The Stench of Death; Fears of Being Buried Alive A Rescuer is Rescued. Special to The Great War Project (29-31 July) The deadlock continues on the Gallipoli Peninsula in northwest Turkey. The defending Turks and the attacking allied troops of Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand dig miles of barbed-wire protected trenches. This transforms the…
Monthly Archives: July 2015
HORROR OF FIRE, EXPLOSION, AND DEATH;
by Mike Shuster
Buried Alive or Burned, Many Die in Fight for Mine Crater Special to The Great War Project (26-28 July) Despite the deadlock on the “quiet” Western Front, there are still occasional savage clashes. Some 300 soldiers die each day. One attack of particular note is the battle in southern Belgium for the Hooge Crater. It…
WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST
by Mike Shuster
Nasiriya Falls to British; Eye al-Kut Next Ottoman Forces Retreat in Face of British Juggernaut Special to The Great War Project (23-25 July) The British offensive in southern Mesopotamia (now Iraq) gains another victory with the fall of Nasiriya. British and Indian troops take control of the city on this date a century ago. The…
FACE-OFF BETWEEN GERMANY AND THE U.S.
by Mike Shuster
Lusitania Episode Takes Months to Resolve; Kaiser Calls Wilson Impertinent. A Hideous New American Weapon Special to The Great War Project (21-22 July) Relations between the United States and Germany are increasingly tense. The sinking of the British ocean liner Lusitania in May results in the death of nearly 1200, including 124 Americans. It splits President…
A CLEAR CASE OF TRADING WITH THE ENEMY
by Mike Shuster
British Rubber for German Binoculars Secret Deal is A Devil’s Bargain Special to The Great War Project (18-20 July) The British army is running short of binoculars. “Disastrously short,” according to historian Adam Hochschild. And not just binoculars. “Aerial reconnaissance camera lenses, periscopes, rangefinders, and telescopic sights for sniper rifles.” “All were essential,” reports Hochschild,…
THE SPOILS OF WAR IN SECRET AGREEMENTS
by Mike Shuster
Mutiny Spreading; Germany Loses African Colony. On Western Front, Allies Eager for New Offensive Special to The Great War Project (14-17 July) The war is changing everything. Already instances of mutiny and rebellion hit the retreating Russian army in Eastern Europe. These mutinous episodes are encouraged by Bolshevik propaganda circulating widely among Russian troops. There…
GERMANY, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, OTTOMANS ‘IN THE ASCENDANT’
by Mike Shuster
Italy Now in War: Repeated Attacks in the Alps Fail; Ceaseless Slaughter of Armenians Special to The Great War Project (4-13 July) The slaughter of Armenians living in Turkey continues without a break. The attacks on Turkey’s Armenian population begin several months earlier. It has not stopped. Hundreds-of-thousands of Armenians are slaughtered. In early to…
IN EAST, CEASELESS GERMAN POUNDING OF RUSSIANS
by Mike Shuster
Tsar’s Army in Disarray; Talk of Mutiny Spreads. Germany’s Leaders: We Do Not Lust for Territory. Pro-German Bomber Targets U.S. Senate. Special to The Great War Project (Editor’s note: This blog will take a short break. It will return in about ten day’s time.) (30 June-4 July) On the Eastern Front, the Russian army continues…