August 1914

This article is about the month. For the novel, seeAugust 1914 (novel).

1914

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The following events occurred inAugust 1914:

Headline from newspaperLe Soir,4 August 1914, declaring Germany had violated Belgium's neutrality.

An imagined depiction of the massacre during theBattle of Dinantby the American artistGeorge W. Bellows(1918)

August 1, 1914 (Saturday)

A Berlin crowd listens as a German officer reads Wilhelm II's order for mobilisation, 1 August 1914.

• TheGerman Empiredeclared war on theRussian Empire,following Russia's full militarymobilizationin support ofSerbia.The declaration of war also required Germany to begin mobilization.
• Italydeclared itself neutral at the start of the war despite being part of theTriple Alliance,citing it was a defensive nature and Austria-Hungary's aggression did not obligate the country to take part.
• Germanyaccepted an offer fromGreat Britainto guaranteeFrance's neutrality.However,Germany's plan to invadeLuxembourgandBelgiumforcedFranceto mobilize, with the formation of the1st,2nd,3rd,4th,and5th Armies.
• TheNew York Stock Exchangeclosed due to war inEurope,where nearly all stock exchanges were already closed.
• Pursuit ofGoebenandBreslau– Commander of theMediterranean Fleet,AdmiralArchibald Berkeley Milne,assembled his force atMalta,and on the following day received instructions to shadow the GermanbattlecruiserSMSGoeben.With the German ship already sighted, Milne ordered two British battleships to form a blockade atGibraltarshould the German ships try to escape into theAtlantic Ocean.
• Swiss National Parkwas established in theEngadinregion of Switzerland.
• TheCalcutta Scottishvolunteer regiment for theBritish Indian Armywas established.
• Marcus Garveyfounded theUniversal Negro Improvement AssociationinJamaica.
• Eleven players from theRussian Empire,who participated in the interruptedMannheim chess tournament,were interned inRastatt,Germany,when war began. Four of the players were freed and allowed to return home viaSwitzerlandin September, while two more were released in subsequent years.
• Therail linelinkingZwieseltoPassau,Germany,officially opened, but with little fanfare due to the onset ofWorld War I.
• TheWestern Sabah Railway Lineopened new stations inSabah,MalaysiaincludingBeaufort,Bongawan,Halogilat,Kawang,Kimanis,Kinarut,Melalap,Membakut,Pangi,Papar,Putatan,Rayoh,Saliwangan,Secretariat,Tanah Merah,Tanjung Aru,andTenom.
• TheBrienz Rothorn RailwayinSwitzerlandwas shut down due to the outbreak ofWorld War Iand was not reopened until 1931.
• TheCanadian Pacific Railwayopened theWaterfront StationinVancouver.
• The first issue of the weeklyThe Illustrated War Newswas published.
• TheCharlie ChaplincomedyThe Property Manbecame the first film to have acontinuity error,in which Charlie Chaplin's character was seen losing a hat while carrying a trunk through a door on one side, only to have it reappear on the other side.
• TheAlhambra Theatreopened inEl Paso, Texasas both a live theater and movie house. It became part of theNational Register of Historic Placesin 1980.
• Born:Hughie Edwards,Australian air force officer and politician, 23rdGovernor of Western Australia,commander of theNo. 105 SquadronduringWorld War II,recipient of theVictoria Crossfor leading a daylight bombing raid on the port ofBremen,Germany,inFremantle,Western Australia,Australia(d.1982)
• Died:Gid Gardner,American baseball player, played for eight different teams in three different leagues from 1879 to 1888 (b.1859)

August 2, 1914 (Sunday)

• Asecret alliancewas signed betweenGermanyand theOttoman Empire.
• German troops occupiedLuxembourgin accordance with itsSchlieffen Plan.
• At 7:00 pm (local time)Germanyissued a 12-hour ultimatum to neutralBelgiumto allow German passage intoFrance.
• The first military action on theWestern Frontoccurred as askirmish at Jonchereyin northeasternFrancenear the border. A small German cavalry illegally crossing the border (no formal declaration of war had yet been made) clashed with local French militia, resulting in at least two fatalities includingJules-André Peugeot,the first French military casualty of the war, andAlbert Mayer,the first German casualty of the war.
• The first German soldiers appeared inKalisz,Poland,considered to be the oldest city in the country.
• German cruiser SMS Augsburg bombarded Libau (now called Liepaja). This city was then part of the Russian empire and is now in Latvia.
• A seven-man reconnaissance team forAustria-Hungaryinfiltrated Russian-heldPolandto gather intelligence. All seven later became cavalry for thePolish ArmyfollowingWorld War I,known as theSeven Lancers of Belina.
• TheImperial German ArmyforWorld War Iwas organized intonine armies:
• Along with assigning regularcorpsunits established in the19th centuryfor the armies, theImperial German Armyestablished the followingcorpsunits:
  • Four independentcavalrycorpsto fight on theWestern Front:
  • New reserve infantry units:
  • Fortress units forStrassburg.
  • TheLandwehr Corpsto serve theEighth Army.
• TheWorld's FairinLyonremained open despite the outbreak ofWorld War I,although the German and Austrian pavilions were closed.
• TheScandinavian Monetary UnionbetweenSweden,Norway,andDenmarkended with the outbreak ofWorld War I.
• TheTōbu Sanorail line was extended inTochigi Prefecture,Japan,with stationsSanoshiandTajimaserving the line.
• Dutch cyclistCor Blekemolenwon theWorld Track Cycling ChampionshipsinOrdrup,Denmark,nearCopenhagen.
• Theassociation footballclubBalmasedawas formed inBalmaseda,Spain.
• Born:Fay Crocker,Uruguayan-American professional golfer, winner of 11LPGAtournaments, inMontevideo(d.1983);Junji Kinoshita,Japanese playwright, noted for the Japanese translation of the plays byWilliam Shakespeare,inTokyo(d.2006);Beatrice Straight,American film and theater actress, recipient of theAcademy Award for Best Supporting ActressinNetwork,inOld Westbury, New York(d.2001)

August 3, 1914 (Monday)

• At 7:00 am (local time),King Albert of Belgiumrefused the German request to violate his country's neutrality, resulting inGermanydeclaring war onBelgiumand onFrance.
• British Foreign SecretarySir Edward Greyencouraged theHouse of Commonsto support going to war with Germany shouldGermanyinvadeBelgium.Later that evening, he made the famous observation to a friend while looking out a window in the Foreign Office as gas lamps inLondonstreets were being lit at dusk:"The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."
• The German main force under command of MajorHermann Preuskerarrived inKalisz,Poland.By late evening, gun battles erupted in the city, with Preusker blaming local civilians for shooting at his troops. Twenty-one civilians and six German soldiers were killed.
• The Polish military unitFirst Cadre Companywas established inKraków,Poland.
• Winston Churchill,First Lord of the Admiraltyordered the confiscation of two Ottoman battleships under construction atArmstrong WhitworthinNewcastle upon Tyne,England.The ships were later commissioned for service to theRoyal NavyasHMSAgincourtandHMSErin.
• The Germanlight cruiserSMSEmdencaptured the Russian steamerRyazanand sent it toTsingtao,Chinawhere it was converted into theauxiliary cruiserCormoran.
• TheImperial German Navyleased the cargo-passenger shipAnswaldfor conversion into Germany's firstseaplane tender,SMSAnswald,designatedFlugzeugmutterschiffI (Airplane Mothership I).
• English language teacherHenry Hadleywas shot in an altercation with a Prussian officer on a train atGelsenkircheninGermany,dying two days later shortly after the declaration of war and becoming the first civilian casualty ofWorld War I.
• Born:Joseph M. Breitenbeck,American clergy, 8thBishop of Grand Rapids,Michiganfrom 1969 to 1989, inDetroit(d.2005)
• Died:Louis Couturat,Frenchmathematician,philosopher,andlinguist,known for the creation of the constructed languageIdo(b.1868)

August 4, 1914 (Tuesday)

• Much of the general populace inGermanycelebrated in what became known as theSpirit of 1914after all political parties in theReichstagvoted unanimously to support Germany's entry into war.
• German invasion of Belgium:Imperial German Armyforces under command of generalsAlexander von KluckandKarl von BülowenteredBelgiumat 8:02 am (local time) after the 12-hour ultimatum expired, bringing theJuly Crisisto a climax and causing Britain's entry intoWorld War I.
• British entry into World War I:KingGeorge Vof the United Kingdom inLondondeclared waron theGerman Empireat 11:00 p.m. (GMT) for violating Belgian neutrality (protected by theTreaty of London (1839)) and especially to defend France.
• With theUnited Kingdomformally at war, theDominionsofAustralia,Canada,andNew ZealandenteredWorld War Ias realms of theBritish Empire.
• TheUnited Statesdeclared neutrality at the outbreak ofWorld War I.
• An international conference of religious leaders organized by American industrialistAndrew Carnegiewith the goal for world peace went ahead as scheduled atLake Constance,Germany,despite the fact the host country was already invadingBelgium.The conference led to the formation of the Church Peace Union with a focus on improved international relations following the end ofWorld War I.In 1986, it was renamed theCarnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs.
• The Canadian government passed theWar Measures Act,which suspended some civil rights inCanadaduring a crisis.
• Violence escalated inKalisz,Polandas occupying German forces started shelling the city and massacring civilians as part of a pogrom to crack down on perceived rebellion. More than 10,000 civilians fled the city the following day.
• Pursuit ofGoebenandBreslau–Imperial German NavycruisersGoebenandBreslauunder command of Rear-AdmiralWilhelm Souchonbombarded the ports ofBôneandPhilippevilleinFrench Algeriadespite orders fromGermanyto head straight forConstantinople.The two British battlecruisers,IndomitableandIndefatigable,made contact with the German warships and tried to shadow them, but the swifter German boats outran them.
• Zaian War– TheZayanestook advantage of a weaker French military presence inMoroccoas troops were relocated back toFranceto fight inWorld War I,launching a month-long siege onKhenifra,Morocco.
• AdmiralSir John Jellicoewas appointed Commander-in-Chief of Britain's newly designatedGrand Fleet,based atScapa Flow,which contained elements from the olderFirstandSecond Fleets.
• The BritishRoyal Naval Air Servicetook inventory of its air fleet, which had only 26 out of 52 seaplanes that were serviceable for flight, with 46 more on order.
• The German ferrySMSDeutschlandwas commissioned as a mine layer for theImperial German Navyfor theBaltic Sea.
• TheGerman Papiermarkreplaced thegold markas the official currency ofGermanyforWorld War I.
• The British government took control of all the nation's railways as a wartime measure.
• TheLondon Mounted Brigadeof theBritish Armywas established, including the unitsA BatteryandB Battery.
• The8thand9th Cyclist Brigadesof theBritish Armywere disbanded.
• Mahatma Gandhilearned that war had been declared just as he reached London. Soon after, he began organizing the Indian Volunteer Corps to provide non-military support for theBritish Empire.
• TheOrder of the White Featherwas established by retiredRoyal NavyAdmiralCharles Cooper Penrose-Fitzgerald,inFolkestone,England,aiming to persuade women to offer white feathers to men not in uniform to shame them into enlisting.
• German Marxist leadersKarl Liebknecht,Rosa LuxemburgandClara Zetkinco-founded with others theSpartacus League,named after the ancient Romanrebel leader,inBerlin.
• TheManchester Babies Hospitalopened inManchester,England.
• The Egyptianassociation footballand sports clubAl Ittihad Alexandria Clubwas formed inAlexandria.
• Died:Hubertine Auclert,French activist, campaigner forwomen's suffrageinFrance(b.1848)

August 5,1914 (Wednesday)

Belgian troops defending aHerstalsuburb, just north-east ofLiège.

• TheKingdom of Montenegrodeclared war onAustria-Hungary.
• Battle of Liège– German forces assaulted the city ofLiègein eastBelgiumat 2:30 a.m., instigating the first major battle ofWorld War I.
• TheBryan–Chamorro Treatywas signed betweenNicaraguaand theUnited States.The treaty guaranteed the Central American government's stability with U.S. military support, while ensuring the country did not compete against thePanama Canalwith construction of its own water route.
• The guns ofPoint Nepeanfort atPort Phillip,Victoria,Australiafired across the bow of theNorddeutscher LloydsteamerSSPfalzas it was attempting to leave thePort of Melbournein ignorance of the declaration of war (the German ship was detained).
• A rail accident inJoplin, Missourikilled 39 people and injured 25 more.
• SSKönigin Luise,taken over two days earlier by theImperial German Navyas aminelayer,laidmines40 miles (64 km) off the east coast ofEngland.She was intercepted and sunk by theRoyal Navylight cruiserHMSAmphion,the first German naval loss of the war.
• Canadian Arctic Expedition– CaptainRobert Bartlettof the shipwreckedKarlukcompleted the first leg of his voyage to rescue the remaining survivors onWrangel Islandin theBering Sea.He rendezvoused at Port Hope,Alaskato provide new clothing and wages owed to hisInuitguide and companion who traveled with him from Wrangel Island toSiberiain an attempt to get back to civilization and arrange a rescue boat.
• The German linerSSPrinz Eitel Friedrichwas commissioned as an auxiliary cruiser for theImperial German Navywhile stationed inChina.
• TheCzechoslovak Legionwas established to support theAllieson theEastern Front.
• TheBritish ArmyestablishedCentral Forceto commandFirst,Secondand laterThird Army Home Forceswhich protected domesticGreat Britainuntil 1916 when they were reformed as the Northern Army.
• The1st Mounted Divisionof theBritish Armywas established.
• An arm of theBritish Red Crosswas established inAustraliain response toWorld War I.It eventually received its own charter in 1941 to become theAustralian Red Cross.
• Kaiser Wilhelmreauthorized theIron Cross,including theGrand Cross of the Iron Crossas one of the top military decorations inGermany.
• The first electrictraffic lightwas installed on the corner of East 105th Street andEuclid AvenueinCleveland.
• TheAmerican Women's War Relief Fundwas established by American expatriates inGreat Britainto support theWorld War Ieffort.
• Born:George Clifton Edwards Jr.,American federal judge, served on theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuitfrom 1963 to 1995, inDallas(d.1995);Parley Baer,American actor, known for character television roles includingThe Andy Griffith ShowandThe Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,inSalt Lake City(d.2002)

August 6,1914 (Thursday)

• Austria-Hungarydeclared war onRussia.Serbiadeclared war onGermany.
• Pursuit ofGoebenandBreslau–Italyrefused to provide haven for the German ships under command of Rear-AdmiralWilhelm Souchonin any of their ports. Despite having insufficient coal to guarantee the ships would reachConstantinople,Souchon ordered his ships to make a run for the Turkish port, hoping the naval action would "force the Ottoman Empire, even against their will, to spread the war to theBlack Seaagainst their ancient enemy,Russia."
• The first engagement between ships of theRoyal Navyand theImperial German Navybegan whenHMSBristolpursuedSMSKarlsruhe(which escaped) in theWest Indies.
• TheUnited Statessuccessfully negotiated a ceasefire that endedcivil warin theDominican Republic.Some 500 individuals were killed during the conflict.
• TheRoyal Navylight cruiserHMSAmphionstruck mines laid byKönigin Luise.(They were laid on 5th August before Konigen Luise was sunk by Amphion that day.) Some 150 British sailors were lost, the first British casualties of the war. Eighteen German crew members from the German minelayer had been lost.
• Battle of Liège– The firstair attackon a major European city occurred when a Germanzeppelindropped bombs onLiège,Belgium,killing nine civilians.
• The firstairshiplost in combat was theImperial German ArmyZeppelinZ VI.Badly damaged byartilleryandinfantrygunfire on her first combat mission while bombingLiège,Belgium,at low altitude, she limped back into Germany and was wrecked in a crash-landing in a forest nearBonn.
• Ellen Axson Wilson,First Lady of the United States,died fromBright's disease(chronicnephritis). It was said she relayed a last message to the White House physician allowing husband and U.S. PresidentWoodrow Wilsonto remarry. Her last words supposedly were "Take good care of my husband." She was buried inRome, Georgiaamong her family. Woodrow remarried over a year later toEdith Bolling Galt.
• Royal NavydestroyerHMSMurraywas launched by thePalmers Shipbuilding and Iron CompanyinHebburn,England,to serve with theHarwich ForceduringWorld War I.
• TheEast Southsea railway stationfor theSouthsea Railwayclosed inPortsmouth,England.
• Died:Maxim Sandovich,Polish clergy, Maxim ofGorliceinGalicia(nowPoland(executed) (b.1888)

August 7,1914 (Friday)

• TheBritish Expeditionary Forcearrived inFrance.
• Spanish Prime MinisterEduardo Datodeclared through theBoletín Oficial del Estado,the official gazette of theSpanish monarchy,thatSpainwould remainneutralduring the war.
• Battle of Mulhouse–Francelaunched its first attack of the war in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to recover the province ofAlsacefromGermany,beginning theBattle of the Frontiers.
• Pursuit ofGoebenandBreslau– Unable to match the speed of the German ships or equal their firepower, British cruisers under command ofRear AdmiralErnest Troubridgecalled off pursuit in theAdriatic Sea.
• Relief forces fromGermanyrelieved soldiers under MajorHermann PreuskerinKalisz,Polandbut high tensions and panic caused more than 100 civilian deaths. German soldiers began a pogrom by burning private buildings, starting with City Hall. The following day, some 800 civilians were rounded up and 80 were executed.
• Togoland Campaign– British colonial troops of theGold Coast Regimententered the German West African colony ofTogolandand encountered a German-led police force at a factory inNuatja,nearLomé,where the police opened fire on the patrol.Alhaji Grunshireturned fire, becoming the first soldier in British service to fire a shot in the war.
• The Australian passenger shipHMASGrantalawas acquired by theRoyal Australian Navyas a hospital ship.
• TheOtago Infantry Regimentof theNew Zealand Expeditionary Forcewas established.
• TheRoyal Navydissolved the9th Battle Squadrondue to the age of thebattleships.
• The Currency and Bank Notes Act inGreat Britaingave wartime powers ofbanknoteissue to theTreasury;the first notes, with the signature ofTreasury SecretaryJohn Bradbury,were issued.
• Giard,founded in 1871, was re-incorporated as a town inClayton County, Iowaand operated until 1925.
• Born:Nat Fein,American news photographer, photographer forThe New York Timeswho received thePulitzerfor his shot ofBabe Ruthat the end of his life, known asBabe Ruth Bows Out,inNew York City(d.2000);Ted Moore,South African-British cinematographer, best known for his work on theJames Bondfilms in the 1960s and early 1970s, recipient of theAcademy Award for Best CinematographyforA Man for All Seasons,inWestern Cape,South Africa(d.1987)

August 8,1914 (Saturday)

• Battle of Mulhouse– French forces enteredMulhouseon theAlsaceregion and held the city for two days beforeGermanycounter-attacked.
• Great Britainpassed the firstDefence of the Realm Act.
• Pursuit ofGoebenandBreslau– AdmiralArchibald Berkeley Milnereceived conflicting reports fromGreat Britainabout engagement in theMediterranean Sea.He opted to have his ships guard theAdriatic Sea,giving the German warships valuable time to refuel in theGreek Islands.
• Togoland Campaign– British and French soldiers officially prepared to takeLomé,the capital of the German colony ofTogolandinWest Africa,only to learnGermanyallowed the colony government to give up the city in order to prevent it from being hit by a naval bombardment. The British officially occupied the city the following day.
• The7th Battle Squadronof theRoyal Navywas absorbed into the8th Battle Squadron.
• German colonial forces executed Cameroonian resistance leadersMartin-Paul SambaandRudolf Duala Manga Bellfortreason.
• SirErnest Shackleton'sImperial Trans-Antarctic Expeditionset sail on theEndurancefromEnglandin an attempt to crossAntarctica.
• TheLuxembourg Red Crosswas established.
• TheAlbert Road BridgeandJessie Road Bridgerailway stations on theSouthsea Railwayclosed inPortsmouth,England.
• The13th International Lawn Tennis Challenge,now known as theDavis Cup,wrapped with the final played betweenGreat BritainandAustralasiaat theLongwood Cricket ClubinBrookline, Massachusetts.Australasia was victorious over Britain, with a final score of 3–2.
• The Fidalgo Madureira Atlético Clube was formed inRio de Janeiro.Business owners would change the name to Madureira Atlético Clube in 1933.In 1971, the club merged with two others and became known by its present nameMadureira.
• The German socialist newspaperUnityand its counterpartPioneerwere banned by authorities.
• Born:Hazel Walker,American amateurbasketballplayer, inductee to theWomen's Basketball Hall of Fame,inAshdown, Arkansas(d.1990);William Thornton Mustard,Canadian physician and surgeon, first to perform experimentalopen-heart surgeryon an animal patient, inClinton, Ontario(d.1987)
• Born:Dawee Chullasapya,Thai air force officer and politician,Chief of Defence Forcesin the 1970s, inThonburi,Siam(d.1996);Unity Mitford,British socialite, noted supporter ofNazismin theUnited Kingdom,inLondon(d.1948)
• Died:John Schuyler Crosby,American military officer and politician, 5th Governor ofMontana Territory(b.1839)

August 9,1914 (Sunday)

• TheKingdom of Montenegrodeclared war onAustria-Hungary.
• Mexican Revolution– Leaders of theConstitutional Armymet with Mexican presidentFrancisco S. Carvajaland negotiated a safe passage of all federal troops and senior government leaders out ofMexico Cityin exchange for unconditional surrender. Carvajal agreed to the terms and ordered the federal army to evacuate from Mexico City the following day.
• Royal Navylight cruiserHMSBirminghamrammed and sank GermansubmarineU-15offFair Isle,the firstU-boatlost in action.
• Pursuit ofGoebenandBreslau– The British ships received definitive orders to pursue German warshipsSMSGoebenandBreslauas they attempted to race across theAegean Seato theDardanelles,which would provide safe passage toConstantinople.
• Conducting a reconnaissance mission, theFrench dirigible (airship)Fleurusbecame the firstAlliedaircraft to fly overGermanyduringWorld War I.
• Archbishop of BrisbaneJames Duhigdedicated the opening ofSt Brigid's ChurchinBrisbane.It was added to theQueensland Heritage Registerin 1992.
• Born:William Alexander Hewitt,American business executive, last member of the Deere family to manage theJohn Deerecompany, inSan Francisco(d.1998);Albert O. Vorse Jr.,American marine air force officer, commander of theVF-80squadron duringWorld War II,two-time recipient of theDistinguished Flying Cross,Navy CrossandSilver Star,inPhiladelphia(d.1979)
• Born:Tove Jansson,Finnish children's author and illustrator, best known for herMoominsbook series for children, inHelsinki(d.2001);Joe Mercer,Britishassociation footballmanager, coachedManchester Cityfrom 1965 to 1971, inEllesmere Port,England(d.1990)
• Died:Roque Sáenz Peña,Argentine state leader, 17thPresident of Argentina(b.1851).

August 10,1914 (Monday)

British ships seen in pursuit of German shipsSMSGoebenandSMSBreslau.

• Battle of Mulhouse– Soldiers from theGerman Seventh ArmyrecapturedMulhouse,forcing French troops to retreat to nearbyBelfort,France.
• TheOttoman Empireopened theDardanellesto allow German cruisersSMSGoebenandSMSBreslaupassage toConstantinople,despite being required under international law, as a neutral party, to block military shipping.
• Allsuffragetteprisoners inGreat Britainwere released unconditionally.
• The7th Australian Battalionwas established.
• ThePrincess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantryof theCanadian Armywas established.
• The adventure-dramaThe Call of the Northopened at the box office, starringRobert Edesonand directed byOscar ApfelandCecil B. DeMille.Based on the play by George Broadhurst, that film was remade in 1921.
• TheSeychellesnation received its ownrupeecurrency.
• Born:Ken Annakin,British film director, known for adventure films includingSwiss Family RobinsonandThose Magnificent Men in their Flying MachinesinBeverley,England(d.2009);Lee Tai-young,Korean lawyer, first woman to practice law and sit as a judge inKorea,inUnsan County,Korea(d.1998)
• Died:John Butler Smith,American politician, 44thGovernor of New Hampshire(b.1838)

August 11,1914 (Tuesday)

• Mexican Revolution– Mexican revolutionary leaderÁlvaro Obregónsigned one of the documents related to theTeoloyucan Treaties,legendarily on the mudguard of a car, which would dissolve the current Mexican regime and allow leaders of theConstitutional Armyto set up a new government.
• The British packet shipHMSEmpresswas acquired and commissioned by theRoyal Navyas a seaplane carrier.
• The4th Australian Light Horse Regimentwas established.
• TheBoston Bravesplayed their final game at theSouth End Groundsbefore moving on to play atFenway ParkinBoston.The baseball field was later demolished.
• The city ofCorcoran, Californiawas incorporated.
• Born:Hugh Martin,American composer, best known for his scores ofMeet Me in St. Louisincluding "The Boy Next Door,""The Trolley Song,"and"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas",inBirmingham, Alabama(d.2011);John J. Wild,British-American physician, one of the first group to useultrasoundfor body imaging, including detecting cancers, inKent,England(d.2009)
• Died:Pol Plançon,French opera singer, best known for his collaborations with theMetropolitan Opera(b.1851)

August 12,1914 (Wednesday)

• Great BritainandFrancedeclared war onAustria-Hungary.
• Mexican Revolution– Mexican presidentFrancisco Carvajalformally leftMexico CityforVeracruz,allowing theConstitutional Armyto enter the city.
• Battle of Halen– Belgian troops under command of Lieutenant-GeneralLéon de Witte de Haelenrepulsed a German cavalry under command ofGeorg von der Marwitzin what was the second phase of theBattle of the Frontiers,though the battle did little to delay the German invasion of Belgium.
• Karl von Müller,commander of the Germanlight cruiserSMSEmden,met withImperial German NavyAdmiralMaximilian von SpeeatPagan,one of theMariana Islandsin the northPacific Oceanto discuss naval strategy. Spee learnedJapanwas siding with theAlliesand that the Japanese fleet had been ordered to track the German squadron down. The two naval officers agreed to have theEmdenstay behind in the eastern Pacific as an independent raider while the bulk of the German Pacific squadron led the Japanese fleet away towardsSouth America.
• German submarineSMU-13was lost in theHeligoland Bightwith the loss of all 25 crew.
• Lieutenant Robin R. Skene and mechanic R. Barlow crashed theirBlériotmonoplane on the way to Dover, becoming the first members of theRoyal Flying Corpsto die on active duty.
• TheIntelligence Corpsof theBritish Armywas established.
• The city ofGeneral Alvear, Mendoza,Argentinawas incorporated (named after GeneralCarlos María de Alvear).
• Died:John Philip Holland,Irish engineer, developed the firstRoyal Navysubmarine (b.1840)

August 13,1914 (Thursday)

Signature of theTeoloyucan TreatiesinMexico City.

• Mexican Revolution– TheTeoloyucan Treatieswere officially signed inMexico City.Interim presidentFrancisco S. Carvajalofficially resigned from office to make way for the inauguration ofVenustiano Carranza.
• Austro-Hungarian troopshipSMSBaron Gautschstruck a mine laid by their ownnavyin theAdriatic Sea,killing 147 men. Another 150 survivors were rescued by nearby destroyers.
• TwelveRoyal Aircraft Factory B.E.2observation aircraftfromNo. 2 Squadron,Royal Flying Corps,flying fromDover,became the first British aircraft to arrive inFrancefor the war.
• Kamerun campaign– Captain Ernst von Raben, commander of the German colonial garrison inMora,German Cameroon,relocated the fort from the plain to a mountain outpost and increased in troop strength from 125 to 200 troops to defend againstAlliedinvasion into German-held African colony.
• TheArmy Printing and Stationery Servicewas established to handle all the official publications of theBritish Expeditionary Force.
• TheGazette van Detroitwas formed as a Flemish-language newspaper for Dutch-speaking immigrants inRoseville, Michigan.It folded in 2018.
• Born:Albert Spaulding,American anthropologist, noted for promotingstatisticsas part of anthropological and archaeological studies, inChouteau County, Montana(d.1990)

August 14,1914 (Friday)

• Battle of Lorraine– The third phase of theBattle of the Frontiersbegan when theFrench First Armyadvanced on German forces nearSarrebourg,Lorraine,France.
• Rebel forcestried to captureDurrës,the capital ofAlbania,but were driven back by defending Romanian volunteer forces.
• Austrian steamerSSBaron Gautschstruck a mine and sank in theAdriatic Seaoff the coast ofCroatia,killed at least 150 passengers.
• The Germanlight cruiserSMSEmdenleft the rest of theImperial German NavyPacific squadron and set course to cruise the major shipping lanes betweenSingapore,ColomboandAden.
• The9th Scottish Divisionwas activated to serve as part of theBritish Expeditionary Force.
• The Circuit of Britain race scheduled to start fromCalshot,England,was cancelled due to the outbreak of war, grounding prototype airplanes fromBlackburn,Grahame-White,andWhite and Thompson No. 3andNo. 1 seaplanemodels (although they would be used as military aircraft later).
• The first truebomber,the FrenchVoisin III,was used in combat for the first time in an attack on German airship hangars atMetz-Frescaty Air BaseinGermany.
• "August Agreement" gave theBank of Englandan effective monopoly overSouth Africa's gold output.
• TheCarnegie Colored Librarywas established inSavannah, Georgia,thanks to public donations fromAndrew Carnegie,to provide a public library for African-American children that were barred from the other public library in town under the state's segregation laws.
• ThePortimonensewas formed inPortimão,Portugalas anassociation footballclub, but since expanded to includebasketballin its rosters.
• The12 de Octubre Football Clubwas formed inItauguá,Paraguay.Near its centennial, theassociation footballclub was promoted to theParaguayan Primera División.
• The song "They Didn't Believe Me"—composed byJerome Kernwith lyrics byHerbert Reynolds—was added to the musicalThe Girl from Utahwhen it debuted at theKnickerbocker TheatreonBroadwayinNew York Cityand became a musical standard for most of the first half of the 20th century.
• TheBroadwaycomedyTwin Bedsdebuted at theFulton TheatreinNew York Cityand ran for 411 performances.
• Born:Poul Hartling,Danish state leader, 22ndPrime Minister of Denmark,inCopenhagen(d.2000);Alija Sirotanović,Bosnian miner, credited a model of the industrial worker inYugoslavia,recipient of theOrder of the Hero of Socialist Labour,inOrahovo,Breza,Bosnia and Herzegovina(d.1990)

August 15,1914 (Saturday)

• TheNippōrail line was extended inKyushu,Japan,with stationYamanokuchiserving the line.
• VictoriadefeatedSouth Australiato win thethird editionof the Australian National Football Carnival inSydney,going virtually undefeated through the entirefootballchampionship.
• The 8thNew Zealand rugby tour of Australiawrapped with New Zealand winning the series with three victories.
• Australiarecruited an offering of 20,000 troops for theFirst Australian Imperial Forceto fight inWorld War I,including the establishment of the1st Division,composed of the1st,2nd,3rd,4th,5th,6th,7th,8th,9th,10th,11th,12th,13th,14th,15th,and16th Battalions.
• TheAustralian Voluntary Hospitalwas formed, with volunteer Australian expatriates providing medical services to theWestern FrontthroughoutWorld War I.
• Battle of Cer– Serbian troops clashed with the invading Austro-Hungarian army onCer Mountainin westernSerbia,marking the firstAlliedvictory ofWorld War I.
• Battle of Dinant– German troops captured theCitadel of DinantinDinant,Belgium.
• Battle of Lorraine– German artillery and dug-in infantry bombarded French forces undisturbed and inflicted major casualties.
• Battle of Agbeluvhoe– Over 2,000 soldiers with the BritishRoyal West African Frontier Forceclashed with 1,500 German soldiers on their way to capture Chra, the last remaining defensive city inTogoland,resulting in a British victory.
• TheScottish Horse Mounted Brigadeof theBritish Armywas established.
• TheFairport Lift Bridgeopened to traffic to cross over theErie CanalinFairport, New York.
• ThePanama Canalwas inaugurated with the passage of theSSAncon.
• Mexican Revolution–Venustiano Carranza's troops under generalÁlvaro ObregónenteredMexico City.
• Dismissed servant Julian Carlton killed seven people at American architectFrank Lloyd Wright's studio and home,TaliesininWisconsin(including Wright's mistress,Mamah Borthwick), and set it on fire.
• American explorer and mountaineerDora Keenled a four-person expedition to explore the glaciers inPrince William Sound,Alaska,and became one of the first to explore theHarvard Glacier.
• Born:Paul Rand,American graphic designer, best known for designing logos forIBM,UPS,Enron,Morningstar, Inc.,Westinghouse Electric,American Broadcasting CompanyandSteve Jobs'NeXT,inNew York City(d.1996)

August 16,1914 (Sunday)

• Battle of Liège– The Germans captured the last of the military forts in the Belgium city. The siege lasted 11 days as opposed to the two days the Germans planned for, delaying their advance just enough for British and French forces to organize.
• Battle of Cer– Serbian forces pushed the Austro-Hungarians off the slopes ofCer Mountainin western Serbia.
• Battle of Dinant– TheFrench Fifth Armyfortified on the west bank of theMeuseRiver nearDinantto hold back theGerman Third Armyon the east bank.
• The Austrian-Hungarian battle cruiserSMSZentawas sunk by Allied ships at theBattle of Antivariin theAdriatic Seawith the loss of 173 sailors.
• German warshipsSMSGoebenandBreslauwere transferred to theOttoman Navy,withGoebenbecoming its flagship,Yavuz Sultan SelimandBreslaubecomingMidilli.
• Second LieutenantEvelyn Perryof theRoyal Flying Corpsdied in a plane crash while flying overFrance,becoming one of the first British officers to die inWorld War I.
• Irish Member of ParliamentJohn Redmondaddressed over 2,000Irish VolunteersinMaryborough,Ireland,saying "for the first time in the history... it was safe to-day for England to withdraw her armed troops from our country and that the sons of Ireland themselves... [would] defend her shores against any foreign foe.
• TheKyŏngwŏn rail lineopened inGyeonggi Province,KoreabetweenSeoulandWonsan,with stationsAnbyon,Kosan,Pyonggang,Sep'oandWonsanserving the line.
• TheTemporary Commission of Confederated Independence Parties,a loose organization of political parties advocating for Polish independence fromAustria-Hungary,was reformed at theSupreme National Committee.
• Born:Harold Milford,British air force officer, member of the No. 226 Squadron and the escape team from the Germanprisoner of warcampStalag Luft IIIduringWorld War II,inStreatham,London,England(d.1944,executed);John Naka,American artist, known for hisbonsaiwork includingGoshin,inFort Lupton, Colorado(d.2004)

August 17,1914 (Monday)

• The first feature film produced inNew Zealand,Hinemoadebuted at the Lyric Theatre inAuckland.Directed byGeorge Tarrand featuringMāoriactors, the film tells the Māori legend of loversHinemoa and Tutanekai.
• The3rd Australian Light Horse Regimentwas established.
• TheImperial Japanese Navy's first aviation ship,Wakamiya,was recommissioned as aseaplane tender.
• Battle of Stallupönen– The RussianFirst Armyunder GeneralPaul von RennenkampfinvadedEast Prussia.The GermanFirst Corpsunder command of GeneralHermann von Françoiswent against orders and committed a frontal assault on Russian forces nearStallupöneneven though their forces were vastly outnumbered. The bold assault forced the Russians to retreat, with over 7,000 casualties, including nearly 5,000 prisoners. The Germans sustained around 1,300 casualties and continued to pursue the retreating army until Russian artillery forced them back.
• Battle of Lorraine– After being delayed by German long-range artillery fire the day before, theFrench First Armyreinforced the advancing line and tookSarrebourg.
• Wibaux County, Montanawas established with its county seat inWibaux.
• Born:Bill Downs,American journalist, member ofCBS Newsfrom 1942 to 1962, member of theMurrow Boys,inKansas City, Kansas(d.1978);Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr.,American lawyer and politician, son ofFranklin D. Roosevelt,onCampobello Island,New Brunswick(d.1988)
• Died:James Grierson,British army officer, chief British military commander in theAnglo-Egyptian War,theBoxer Rebellionand theSecond Boer War(b.1859)

August 18,1914 (Tuesday)

• Battle of Mulhouse– The newly formedArmy of Alsaceunder command of GeneralPaul Paumounted a second invasion into theAlsaceregion. The army captured key bridges on theRhineas well as thousands of German soldiers and 24 pieces of artillery.
• TheErsatz Corpsfor theGerman 6th Armywas established, including the4th,8th,10th,and19th Ersatz Divisions.
• The1st Light Horse Brigadeof theFirst Australian Imperial Forcewas established,with2nd Light Horse Regimentin support.
• TheWelsh Horse Yeomanryof theBritish Armywas established inCardiff.
• TheRoyal Navyestablished its ownSignal Division.

August 19,1914 (Wednesday)

• TheOttoman EmpireandBulgariasigned analliance.
• U.S. PresidentWoodrow WilsonaddressedUnited States Congressand called for strict neutrality duringWorld War I:"Such divisions amongst us would be fatal to our peace of mind and might seriously stand in the way of the proper performance of our duty as the one great nation at peace, the one people holding itself ready to play a part of impartial mediation and speak the counsels of peace and accommodation, not as a partisan, but as a friend."
• TheAustralian Naval and Military Expeditionary ForceleftSydneywith 1,500 men on the newly commissionedHMASBerrimato captureGerman New Guinea.
• TheSouthwestern Frontof theImperial Russian Armywas established.
• Kamerun campaign– Captain Ernst von Raben, commander of the German colonial garrison inMora,surprised a British column of 50 men fromMaiduguri,Nigeriawith a crack force of 30 troops, driving them away from the fort.
• Zaian War– French forces launched a series of counterattacks on theZayanesaroundKhenifra,Moroccoover three days, inflicting considerable losses and forcing the weeks-long siege to begin winding down.
• U.S. NavydestroyerNicholsonwas launched from theWilliam Cramp & Sonsshipyard inPhiladelphia.
• The village ofCereal, Albertawas established.
• Born:Fumio Hayasaka,Japanese composer, best known for his film scores for film directorAkira KurosawaincludingStray Dog,Rashomon,IkiruandSeven Samurai,inSendai,Japan(d.1955);Margaret Morgan Lawrence,American psychologist, best known for inner-city child development programs atHarlem Hospital Center,inNew York City(d. 2019);Athol Shmith,Australian photographer, best known for promoting the "New Look" style of photography, inMelbourne(d.1990)

August 20,1914 (Thursday)

• Germanforces occupiedBrussels.TheSiege of Namurbegan the same day.
• Mexican Revolution–Venustiano Carranzaand his supporters enteredMexico Cityto set up a new Mexican government, backed byÁlvaro Obregón.An estimated 150,000 city residents lined the streets to view the Carranza procession as it headed to the Presidential Palace.
• Pope Pius Xdied at 1:20 a.m. with his last words reported to be "Together in one: all things in Christ," referencing the motto he used in his 1903 encyclical shortly after he was elevated to Pontificate of theCatholic Church.His body was immediately lain in state atSt. Peter's Basilica.
• Battle of Lorraine– The battles ofSarrebourgandMorhangebegan when German forces counter-attacked, forcing several separate battles against the French armies. French forces retreated in disorder butGermanywas slow to pursue, allowingFranceto regroup.
• Battle of Gumbinnen– Trying to capitalize on his successful attack on the Russians three days earlier, GeneralHermann von Françoispersuaded his commanding officerMaximilian von Prittwitzto launch a major offensive against theRussian First Army.Despite initial successful advances with infantry, German forces were forced back by Russian artillery. The Russian army counterattacked and captured 6,000 German soldiers. Faced with already 14,000 in casualties, Prittwitz panicked and ordered a general retreat, leavingEast Prussiain the hands of the Russians.
• Kamerun campaign– Captain R. W. Fox, commander of British colonial forces inMaiduguri,Nigeria,was ordered to send forces to occupy Sava, three kilometres fromMora,German Cameroon.
• Forty British and American labourers were killed after a concrete building for a new custom house suddenly collapsed inLa Ceiba,Honduras.
• TheMoroccan Divisionof theFrench Armywas established and would become the most decorated French unit inWorld War I.
• TheCentral Committee on Women's Employmentwas established to develop employment opportunities for women and support growing labor demands inGreat BritainduringWorld War I.
• The religious congregationSociety of Saint Paulwas founded inAlba, Piedmont,Italyby Friar Giacomo Alberione. It was officially approved by theHoly Seein 1949.
• Born:Aleksandr Nadiradze,Soviet engineer, designer of theintercontinental ballistic missile,four-time recipient of theOrder of Lenin,inGori,Russian Empire(d.1987)
• Died:Franz Xavier Wernz,GermanJesuitpriest, 25thSuperior General of the Society of Jesus(b.1842)

August 21,1914 (Friday)

• The fourth phase of theBattle of the Frontiersbegan with the French army clashing with German forces at theBattle of the Ardenneson the border ofLuxembourgand theBattle of Charleroion theSambreriver inBelgium.
• Battle of Dinant– German forces launched a disorganized night attack onDinant,Belgium,that mistakenly led them to believe the city was full of hostile civilians.
• Rebel forcescaptured the port city ofVlorë,Albaniawithout resistance.
• Two Imperial Germany Army Zeppelins on their first combat missions became the second and third airships lost in combat after being damaged by French infantry and artillery fire during low-altitude missions in theVosgesmountains.Z VIIlimped back into Germany to crash near St. Quirin inLorraine,whileZ VIIIcrash-landed in a forest nearBadonviller,France,where Frenchcavalrydrove off her crew and looted her. The loss of three airships on their first combat missions in August soured the German Army on the further combat use of airships.
• German colonial forcescapturedthe colonial capital ofLaïfrom the French in what is nowChad.
• Reconnaissance cyclist PrivateJohn Parr(perhaps aged 15) was the first British soldier to be killed on theWestern Front,atObourgin Belgium.
• Canadian Arctic Expedition– CaptainRobert Bartlettof the sunkenKarlukmet Burt McConnell, secretary for expedition leaderVilhjalmur Stefansson,at Point Barrow,Alaska,who gave details of Stefansson's movements after leaving the ship the previous September when it was trapped in ice. McConnell reported in April that Stefansson had headed north with two companions, searching for new lands.McConnell later left Point Barrow forNomeaboard the American fishing schoonerKing and Wingewhile Bartlett's rescue ship, theBear,finally sailed for Wrangel Island.
• The10th,11th,12th,and13th Divisionswere formed as part ofKitchener's Armyand would play major roles in theGallipoli campaignthe following year.
• TheImperial German Armyestablished the1st Bavarian Landwehr Division.
• TheRoyal Automobile Club Volunteer Forcewas established at thePort of Southamptonas the chauffeur service for the senior officers of theBritish Army.
• Twenty-one-year-old golferWalter Hagenwon the20thU.S. Openby a single stroke overChick Evansin what would be the first of two U.S. Open titles.
• A totalsolar eclipseoccurred that was visible inNorthern Europeand most ofAsia.It was also the first of four total solar eclipses that would be seen fromSwedenduring the next 40 years.
• Born:Doug Wright,English cricketer, bowler for theEngland cricket teamandKent County Cricket Clubfrom 1932 to 1957, inSidcup,England(d.1998)
• Died:Charles J. Hite,American film producer, president and CEO ofThanhouser Film CorporationinNew York City(killed in an auto accident) (b.1876)

August 22,1914 (Saturday)

British soldiers resting in the town square atMonsbefore entering the fighting line at theBattle of Mons.

• Austria-Hungarydeclared war onBelgium.
• Polish military leaderJózef Piłsudskiformed thePolish Military Organisationto mobilize thePolish Legionsthat would serveAustria-Hungaryagainst theRussian Empire.
• Battle of Rossignol–French division commanderLéon Amédée François Raffeneland brigade commanderCharles Rondonywere killed while leading the3rd Colonial Infantry Divisionagainst Germany's11thand12th Divisionsat the village of Rossignol inBelgium.The French division was destroyed as a fighting force, with more than 10,000 colonial infantrymen killed, wounded or taken prisoner in the battle. The Germans sustained just under 4,000 casualties.
• Battle of Lorraine– The right flank of the French First Army was attacked and driven back from where it began its offensive on August 14 was still able to remain in contact with the Second Army.
• TheBritish Expeditionary ForcereachedMons.Just after 6:30 a.m.British cavalrymanCaptainCharles Beck Hornbywas reputed to be the first British soldier to kill a German soldier using his sword, while DrummerEdward Thomasof the4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guardswas reputed to have fired theBritish Army's first shot of the war near the Belgian village ofCasteau,the first time a British soldier fired a shot in combat on mainland western Europe since theBattle of Waterloo99 years earlier.
• While commanding the French 24th Infantry Division at the battle ofRobelmont(nearMeix-devant-Virton,Belgium), French generalAchille Pierre Deffontaineswas shot in the head and grievously wounded, among the other 27,000 fellow soldiers that fell in battle that day. He died at a military hospital inReimsfour days later, the youngest French general to die in the war.
• The German army ended thedestruction of KaliszinPolandwith 95 per cent of the city's buildings burned or demolished, and only 5,000 of the 65,000 residents left in the city (most had fled when the pogrom started on August 2).
• Battle of Chra– Combined British and French forces defeated German soldiers and paramilitary police at Chra, a village on the River Chra inTogoland,West Africa.The Allied forces sustained 75 casualties while the German defenders lost 13, but most of the army deserted by the time the battle was over.
• The body of the latePope Pius Xlay in state inSt. Peter's Basilicafor mourners before being entombed the same day.
• AnAvro 504of theRoyal Flying Corps'sNo. 5 Squadronon patrol overBelgiumwas shot down by German rifle fire, the first British aircraft ever to be destroyed in action.
• U.S. NavydestroyerEricssonwas launched from theNew York Shipbuilding CorporationinCamden, New Jersey.
• An early attempt to get aLewis guninto action in air-to-air combat failed when aRoyal Flying CorpsFarmanarmed with one scrambled to intercept a GermanAlbatrosand took 30 minutes to climb to 1,000 feet (300 meters) because of the gun's weight. On landing, the pilot was ordered to remove the Lewis gun and carry a rifle on future missions.
• The 38th season ofVictorian Football AssociationinAustraliaended with theNorth Melbourne Football ClubdefeatingFootscrayby 35 points in the premier final. It was the club's fourth VFA premiership, and marked the beginning of a period of unprecedented dominance forNorth Melbourne,which included three consecutive premierships, and a 58-match winning streak which lasted from 1914 to 1919.
• The first issue of the British war magazineThe War Illustratedwas published. It was discontinued in 1919 but restarted again in 1939 at the start ofWorld War II.
• Born:Jack Dunphy,American novelist and playwright, best known for his long-term relationship withTruman Capote,author ofDear Genius: A Memoir of My Life with Truman Capote,inAtlantic City, New Jersey(d.1992);Connie B. Gay,American music producer, credited for definingcountry musicas a genre, first president of theCountry Music Associationand co-founder of theCountry Music Hall of Fame and Museum,inLizard Lick, North Carolina(d.1989)

August 23, 1914 (Sunday)

British troops retreating during theBattle of Mons.

• Japandeclared war onGermany.
• Battle of Tannenberg– Fighting began between German and Russian forces.Russian authorAleksandr Solzhenitsynblended fiction with actual events in the battle for his 1970 novelAugust 1914,in what became the first book inThe Red Wheelcycle.
• Battle of Kraśnik– TheAustro-Hungarian First Armyclashed with theRussian Fourth Armyat the province ofGalicia(nowUkraine) bordered both the Russian and Austria-Hungarian empires, as part of larger campaign known at theBattle of Galicia.
• Battle of Mons– In its first major action, theBritish Expeditionary Forceheld the German forces but then began a month-long fightingGreat Retreatto theMarne River,closing the fifth and final phase of theBattle of the Frontiers.
• Both theBattle of the Ardennesand theBattle of Charleroiended in French defeat.
• Battle of Dinant– TheGerman 3rd Armyforced the French out ofDinant,Belgium.In the ensuing confusion of where enemy fire was coming from, the German troops began shooting civilians. In all, 654 civilians were killed and 1,200 homes burned in what was considered the largest massacre in what was deemed the "Rape of Belgium".
• Maurice Deasebecame the first British officer ofWorld War Ito die in combat. Dease was commanding a machine gun unit defending the main bridge toNimy,Belgium,and when it came under attack by German forces. Eyewitnesses reported Dease continued to command fire from the machine guns despite being shot three times until all the men under his command were killed and he had died from his wounds. He was awarded theVictoria Crossposthumously, the first to be awarded inWorld War I.
• Chinacanceled the German lease ofKiaochow Bay(Kiautschou).
• ANew Zealandexpeditionary forceoccupiedthe German colony ofGerman Samoa,following an unopposed invasion.

August 24, 1914 (Monday)

• French Chief of Staff GeneralJoseph Joffreordered all French forces to withdraw fromVerdunwith orders to destroy rail stations along the way and inflict as many German casualties as possible for a counter-attack, in what became known as theGreat Retreat.
• Battle of Lorraine– The French First and Second Army repelled the German offensive and were eventually able to regain all the ground lost by September.
• Siege of Antwerp– The Belgian army made a firstsortiefrom Antwerp to the defensive line east of the city in an attempt to distract German reserve troops observing the city and to cut German communications throughLeuvenandBrussels.However, the military maneuver was halted two days later when Allied forces withdrew, forcing the Belgian troops to return to the city.
• Battle of the Trouée de Charmes– TheGerman Third Armyclashed with theFrench Second ArmybetweenCharmesandLunéville,France.
• Action of Elouges– TheBritish Expeditionary Forcewithdrew fromMons,Belgium,with the German Army in pursuit. British cavalry charged German guns to give British forces time to retreat, losing an entire regiment in the process.
• Siege of Maubeuge– German forces laid siege toMaubeugeinFrancethen left behind a corps to bombard the fortress.
• Battle of Dinant– The battle ended withDinant,Belgium,firmly in German control. The French lost between 1,200 and 1,400 casualties, while the Germans had 4,275 killed or wounded.
• German troops entered the French village ofGerbévillerand destroyed 80% of its buildings.
• French gunboats beganshellingGerman colonial towns on the coast ofGerman CamerooninAfrica.
• Maziua raid– German colonial troops raidedPortuguese Mozambiqueand destroyed the military outpost Maziua, killing a dozen Portuguese soldiers in the process.
• The first fullymechanizedunit of theCanadian Army—Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade—was established inOttawaunder command of Brigadier-GeneralRaymond Brutinel.The unit would later play a significant part in halting the majorGermanoffensive of March 1918.
• Winnie,a female black bear that supposedly inspired authorA. A. Milneto create the characterWinnie-the-Pooh,was born at theLondon Zoo.
• Born:John C. Morgan,American air force pilot, member of the482nd Bomb GroupduringWorld War IIand inspiration for the novel and filmTwelve O'Clock High,recipient of theMedal of Honor,inVernon, Texas(d.1991)

August 25, 1914 (Tuesday)

• Japandeclared war onAustria-Hungary.
• German troops ravaged the city ofLeuven,Belgium,at the height of violence against civilians in what historians referred to as theRape of Belgium.The entire population of 10,000 people were expelled from the city, along with 248 civilian deaths. More civilian deaths were reported in eastern and central Belgium includingAarschot(156 dead),Andenne(211 dead),Tamines(383 dead), andDinant(674 dead).
• German artillery bombardments on forts forced most defending Belgium troops to retreat fromNamur,Belgium,allowing German forces to take the city.
• Battle of Kraśnik– After days of cavalry and infantry attacks on both sides,Austria-Hungarywas able to routeRussiaand inflict some 20,000 casualties, including 6,000 prisoners, while sustaining 15,000 casualties.
• Togoland Campaign– British and French forces conquered the German colony of Togoland inWest Africa.
• Kamerun campaign– German and British forces clashed for the first time in theBattle of Tepe,a German border station on theBenue RiverofGerman Cameroon.The Germans abandoned the station during the British assault.
• Mexican Revolution– Mexican revolutionary leaderEmiliano Zapataagreed to lay down arms and recognize the new Mexican government on condition it accepted the agrarian reforms laid out in thePlan of Ayala.
• Flying aMorane-SaulnierType Gmonoplane,Imperial Russian ArmypilotPyotr Nesterovbecame the first pilot to down an enemy aircraft in aerial combat. After firing unsuccessfully with a pistol at an Austro-HungarianAlbatros B.IIcrewed by Franz Malina (pilot) and Baron Friederich von Rosenthal (observer), Nesterov rammed the Albatros. Both aircraft crashed, killing all three men.
• The library of theCatholic University of Leuvenwas set on fire by German troops during theRape of Belgium,resulting in the destruction of over 300,000 medieval books and manuscripts.
• Canadian Arctic Expedition– Efforts to rescue the remaining survivors of theKarlukonWrangel Islandin theBering Seawere delayed whenBear,the rescue ship, was stopped by ice 20 miles (32 km) from the island. After failing to force a way through, the ship returned toNomefor more coal.
• Born:Hermann Hogeback,German air force pilot, commander ofLehrgeschwader 1for theLuftwaffeduringWorld War II,recipient of theKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross,inIdar-Oberstein,Germany(d.2004)
• Died:Powell Clayton,American politician, U.S. Senator of Arkansas from 1868 until 1871,U.S. Ambassador to Mexicofrom 1899 to 1905 (b.1833)

August 26,1914 (Wednesday)

Dead Russian soldiers in a trench during theBattle of Tannenberg.

• Battle of Tannenberg– The main battle began between theRussian Second Armyunder command of GeneralAlexander Samsonovand theGerman Eighth Armyunder command of Colonel GeneralPaul von Hindenburgand Major GeneralErich Ludendorff.
• Siege of Antwerp– A GermanZeppelinairship bombed the city, killing 10 civilians.
• Battle of Mulhouse– Despite successes in taking German territory, theFrench Army of Alsacewas recalled, disbanded and merged with other defending armies closer toParisas theWestern Frontbegan to form.
• Battle of Lorraine– The battle officially ended in a French victory, but with a loss of 65,000 casualties. German casualties remained unknown although analysis of German army records in 2009 suggested theGerman SixthandGerman Seventh Armiessustained over 36,000 casualties.
• Battle of Le Cateau– British and FrenchAlliesretreated fromLe Cateauunder withering German artillery fire toSaint Quentin,France,sustaining over 7,800 casualties, including 2,600 taken prisoner and 38 artillery guns abandoned. The battle began the start of theGreat Retreat.
• Battle of the Trouée de Charmes– TheFrench Second Armyprevented the German advance pastCharmes,France.
• The2nd Connaught Rangerscovered the retreatof the British 5th Infantry Brigade as part of theGreat RetreatinFrance,despite the loss of nearly 300 men.
• Battle of Galicia– TheBattle of Komarówbegan when Austrian-Hungarian forces under command of Field MarshalFranz Conrad von Hötzendorfattempted to break through the Russian line in theUkraine,but stiff resistance forced them back.
• Amilitary governmentwas established to govern German-occupied territories ofBelgiumunder command ofField MarshalColmar Freiherr von der Goltz.Goltz was later reassigned to commanding German forces in theOttoman Empireand succeeded by GeneralMoritz von Bissingon November 27.
• British Royal Navyprotected cruiserHMSHighflyerforcedtheSSKaiser Wilhelm der Grosse,sailing as anauxiliary cruiser,toscuttleoff theSpanish Saharanterritory ofRío de Oro.
• A pair of Russian battle cruisers shelled German cruiserSMSMagdeburgafter she ran aground on an island in theGulf of Finland,killing 15 crewmen.
• American cargo shipAdmiral Sampsoncollided with Canadian passenger shipPrincess Victoriaship inPuget Sound,Washington,killing 15 passengers and crew.
• Members of the Bengali revolutionary groupAnushilan Samitistolean arms shipment inCalcuttain a daring daytime robbery.
• TheFrench Sixth Armywas established.
• TheIraq Area Commandfor theOttoman Armywas established inBaghdadandBasra.
• Rutland Boughton'sfairy-tale operaThe Immortal Hourwas first performed inGlastonburyAssembly Rooms at the inauguralGlastonbury Festivalco-founded by the English socialist composer.
• Theassociation footballclubPalmeiraswas established inSão Paulo.
• Born:Julio Cortázar,Belgian-Argentine writer, one of the founding writers of theLatin American Boom,inIxelles,Belgium(d.1984);Atilio García,Argentine-Uruguayanassociation footballplayer, became the second-highest all-time goal-scorer in Uruguayan football during his time with theClub Nacional de Footballfrom 1938 to 1951, inJunín, Buenos Aires,Argentina(d.1973);Alan Brown,Englishassociation footballplayer,centre halffor theHuddersfield Town,BurnleyandNotts Countyclubs from 1933 to 1949, inCorbridge,England(d.1996)

August 27,1914 (Thursday)

• Battle of Tannenberg– TheRussian Second Armymaintained a steady advance on the German line, but lack of surveillance and communication prevented GeneralAlexander Samsonovfrom becoming fully aware that his flanks were breaking down.
• The2nd Royal Munster Fusiliersof theBritish Expeditionary Forcehalteda German advance for 14 hours while allowing the rest of the force to retreat. By nightfall, the Munsters were surrounded and forced to surrender but succeeded in allowing the British Army to escape.
• Siege of Antwerp– The Belgian army lost its offensive capacity and ordered its troops toPéronnein France to bolster defenses.
• Siege of Tsingtao– TheImperial Japanese NavyandRoyal Navyset up a blockade at the German colonial port ofTsingtao,China.The first air-sea battle in history also occurred whenImperial Japanese NavyFarman seaplanes unsuccessfully tried to bomb German and Austro-Hungarian ships inKiaochow Bay.
• The Royal Naval Air Service's famedEastchurch Squadronarrived inFranceforWorld War Iservice, commanded byWing CommanderCharles Samson.
• Kamerun campaign– Captain R. W. Fox, commander of British colonial forces inNigeria,led a force to assault the German garrison dug in on a mountain nearMora,German Cameroonbut were pushed back, in part due to heavy fog the following day.
• Ramón BáezsucceededJosé Bordas ValdezasPresident of the Dominican Republic.
• Charlie Chaplindirected his 10th film withThe Masqueraderwhich he co-starred withRoscoe Arbuckle.
• Died:Eugen Böhm von Bawerk,Austrian economist, contributed to the development of theAustrian School of Economics(b.1851)

August 28,1914 (Friday)

British sailors watch the German cruiserSMSMainzsink during theBattle of Heligoland Bight.

• Battle of Heligoland Bight– The first naval battle betweenGreat BritainandGermanytook place in theNorth Seaoff the German coast. The British fleet under the command ofAdmiral David Beattydefeated the German fleet under AdmiralFranz von Hipper,with Germany losing light cruisersSMSMainz,CölnandAriadne,and destroyerSMSV187along with 1,200 casualties, including Rear AdmiralLeberecht Maasswho was commanding theCöln.The British lost no ships and only a few dozen casualties.
• Battle of Tannenberg– Lack of food and ammunition forced theRussian Second Armyto begin withdrawing.
• ThePrincess Patricia's Canadian Light InfantryleftOttawaforMontrealto board theSSMeganticforEurope,the first Canadian military regiment mobilized forWorld War I.
• The funeral mass forPope Pius Xwas held in theSistine ChapelatVatican Citywith nearly 50 cardinals in attendance. The conclave to choose a new pope began the next day.

August 29,1914 (Saturday)

• Battle of Tannenberg– German forces surrounded the retreatingRussian Second Armyin open fields at the village ofFrogenau,east ofTannenbergwhere many were mowed down by enemy fire.
• Battle of St. Quentin– TheFrench Fifth ArmyattackedSaint-Quentin,France,but German forces were alerted of the attack by a captured French officer. The Germans prevented French troops from entering the town although successful French attacks forced some of the units to fall back. In all, the French sustained 10,000 casualties while Germany took 7,000 casualties.
• Battle of Gnila Lipa– Austrian-Hungarian forces reformed a new line of defense on theGnila LipaRiver in theUkraineagainst theImperial Russian Army.
• Siege of Maubeuge– Germany artillery began to bombard the fortress inMaubeuge,and would capture it within a week.
• Russian troops killed between 65 and 74 ethnic Germans in the village ofAbschwangen,East Prussia.
• Kamerun campaign– The BritishRoyal West African Frontier Forceclashed with German troops in theFirst Battle of Garua,a border post near the port city ofGaroua,German Cameroon.The battle ended as a massive failure for British colonial forces, having been pushed back into Nigeria.
• TheLiverpool Palswere formed as part of theKing's regimentinLiverpool.
• The 10th Battalion of theEast Yorkshire Regiment,better known as theHull Pals,was established inKingston upon Hull,England.
• The3rd Canadian Infantry Brigadeof theCanadian Expeditionary Forcewas established.
• The village ofWorth, Illinoiswas incorporated.

August 30,1914 (Sunday)

Russian prisoners of war after theBattle of Tannenberg.

• Battle of Tannenberg– German forces almost completely annihilated theRussian Second Armywith 92,000 captured, 78,000 killed or wounded, and only 10,000 escaping. German forces only lost 12,000 out of the 150,000 men committed to the battle.Rather than notifyTsar Nicholasof the defeat, commanding generalAlexander Samsonovleft his field headquarters and disappeared into the nearby woods. A German search party came across his body a year later, with evidence the Russian officer had committed suicide with his own pistol. TheRed Crossarranged to return his body to his family.
• Battle of St. Quentin– French forces received the order to retreat fromSaint-Quentin,but were able to repulse any German counterattacks.
• Battle of Gnila Lipa– Austrian-Hungarian forces attempted to take advantage of a 48-hour delay for theImperial Russian Armyto reorganize for attack with a new assault, but the opposing side had more artillery guns. The defense line collapsed and 20,000 Austrian-Hungarian troops were taken prisoner during the retreat.
• German aircraft bombedParisfor the first time, killing one civilian. German warplanes also attacked the city the following day.
• New Zealandtroops landed atGerman Samoain thePacific Oceanand occupied the Germany colony until 1920.
• Mexican Revolution– Mexican revolutionary leaderEmiliano Zapataagreed to support the new Mexican government underVenustiano Carranza.
• AnArmenian militiaof members with theSocial Democrat Hunchakian Partywas organized in the city of Zeitun (Süleymanlı),Turkeyto resist theOttoman Empire.
• BataviadefeatedSemarang1–0 in the final of theDEI Championshipin theDutch East Indies.
• Born:Jack Grisman,British air force officer, member of theNo. 109 Squadronand escapee from Germanprisoner of warcampStalag Luft III,inHereford,England(d.1944,executed);Steven Sykes,British artist, noted for his camouflage designs for theBritish ArmyduringWorld War IIand the redesign forCoventry Cathedral,inFormby,England(d.1999)

August 31,1914 (Monday)

• TheVaticanheld apapal conclaveto choose a successor toPope Pius X,who died on August 20.
• Kamerun campaign– TheFirst Battle of Garuaended when British colonial troops were pushed out ofGerman Cameroonafter unsuccessfully trying to capture key forts inGarúa.
• TheBritish Armyestablished the60th,62nd,63rd,64th,65th,and66th Infantry Divisions.
• American ambassador to theOttoman EmpireHenry Morgenthau Sr.reported Jewish Palestine settlements were deteriorating as fighting was cutting off supply channels in a telegraph to American Jewish bankerJacob Schiff.Schiff then organized theAmerican Jewish Joint Distribution Committeeto campaign and collect private aid funding through other Jewish organizations to support the Middle East settlements.

References

Sources

• Haulman, Daniel L.(2003)."One Hundred Years of Flight: USAF Chronology of Significant Air and Space Events 1903–2002"(PDF).Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Air University Press.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on February 22, 2004.RetrievedAugust 12,2024.
• Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Divisions of the German Army which Participated in the War (1914-1918), compiled from records of Intelligence section of the General Staff, American Expeditionary Forces, at General Headquarters, Chaumont, France 1919.1920.