running north from Armentières, the corps encounters serious German opposition by elements of two cavalry divisions at the village of Meteren.  It is not until nightfall that the village is captured, the Germans retreating in good order while inflicting 708 casualties on the British.  Just to the north, the British Cavalry Corps clears German defenders off of Mont Noir.

On the German side, XIX Corps marches through Lille today on its way to the front, while the four reserve corps of 4th Army are detraining at Brussels.

- The offensive by General Mudra's XVI Corps in the Argonne west of Verdun has made only painfully slow progress.  Despite the use of new weaponry such as Minenwerfers and hand grenades, it is only today that the first line of French trenches has been taken.  The inability of new technology to immediately transform the battlefield is a theme that will recur in the years to come.

- In an effort to prod General Ivanov to attack, Grand Duke Nicholas reassigns 2nd and 5th armies to General Ruzski of North-West Front.  All this accomplishes in practice is to divide command of the operation, and over the prior two months the Russians have shown themselves singularly incapable of co-ordinating the efforts of separate commanders.

- In South Africa, in response to Maritz's declaration of rebellion, Christian de Wet, C. F. Beyers, and J. C. G. Kemp renew contact with each other, and discuss joining Maritz's revolt.

- At the Admiralty, First Lord Churchill discusses the continued pursuit of the German East Asiatic Squadron with the First Sea Lord, Prince Louis of Battenberg.  Their understanding is that Craddock will concentrate his ships at the Falklands Islands, and approve the formation of a second squadron.  They also conclude that Craddock understands that if his squadron is not strong enough to engage the German East Asiatic Squadron by itself, he will endeavour to shadow them until reinforcements arrive.  This is a crucial misunderstanding by the First Lord and First Sea Lord.  Craddock had been given orders on September 14th to destroy the German cruisers, a directive that had never been countermanded and which Craddock felt bound to obey regardless of the strength of the warships under his command.

October 4th, 1914

- The German advance at Arras continues today.  North of the city the Bavarians push through Lens and, at 10pm, occupy the heights of Vimy Ridge.  The French 70th Division, on the line north of the city, is pushed back almost to the Scarpe River northwest of Arras.  To the south, the Prussian Guards Division shatters the 81th Territorial Division, killing its commander, and a gap begins to open between the territorial divisions and X Corps.  The French at Arras are threatened with encirclement, and General Maud-huy declares that his detachment is facing another 'Sedan', referencing the disastrous envelopment and surrender of a French army in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War.  The Kaiser, meanwhile, arrives at Rupprecht's headquarters at St. Quentin to observe the anticipated victory.

When Castlenau asks Joffre which direction Maud-huy should retreat in, the latter's response is swift.  He has become convinced that Castlenau is plagued by excessive pessimism, and decides on a reorganization.  First, Maud-huy's detachment is formed into a separate command as 10th Army.  Second, Ferdinand Foch is appointed Joffre's 'deputy' with responsibility to co-ordinate the 2nd and 10th armies and the territorial divisions in northern France.  Castlenau thus finds himself under the command of a former subordinate, but on balance is likely pleased to have retained his command at all.  With Foch moving to northern France, his 9th Army along the Aisne is suppressed, its corps being absorbed by the neighbouring 4th and 5th armies.  Joffre also informs Castlenau that under no circumstances is he to retreat, as the reinforcements en route to the north will allow the Entente line to hold.

The German advance at Arras, October 1914.

- The British Royal Marine Brigade arrives in Antwerp at 1am, having landed at Dunkirk yesterday and traveled to the city by train, and later this morning takes up position along the front line to the southeast of Antwerp.  At the same time, the British Cabinet approves the dispatch of the two naval brigades to augment the British contribution to the defense of Antwerp.  The Cabinet also receives a remarkable request from Churchill.  He has remained in Antwerp, and for the past twenty-four hours has taken to directing the defense of the city, touring the trenches, repositioning units, etc..  He has displayed an almost boyish enthusiasm for war - sitting in the open watching the action as artillery shells fall around him.  He feels to be in his element, and at this moment wants nothing more than to continue to have a direct hand in the ongoing struggle for Antwerp.  His request to the Cabinet is that he resign his position as First Lord of the Admiralty and instead be appointed commander of the forces at Antwerp, with the full authority of a general in the field.  The reaction of the Cabinet can be best described as nervous laughter - Churchill has already gained a reputation as a figure whose enthusiasm often outruns his judgement, and the idea that the head of the most important military office in the country should race off to command forces in the field is incomprehensible.  Churchill’s request is politely denied, and he is informed that General Henry Rawlinson will be arriving shortly to assume command of the British contingent.  For now, though, Churchill remains at Antwerp, play-acting the role of general.

Meanwhile, the continuing bombardment of Fort Kessel finally forces the evacuation of its Belgian garrison today.  The Germans also begin to bombard the north bank of the Nethe River, in preparation for an attempt to force a crossing and pierce the line of defense established along the river after the first forts had fallen.

- West of Verdun, General Mudra's XVI Corps launches another offensive against the French lines in the Argonne.  The German attackers make widespread use of Minenwerfers, or trench mortars, for the first time.  Such small mortars, firing a small projectile in a high arc, are well-suited for use against trenches, as the trajectory allows the shell to plunge into trenches before detonation.  The Germans have also prioritized Minenwerfers as they use less powder, an important consideration given the economic blockade of the country.  Despite the use of such weapons, the Germans make little progress, facing fierce French resistance.

- The past few days have seen desperate fighting near Augustow just east of the German-Russian frontier as the Russians attempt to push into the rear of the German 8th Army retreating from the Niemen River.  While the Germans opposing the Russian advance suffer grievous losses, they succeed in slowing the Russians sufficiently to allow the remainder of 8th Army to evacuate Suwalki and withdraw to the border.

- As the German 9th Army continues its movement northeastwards from Krakow, the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army takes up position on the southern flank of 9th Army and joins the advance, with the Austro-Hungarian 4th and 3rd armies to the south moving westward towards the San River.  Despite bad weather and roads being reduced to mud, the Germans are able to maintain a marching rate of thirty miles a day, making using of requisitioned Polish carts better able to cope with the deep mud.  With the withdrawal of three Russian armies from Galicia to Poland to participate in the proposed offensive against German Silesia, the remaining Russian armies in Galicia fall back to avoid being outflanked to the north by the advance of the German 9th Army.

- General Potiorek officially calls off the second invasion of Serbia today.  Though the effort has at least secured a small bridgehead in northwestern Serbia, it has overall been another dismal failure.  Desperate to deflect blame from himself, he argues that a lack of shells has been to blame.

- Under the guise of reinforcing Maritz, Smuts dispatches new units to Upington under the command of Coen Brits, whose loyalty is unquestionable - the latter is said to have told Botha, 'My men are ready; who do we fight - the English or the Germans?'  Brits' force is positioned to fight Maritz if the latter rebels.

- As the German East Asiatic Squadron crosses the Pacific, it hears the signals of the German light cruiser Dresden, which has passed through the Straits of Magellan from the Atlantic and is now off the Chilean coast.  Admiral Spee today signals Dresden to meet his squadron at Easter Island.  This message, however, is intercepted by a British wireless station at Suva in the Fiji Islands, and when relayed to London gives the Admiralty concrete evidence that the German squadron is bound for South America.

- An appeal 'To the Civilized World' is published today in Germany.  Written by Ulrich von Wilamowitz, it contains the signatures of a hundred of Germany's leading artists, scholars, and intellectuals, including such world-renowned figures as the scientists Max Planck and Wilhelm Röntgen.  The document justifies German conduct in the war and seeks to counter the growing international perception of German cruelty, especially with respect to the occupation of Belgium.  In line with the general tone of German propaganda, it seeks to blame the victim:

It is not true that the life and property of a single Belgian citizen have been infringed upon by our soldiers, unless the most desperate self-defense made it necessary . . . the Belgian population shot at our troops from ambush, mutilated the wounded, and murdered doctors while they were performing their healing work.  One can falsify matters no more basely than to remain silent about the crimes of these assassins, to turn the punishments that they have justly suffered into crimes committed by Germans.

It is not true that our troops have wreaked brutal havoc in Louvain.  They were compelled reluctantly to bring a sector of the city under fire, in order to retaliate against raging inhabitants who had treacherously attacked them here. . . .

They also appeal to the sense of European racial superiority to denigrate the enemies of Germany:

Those who have allied themselves with Russians and Serbs, and who present the world with [the] shameful spectacle of inciting Mongolians and Negroes against the white race, have the very least right to portray themselves as the defenders of European civilization.

Finally, they ground the 'Appeal' on self-defense - that the most heinous and cruel of acts are justified in the name of German victory:

Were it not for German militarism, German culture would long ago have been eradicated.  For the protection of German culture, militarism arose in a land that had for centuries been plagued like no other by predation.  The German army and the German people are one and the same.

As much as the 'Appeal' was published to counter Entente propaganda, it was also aimed at the German public, seeking to justify not only the war itself but German conduct of it.  It reflects the widespread and almost universal enthusiasm for the war among intellectuals, common to all of the major combatants.