- February 3
- US liner Housatonic is sunk by German submarine; diplomatic relations are severed. [1]
- February 4
- Belgium Council of Flanders is established. [1]
- February 5
- US Congress overrides President Woodrow Wilson's veto, curtailing Asian immigration. [1]
- Mexican constitution is adopted. [1]
- February 10
- End of Punitive Expedition of US General Pershing into Mexico. [450.86]
- February 16
- First synagogue in 425 years opens in Madrid, Spain. [1]
- February 20
- Ammunitions ship explodes in Archangelsk harbor, about 1,500 die. [1]
- February 21
- British ship Mendi sinks off Isle of Wight, 627 die. [1]
- Train near Chirurcha, Romania catches fire and explodes; hundreds die. [1]
- February 22
- German Navy torpedoes seven Dutch ships. [1]
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- February 24
- German plan to get Mexican help in Great War is exposed (Zimmerman telegram). [1]
- Russian revolution breaks out. [1]
- February 26
- The Original Dixieland Jass Band records the first ever jazz record for the Victor Talking Machine Company in New York. [5]
- February 28
- Associated Press reports México and Japan will ally with Germany if US enters Great War. [1]
- Russian Duma sets up Provisional Committee; workers set up Soviets. [1]
- March 7
- First jazz record "Dixie Jazz Band One Step", recorded by Nick LaRocca Original Dixieland Jazz Band, released by RCA Victor in Camden, New Jersey. [1]
- March 8
- In Russia, riots and strikes over the scarcity of food erupt in Petrograd. [1] [129]
- March 11
- British and Indian troops occupy Basra to protect the oil pipeline from Iran. [1215.808]
- British troops occupy Baghdad. [1]
- March 12
- Russian Dumas sets up Provisional Committee; workers set up Soviets. [1]
- March 15
- Russian Czar Nicholas II abdicates the throne in favor of his brother Michael, who refuses the crown, bringing an end to the czarist autocracy. [1] [129] [861.8]
- March 23
- Four-day series of tornadoes kills 211 in Midwest USA. [1]
- March 27
- Leon Trotsky AKA Lev Davidovich Bronstein leaves the US by ship, along with almost 300 revolutionaries and Wall Street money, with purpose to overthrow the provisional government in Russia and stop the war with Germany. [861.9]
- March 28
- Jews are expelled from Tel Aviv and Jaffa by Turkish authorities. [1]
- March 31
- The USA assumes control of the Danish West Indies. [1] [552.80]
- April 2
- US President Woodrow Wilson asks Congress to declare war against Germany. [1] [5]
- April 3
- Leon Trotsky is detained in Halifax, Nova Scotia, by Canadian authorities, under instruction of the British Admiralty in London. He is released several hours later. [916.90]
- Vladimir Lenin leaves Switzerland for Petrograd, Russia. [1]
- April 6
- US declares war on Germany, enters Great War. [1] [916.89] [1544.27]
- April 9
- Battle of Arras begins. [1]
- Vimy Ridge, France stormed by Canadian troops. [1]
- April 10
- Munition factory explosion at Eddystone, Pennsylvania, USA, kills 133 workers. [1]
- April 16
- Vladimir Lenin returns to Russia to start Bolshevik Revolution. [1]
- April 18
- Moritz F Freiherr von Bissing, Governor-General of Belgium (1914-17), dies at age 73. [1]
- April 21
- British Amiralty orders the release of Leon Trotsky from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, to continue on his way to Russia. [861.9]
- May 4
- May 10
- Atlantic ships get destroyer escorts to stop German attacks. [1]
- May 11
- Britain grants Royal Letters Patent to New Zealand. [1]
- May 16
- Italy issues the world's first airmail stamps. [1135]
- May 20
- Turkish Government authorizes Jews to return to Tel Aviv and Jaffa. [1]
- May 23
- Dutch second Chamber okays 1908 conscription draft. [1]
- May 31
- First jazz record released (Dark Town Strutters Ball). [1]
- June 5
- Ten million American men begin registering for draft for war duty. [1]
- June 14
- US General John Pershing and his headquarters staff arrive in Paris, France. [1]
- June 16
- First Congress of Soviets convenes in Russia. [1]
- June 26
- First American Expeditionary Force arrives in France. [1]
- July 1
- Race riots in East Saint Louis, Illinois, USA; 40 to 200 reported killed. [1]
- July 9
- British warship Vanguard explodes at Scapa Flow, killing 800. [1]
- July 13
- Vision of Virgin Mary appears to children of Fátima, Portugal. [1]
- July 17
- King George V proclaims the name of the Royal House is changed from House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to House of Windsor. [1] [614.21]
- July 22
- Alexander Kerensky becomes Russian Prime Minister. [1]
- August 14
- China declares war on Germany and Austria. [1]
- August 23
- Race riot in Houston, Texas, USA; two blacks and 11 whites killed. [1]
- September 1
- The US government prohibits gold exports. [497.56] [545.36]
- September 2
- First international air mail delivery, by Teodoro Fels in monoplane from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Montevideo, Uruguay. [1258.798]
- Japan abandons the gold standard. [1065.1538]
- September 14
- Provisional government of Russia established, Republic proclaimed. [1]
- October 15
- Mata Hari, Dutch dancer/German spy, executed by firing squad in Paris, France. [1]
- October 21
- First Americans see action on the front lines of European war. [1]
- November 2
- First US soldiers killed in combat in Great War. [1]
- Balfour Declaration proclaims support for a Jewish state in Palestine. [1]
- Lansing-Ishii Agreement: US recognizes Japan's privileges in China. [1]
- November 6
- Bolshevik revolution in Russia begins with the capture of the Winter Palace. [1]
- November 7
- British capture Gaza, Palestine from the Turks. [1]
- October Revolution (October 26 Old Style) in Russia, Vladimir Lenin seizes power. [1019.560] [1113.50]
- November 8
- The second All-Russian Congress of Soviets approves the Council of People's Commissars, establishing the first Communist Government. [55.43]
- November 20
- Ukrainian Republic is declared. [1]
- December 2
- Han Yong-woon founds Zen awakening at Osean Monastery in Korea. [1]
- December 6
- Finland declares independence from Russia. [1] [1000.26]
- French munitions ship Mont Blanc explodes in Halifax, kills 1,639+ and injures 9,000+. Most powerful man-made explosion to date. [1] [71.27]
- December 7
- US becomes 13th country to declare war on Austria. [1]
- December 9
- British forces under General Edmund Allenby capture Jerusalem. [1]
- December 11
- German-occupied Lithuania proclaims independence from Russia. [1] [5]
- December 12
- Train derails near mouth of Mount Cenis tunnel in Modane, France; 543 French troops killed; worst train disaster ever. [1]
- December 15
- Moldavian Republic declares independence from Russia. [1]
- December 18
- Soviet regiment (Stalin/Lenin) declares Finland independent. [1]
- December 20
- Russian secret police in Czechoslovakia forms under Felix Dzerzjinski. [1]
- December 22
- Flanders declares its independence, under Pieter Tack. [1]
- December 26
- US government takes over operation of American railroad for duration of European war. [1]
- December 31
- The Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic recognizes independence of Finland. [1000.26]
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