On This Day - 8 April 1917
Theatre definitions: Western Front comprises the Franco-German-Belgian front and any military action in Great Britain, Switzerland, Scandinavia and Holland. Eastern Front comprises the German-Russian, Austro-Russian and Austro-Romanian fronts. Southern Front comprises the Austro-Italian and Balkan (including Bulgaro-Romanian) fronts, and Dardanelles. Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres comprises Egypt, Tripoli, the Sudan, Asia Minor (including Transcaucasia), Arabia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Persia, Afghanistan, Turkestan, China, India, etc. Naval and Overseas Operations comprises operations on the seas (except where carried out in combination with troops on land) and in Colonial and Overseas theatres, America, etc. Political, etc. comprises political and internal events in all countries, including Notes, speeches, diplomatic, financial, economic and domestic matters. Source: Chronology of the War (1914-18, London; copyright expired)
Western Front
British progress north of Louveral (half-way between Bapaume and Cambrai).
Evacuation of Reims by civil population.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres
British capture Belad station on Baghdad-Samarra railway.
Political, etc.
Kaiser promises Prussia electoral reform.
Austria-Hungary severs diplomatic relations with U.S.A.
Panama joins U.S.A. to defend Panama Canal.