Primary Documents - 1915
This page of the Primary
Documents section of the website collects together archive source documents
originating in 1915, the first full year of the war.
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Included among the 1915 documents are America's repeated formal protests to the German government regarding the latter's sinking of the Lusitania. Also available is the text of an influential letter sent by journalist Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett to the British Prime Minister highlighting concerns relating to the prosecution of the war on the Gallipoli peninsular.
The list presented below - with each entry accompanied by a brief summary of its significance - is sorted by date, with earlier documents listed first.
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
 21 Demands of China by Japan |
January - Japanese attempt to gain hegemony over China |
| German Admiralty Declaration |
January - German threat to sink neutral shipping |
| Declaration of Naval Blockade of Britain (1) |
February - German Declaration, quickly withdrawn |
| Declaration of Naval Blockade of Britain (2) |
February - Alfred von Tirpitz's criticism of declaration |
| Declaration of Naval Blockade of Britain (3) |
February - Prince von Bulow's support for declaration |
| U.S. Strict Accountability Warning |
February - President Wilson's warning to Germany |
| British Report on Battle of Neuve Chapelle |
March - Writer's flawed commentary on failed attack |
| German Report on Battle of Neuve Chapelle |
March - Magazine commentary highlighting British losses |
| Anglo-French on Attack on Dardanelles (1) |
March - U.S. Ambassador to Turkey's Thoughts |
| Anglo-French on Attack on Dardanelles (2) |
March - Journalist Henry Nevinson's Account |
| Talaat Pasha's Armenian Massacre Orders |
March - Talaat Pasha's written orders from March 1915 |
| The Austrian Surrender of Przemysl |
March - Austro-Hungarian Minister of War's account |
| Grand Duke Nikolai on the Carpathian Battle |
April - Russian Commander-in-Chief's account |
| Treaty of London |
April - Allied attempt to bring Italy into the war |
| August von Mackensen on Gorlice-Tarnow |
May - The German Field Marshal's account of the battle |
| German Press Report on Gorlice-Tarnow |
May - German press release gloating in victory |
| Bryce Report on German Atrocities |
May - British report into German atrocities in Belgium |
| First U.S. Protest Over Lusitania Sinking |
May - First official U.S. reaction to loss of Lusitania |
| Alexander von Krobatin on Gorlice-Tarnow |
May - Austro-Hungarian Minister of War's reaction |
| Italy's Entry into the War |
May - Italian Prime Minister's declaration |
| British Account of Gorlice-Tarnow |
May - Written by British observer with Russian Army |
| British Review of Lusitania Sinking |
May - Official Law Court's Review |
| Austrian Declaration of War with Italy |
May - Franz Josef's formal declaration of war |
| German Reaction to Italian War Declaration |
May - German Chancellor's formal reaction |
| German Response to Lusitania Sinking |
May - Foreign Minister von Jagow's note to U.S. |
| Second U.S. Protest Over Lusitania Sinking |
May - President Wilson's second note to Germany |
| Grand Duke Nikolai on Gorlice-Tarnow |
June - Russian Commander-in-Chief's account |
| Sir John French on German Use of Gas |
June - British Commander-in-Chief's official report |
| German Justification for Use of Poison Gas |
June - Official German press statement |
| Austrian Protest Re: U.S. Munitions |
June - Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister's note |
| Third U.S. Protest Over Lusitania Sinking |
July - President Wilson's third note to Germany |
| German Account of the Fall of Warsaw |
August - German General's account |
| Lord Kitchener on the Battle of Sari Bair |
August - Minister of War's official report |
| Sir Ian Hamilton on the Battle of Sari Bair |
August - Commander-in-Chief's official report |
| Ashmead-Bartlett on the Battle of Sari Bair |
August - British journalist's account |
| German Officer on the Battle of Sari Bair |
August - Aide to Liman von Sanders' account |
| U.S. Reply to Austrian Munitions Protest |
August - Secretary of State Robert Lansing's note |
| Tsar Nicholas II Becomes Army C-in-C |
September - Tsar assumes command of his armies |
| Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett's Letter to Asquith |
September - Australian war correspondent's despair |
| Robert Lansing on the 'Dumba Affair' |
September - U.S. demand for Austria's recall of Dr. Dumba |
| Dr. Dumba on the 'Dumba Affair' |
September - Constantin Dumba's official statement |
| French Govt. on Champagne Offensive |
September - Upbeat government statement on progress |
| von Falkenhayn on Champagne Offensive |
September - German Army Chief of Staff's account |
| Count Bernstorff on Alleged German Spying |
September - Account of Germany's Ambassador to U.S. |
| German Govt. on Champagne Offensive |
October - German government's dismissive statement |
| Russia's Declaration of War with Bulgaria |
October - Russian declaration of hostilities |
| Bulgaria's Entry into the War |
October - Bulgarian Prime Minister's rationale for war |
| Daily Telegraph Report on Bulgaria's Plans |
October - Account of an opposition meeting with the Tsar |
| Brand Whitlock on Edith Cavell |
October - U.S. Ambassador's appeal to Germany |
| Maitre G. de Leval on Edith Cavell |
October - Belgian councillor's report |
| Hugh Gibson on Edith Cavell |
October - Secretary of U.S. Legation to Belgium's report |
| Stirling Gahan on Edith Cavell |
October - British chaplain's account of visit to see Cavell |
| Arthur Zimmermann on Edith Cavell |
October - Official German view of Cavell's execution |
| Paris Mail Article on 1st Battle of Ypres |
October - Anniversary celebration of British action |
| Bryce Report into the Armenian Massacre |
October - British government report indicting Turkey |
| Erich von Falkenhayn on the Fall of Serbia |
November - German Army Chief of Staff's account |
| General von Cramon on the Fall of Serbia |
November - German General's summary |
| French Memorandum for Joint Action |
December - Request for combined action at Chantilly |
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A "Grand Slam" was British slang for an impending attack or battle.
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