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Begining
The Allies begin a week-long artillery bombing of German defensive positions on the Somme River in northern France, in preparment for a major British-led offensive. Over 1.5 million shells are fired along a 15-mile front to blow apart rows of barbed wire protecting the trenches. British Commander Douglas Haig believes this will allow an unhindered infantry advance and a rapid breakthrough of the German Front on the first day of battle. -
Period: to
Battle of the Somme
Actual batle takes place for about 5 months starting July 1, 1916 ending November 18, 1916 -
Consequence of war
British Army suffers the worst single-day death toll in its history as 18,800 soldiers are killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. -
Forms of war
Germans attack again at Verdun, using poison gas, and advance toward Fort Souville. -
Romania
Romania declares war on the Central Powers and begins an invasion of Austria-Hungary through the Carpathian Mountains. The Romanians face little opposition initially and advance 50 miles into Transylvania. -
And then their were tanks
The first appearance of tanks on a battlefield occurs as British troops renew the Somme offensive and attack German positions along a five-mile front, advancing 2,000 yards with tank support piercing the frontline defense, and then roll along the length of the trench, raking the German soldiers with machine-gun fire. -
The sky is the limit
The German Air Force (Luftstreikrafte) is founded as various aerial fighting groups are merged. -
Sorry Romania
Romanian troops return home after being pushed out of Hungary by two Austro-German armies. The Austro-German 9th Army then invades Romania and heads toward Bucharest. -
Suprise
British troops stage a surprise attack and capture the towns of Beaumont Hamel and Beaucourt at the northern end of the Somme Front. -
The End
Battle of the Somme ends and both sides each suffered over 600,000 casualties during the five-month battle. Among the injured German soldiers is Corporal Adolf Hitler, wounded by shrapnel. -
Result
President Woodrow Wilson organizes a peace conference in Europe by asking the combatants to outline their peace terms.
