On This Day - 23 August 1914
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
Namur falls.
Battle of Mons begins: general German attack on the French from Charleroi to Dinant.
French begin to fall back from Sambre and Meuse; also in northern Alsace.
Eastern Front
East Prussia: Germans evacuate Insterburg; at the Battle of Frankenau, Germans driven back.
Galicia: Russians take Brody and Tarnopol.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres
Tsing-tau blockaded and bombarded by the Japanese.
Political, etc.
Japan declares war on Germany.
Germany: Hindenburg receives command in East Prussia.