Timeline - 1918
The First World War spanned four years and involved many nation states.
This section lists the events of the year 1918, the final year of the war. This year saw the German military high command attempt one final large-scale offensive on the Western Front. A near success, Operation Michael's ultimate failure led to an increasingly sweeping series of successes by the Allies from the summer of 1918.
By the autumn the German Army was no longer able to continue fighting. With revolution imminent, Germany's political leadership petitioned for an armistice. It took effect at 11am on 11 November - the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. The war was over, and with its end many of the European dynasties fell.
For a day by day account click any given month using the sidebar to the right.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
 January - September |
T.E. Lawrence leads Arab guerrillas in successful campaign against Turkish positions in Arabia and Palestine |
| January 8 |
US President Woodrow Wilson makes "Fourteen Points" speech to Congress |
| February 11 |
US President Woodrow Wilson makes "Four Principles" speech to Congress |
| March 3 |
Soviet Russia concludes separate peace negotiations in treaty of Brest-Litovsk |
| March 21 |
Germany launches Spring push, eventually mounting five major offensives against Allied forces, starting with the Battle of Picardy against the British |
| March 26 |
Doullens Agreement gives General Ferdinand Foch "co-ordinating authority" over the Western Front |
| April 9 |
Germany launches second Spring offensive, the Battle of the Lys, in the British sector of Armentieres |
| April 14 |
Foch appointed Commander-in-Chief of Allied forces on Western Front |
| May 25 |
German U-boats appear in US waters for first time |
| May 27 |
Third German Spring offensive, Third Battle of the Aisne, begins in French sector along Chemin des Dames |
| May 28 |
US forces (28th Regiment of 1st Division) victorious in first major action, Battle of Cantigny |
| June 6 |
US 3rd Division captures Bouresches and southern part of Belleau Wood |
| June 9 |
Germans launch fourth Spring offensive, Battle of the Matz, in French sector between Noyan and Montdider |
| June 15 |
Italians prevail against Austro-Hungarian forces at Battle of Piave |
| July 6 |
US President Woodrow Wilson agrees to US intervention in Siberia |
| July 15 |
Final phase of great German Spring push, the Second Battle of Marne, begins |
| July 16-17 |
Former Tsar Nicholas II, his wife, and children, are murdered by the Bolsheviks |
| July 18 |
Allies counterattack against German forces, seizing initiative |
| August 3 |
Allied intervention begins at Vladivosto |
| August 8 |
Haig directs start of successful Amiens offensive, forcing all German troops back to the Hindenburg Line; Ludendorff calls it a "black day" for German army |
| September 12 |
US forces clear the St.-Mihiel salient, during which the greatest air assault of the war is launched by the US |
| September 19 |
Start of British offensive in Palestine, the Battle of Megiddo |
| September 26 |
Battle of the Vardar pits Serb, Czech, Italian, French and British forces against Bulgarian forces |
| September 26 |
Meuse-Argonne offensive opens; the final Franco-American offensive of the war |
| September 27 - October 17 |
Haig's forces storm the Hindenburg Line, breaking through at several points |
| September 29 |
Bulgaria concludes armistice negotiations |
| September 28 - October 14 |
Belgian troops attack at Ypres |
| October 3-4 |
Germany and Austria send peace notes to US President Woodrow Wilson requesting an armistice |
| October 17 - November 11 |
British advance to the Sambre and Schledt rivers, taking many German prisoners |
| October 21 |
Germany ceases unrestricted submarine warfare |
| October 27 |
Erich Ludendorff resigns |
| October 30 |
Turkey concludes an armistice with the Allies |
| November 3 |
German fleet mutinies at Kiel |
| November 3 |
Trieste falls to the Allies; Austria-Hungary concludes an armistice |
| November 7-11 |
Germany negotiates an armistice with the Allies in Ferdinand Foch's railway carriage headquarters at Compiegne |
| November 9 |
Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates |
| November 10 |
Kaiser Wilhelm II flees to Holland |
| November 10 |
German republic is founded |
| November 11 |
Armistice day; fighting ceases at 11am |
The USA suffered 57,476 fatal army casualties during the war.
- Did you know?
