Timeline - 1916
The First World War spanned four years and involved many nation states.
This section lists the events of the year 1916, the third year of the war. During this year the Germans attempted to "bleed France white" at Verdun, and the British strove to breakthrough along the Somme river. Both were doomed to failure; both were titanic struggles with correspondingly heavy losses.
Elsewhere possibly the greatest naval battle in history occurred at Jutland (which resulted in a tactical victory for Germany but a strategic victory for the British), and the Russians surprised everyone with impressive initial success in the Brusilov Offensive.
For a day by day account click any given month using the sidebar to the right.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
 February 21 - December 18 |
German attack on Verdun in the longest battle of the war, ultimately defended by the French at great cost to both sides |
| March 11 - November 14 |
5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Battles of Isonzo between Italy and Austria-Hungary |
| April |
British forces in Mesopotamia begin advance on Baghdad |
| March 9 |
Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus, New Mexico |
| March 24 |
French passenger ship, Sussex, torpedoed |
| April 24 |
Easter rebellion starts in Ireland |
| May 4 |
Germany renounces submarine policy |
| May 19 |
Britain and France conclude Sykes-Picot agreement |
| May 31 - June 1 |
Battle of Jutland, the biggest naval battle in history, ultimately without a clear victor |
| June - August |
Turkish forces, led by Enver Pasha, are defeated by the Russians in the Caucasus |
| June 4 - September 20 |
Russian Brusilov offensive in Carpathia nearly knocks Austria-Hungary out of the war |
| June 5 |
With British support (led by T.E. Lawrence), Hussein, grand sherif of Mecca, lead an Arab revolt against the Turks in the Hejaz |
| July 1 |
Start of the Battle of the Somme, with the greatest number of casualties in British military history, 60,000 |
| July 29 |
US marines land in Haiti |
| August - December |
Romania enters the war with the Allies, but is quickly overrun by German forces |
| August 28 |
Italy declares war on Germany |
| August 31 |
Germany suspends submarine assaults |
| September 15 |
Tanks introduced for the first time on the Somme battlefield by the British |
| October 15 |
Germany resumes U-boat attacks |
| November 7-9 |
US President Woodrow Wilson secures re-election |
| November 18 |
End of the Battle of the Somme |
| November 28 |
First German airplane (as opposed to zeppelin) air-raid on Britain |
| November 29 |
US occupation of Santa Domingo proclaimed |
| December 7 |
David Lloyd George replaces Asquith as British Prime Minister |
| December 12 |
Germany issues peace note suggesting compromise peace |
| December 18 |
US President Woodrow Wilson requests statements of war objectives from warring nations in peace note |
"Eggs-a-cook" were boiled eggs sold by Arab street vendors. It was later used by Anzac soldiers when going over the top.
- Did you know?
