Primary Documents - 1916
This page of the Primary
Documents section of the website collects together archive source documents
originating in 1916, the year of titanic Allied struggles at both Verdun and
along the Somme.
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Included among the following documents is the text of the proclamation by Irish nationalists of an Irish Republic during Easter 1916. Both of British Western Front Commander-in-Chief Sir Douglas Haig's 1916 military despatches are also available.
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 |
|---|---|
 Lazare Muskovitch on Montenegro's War |
January - Montenegro Prime Minister's account |
| Charles Townshend's 1st Kut Communiqué |
January - British siege commander's January statement |
| Nikolai Yudenich on the Capture of Erzerum |
February - Russian commander's report |
| British Report on the Capture of Erzerum |
February - British military observer's official report |
| Falkenhayn on the Battle of Verdun |
February - Germany Army Chief of Staff's justification |
| Ludendorff on the Battle of Verdun |
February - Ludendorff's dismissive view |
| Prince Wilhelm on the Battle of Verdun |
February - Crown Prince's defensive summary |
| House-Grey Memorandum |
February - Colonel House's plan for drawing U.S. into war |
| Lord Northcliffe on the Battle of Verdun |
March - Newspaper baron's despatch from the field |
| Charles Townshend's 2nd Kut Communiqué |
January - British siege commander's March statement |
| General Pershing on Operations in Mexico |
March - Pershing's report on expedition to crush Villa |
| General Funston on Operations in Mexico |
April - Funston's report on expedition to crush Villa |
| U.S. Ultimatum Regarding U-Boat War |
April - President Wilson's written warning to Germany |
| Wilson's Speech Regarding U-Boat War |
April - President Wilson's address to Congress |
| Proclamation of the Irish Republic |
April - Britain guaranteed Belgian neutrality |
| General Maxwell on the Easter Rising |
April - British General's official military report |
| German Proclamation of Deportations from Lille |
April - General Graevenitz's official proclamation |
| James W. Gerard on Deportations from Lille |
April - U.S. Ambassador's concerns |
| Aristide Briand on Deportations from Lille |
April - French Prime Minister's official statement |
| Charles Townshend's 3rd Kut Communiqué |
May - British siege commander's final statement |
| Austrian Report on the Turkish Siege of Kut |
May - Official Austrian investigation |
| Germany Retreats Policy on U-Boat War |
May - Defence Minister's written assurance to Wilson |
| Sykes-Picot Agreement |
May - Britain and France agree Middle East strategy |
| Douglas Haig's Despatches 1916-19 |
May - British Commander-in-Chief's wartime despatches |
| Douglas Haig's St Eloi Despatch |
May - British Commander-in-Chief's report |
| President Carranza on Operations in Mexico |
May - Mexican President's formal protest to U.S. |
| Italian Statement on the Asiago Offensive |
June - Official Italian summary of the failed offensive |
| German Report on the Asiago Offensive |
June - Official German military observer's summary |
| U.S. Ambassador on the Asiago Offensive |
June - Summary from Ambassador's memoirs |
| 1st German Report on Battle of Jutland |
June - Initial reaction by German government on 1 June |
| 1st British Report on Battle of Jutland |
June - First response by British government on 2 June |
| Newton Baker on Operations in Mexico |
June - Secretary of War's calling up of National Guard |
| Robert Lansing on Operations in Mexico |
June - U.S. Secretary of State's reply to Pres. Carranza |
| British Report on Battle of Jutland |
June - Sir John Jellicoe's official report |
| Emir's Declaration of Arab Independence |
June - Sharif Hussein bin Ali's proclamation |
| German Report on Battle of Jutland |
June - German naval minister's full report |
| Sir Roger Casement's Conviction Speech |
June - Casement's speech following conviction for treason |
| British Reaction to Casement's Conviction |
June - Official British government reaction |
| Alexei Brusilov on the Brusilov Offensive |
June - Russian commander's official statement |
| German Report on the Brusilov Offensive |
June - Official German military observer's summary |
| Philip Gibbs on Somme Offensive |
July - Official British journalist's account |
| Prince Rupprecht on Somme Offensive |
July - Local German commander's report |
| Official German Report of Somme Offensive |
July - General von Steinacker's official account |
| Submarine Deutschland's Atlantic Crossing |
July - Captain Koenig's statement upon arrival in U.S. |
| Allied Protest to U.S. Re: Submarine Status |
July - Allies' argument that submarines were warships |
| 1st German Statement on Captain Fryatt |
July - Statement issued following Fryatt's execution |
| Arthur Balfour on Captain Fryatt |
August - Former British Prime Minister's summary |
| British Government on Captain Fryatt |
August - British government's official statement |
| Joseph Joffre on the Battle of Verdun |
August - French Army C-in-C's upbeat summary |
| 2nd German Statement on Captain Fryatt |
August - Reply to British government's statement |
| Romanian Declaration of War with Austria |
August - Prime Minister Ion Bratianu's Official Statement |
| King Ferdinand's Proclamation |
August - The King's reasons for war against Austria |
| King Ferdinand's Proclamation to the Army |
August - The King's instructions for victory |
| Jonescu on Romania's Entry into the War |
August - Former Prime Minister's support for war |
| Bethmann on Romania's Entry into the War |
August - German Chancellor's accusations of betrayal |
| U.S. Reply to Allied Protest Re: Submarines |
August - Robert Lansing's statement supporting Germany |
| Prince Wilhelm on the End of of Verdun |
September - Crown Prince's account of the battle's end |
| von Hindenburg on the End of of Verdun |
September - Army Chief of Staff's summary |
| von Zwehl on the Battle of Verdun |
October - German General's view of key Verdun forts |
| General Dubois on the Battle of Verdun |
October - General's condemnation of German approach |
| Cardinal Mercier on German Rule in Belgium |
November - Cardinal Mercier's protest to neutral nations |
| Belgian Women on German Rule in Belgium |
November - Protest of Belgian women's societies |
| Bissing on German Rule in Belgium |
November - German military Governor's policy defence |
| Cardinal Mercier on German Rule in Belgium |
November - Cardinal Mercier's reply to Bissing's defence |
| Labour Unions on German Rule in Belgium |
November - Labour unions' protest at German policy |
| Brand Whitlock on German Rule in Belgium |
November - U.S. Ambassador to Belgium's report |
| Ludendorff on the Loss of Forts at Verdun |
November - Ludendorff's official statement |
| Douglas Haig's Somme Despatch |
December - British Commander-in-Chief's report |
| Luigi Cadorna on the Battle of Gorizia |
December - Italian Commander-in-Chief's report |
| The Assassination of Rasputin |
December - Stanislaus de Lazovert's account |
| Colonel Frobenius on the Battle of Verdun |
December - Semi-official German historian's summary |
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