It’s July 1917, three years since another July spun the world into global war. A major Russian offensive ends in defeat, retreat, and massive demonstrations in the streets of Petrograd, forcing a change in the revolutionary government. A political upheaval in Germany leads to the resignation of Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg and Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann. King George V visits the British Army on the Western Front. While he is there German bombers attack London; when he returns he changes the name of the Royal Family. In the Near East, Arab tribes led by Lawrence of Arabia capture the important Red Sea port of Aqaba. Winston Churchill rejoins the British Cabinet as Minister of Munitions. The British Army begins another major offensive at Ypres. An American Army battalion marches through Paris and visits Lafayette’s tomb. A large convoy of American troops arrives safely in France after a crossing contested by German U-boats. An accidental explosion sinks a dreadnought at Scapa Flow. In the United States the Secretary of War sets up a system of press censorship, then backs down in the face of fierce criticism. General Pershing says he wants a three million man Army by 1919. Compulsory military service begins as the first numbers are drawn in the draft lottery. Exports are prohibited without a license. Race riots explode in East St. Louis.
Month: July 2017 (Page 1 of 3)
Memorials to the Missing – Arras
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Memorial to the Missing at Arras in France is adjacent to the CWGC Faubourg-d’Amiens Cemetery in the western part of the city, near the Citadel d’Arras.
Some of the 34,791 names on the Memorial to the Missing
From 1914 until 1917 Arras was a few miles behind the Front, within range of some German heavy artillery, and the site of several French and British casualty clearing hospitals.
War in the Alps
Italy and Austria-Hungary fought a nasty and little-known war-within-the-war in the high Alpine territory along their national border, running from the Asiago Plateau and down the Isonzo River valley, beginning with the Italian declaration of war in 1915 and lasting until most of the Italian Alpine positions had to be abandoned due to the realignment of the front resulting from the Austro-Hungarian and German offensive in October 1917.
Not a lot of WWI films making an appearance on Turner Classic Movies for August, and probably not a lot of good historical content. But hey, they’re only movies! All times Central.
August 8, 5:00 a.m. Today We Live (1933). Described as “an aristocratic English girl’s tangled love life creates havoc during WWI. Stars Joan CRawford, Gary Cooper, Robert Young, Franchot Tone.
100 years ago in Kansas, August 2-5, 1917:
August 2, 2017
C-SPAN seems to be slowing down its World War I programming. There are two programs on Sunday, July 30th–both have been on before, so you should be able to view them at any time on the C-SPAN website. As usual, all times Central, and we’re not responsible for their schedule changes!
The Battenbergs Change Their Name Too
Two of Queen Victoria’s daughters married German Princes from Hesse, and they settled in England, using the name Battenberg. When King George V changed his dynastic name to Windsor, his cousins followed suit, changing theirs to ‘Mountbatten’ and renouncing all of their Germanic crowns, titles and honors. George V gave the men British titles as compensation for their action.
A little late posting this week, but there appears to be only one WWI program on the C-SPAN networks this weekend.
–Legacies of World War I. This is a panel session that was taped at the National World War I Museum and Memorial back on April 6th, and I believe it has aired before so it should be out on their website. Airs at 4:12 p.m. Saturday afternoon; repeats early Sunday morning at 2:12 a.m. As usual, those times are Central.
Pershing Park Memorial Proposal Criticized Again
At the July 13th meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission, the proposed design for the National WW1 Memorial at Pershing Park was considered and discussed. The design proposal has already been substantially modified and scaled back by previous reviews. You can read more about this in my April 29th post and my June 3rd, post.
100 years ago in Kansas, July 25-28, 1917:
July 25, 1917
- The Atchison Saddlery Co., received an army order for 2,000 harness sets and 8,000 horse collars.
July 28, 1917
- Gen. Vladimir Roop, Russian, visited Topeka. A military parade was staged for him.