100 Years Ago Today

[Jimbuna]

30th November 1918

Western Front

Belgians occupy Aix-la-Chapelle.

Political, etc.

King of Wurttemberg formally abdicates.

[Sailor Steve]

November 30, 1918


The Act of Tilsit is signed, which joins Lithuania Minor to Lithuania Proper.

The Russian Central Executive Committee forms the Council of Labor and Defense to manage Russia's economy and produce military material for the ongoing Russian Civil War.

Ernest Ansermet conducts the first concert by the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva.

The Oslo Opera Comique has its opening performance, with Benno Singer as director.

Born Today:

Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., American actor, best known for television roles in 77 Sunset Strip, The FBI, and as the voice of Alfred Pennyworth in Batman: The Animated Series, in New York City (died 2014).

John Rosenberger, American comic book artist, best known for Girls' Romances, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, and The Superman Family, in New York City (died 1977).

Died Today:

Karl Petrovich Jessen, Russian naval officer, commander during the Russo-Japanese War (born 1852).

[Jimbuna]

1st December 1918

Western Front

British Second Army enters Germany between Oudler and Eupen.

American forces enter Germany and occupy Trier (Treves).

Southern Front

Bucharest re-occupied by Romanian and Allied troops.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Eight German submarines surrender at Harwich: total surrendered now 122.

Political, etc.

Iceland gains its independence, but retains a personal union with the Danish monarchy.

M. Clemenceau, Marshal Foch, Signor Orlando, and Baron Sonnino arrive in London.

Prince Regent of Serbia approves Yugo-Slav constitution.

Ship Losses:

Einswarden (Imperial German Navy) The Einswarden-class Vorpostenboot was sunk by mines in the German Bight.

[Sailor Steve]

December 1, 1918


British, French and American forces move into Germany in accord with terms laid out in the Armistice of November 11. British troops have moved so quickly that they have outrun their supply trains, and are forced to halt for three days until the food can catch up. American troops report being shocked at the contrast between war-torn France and the "carefully cultivated fields and prosperous villages" of Germany, whose inhabitants are convinced that they were winning the war when their leaders sold them out to a bad treaty.

Vienna, capital of the now-defunct Austro-Hungarian Empire, is subject to widespread hunger. Former Austro-Hungarian Ambassador to London Graf (Count) Albert von Mensdorff-Pouilly-Dietrichstein (a cousin of King George V) goes to Berne to ask Sir Horace Rumbold for help.

"If someone had said to me five years ago or less that Count Mensdorff would come one day to my room and implore me to get food sent to Vienna, I would have said that person was a proper inmate for a lunatic asylum."
-Sir Horace Rumbold, letter to Lord Stamfordham, Private Secretary to King George V

A political union is proclaimed between Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. Alexander Karađorđević, prince regent of the Kingdom of Serbia, declares the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

This will eventually lead to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The National Assembly of Romania passes an agreement allowing Transylvania, Banat, and the Satumare and Maramureş regions to unite with Romania. The Union of Alba Iulia is announced.

The Kars Republic was established in northeastern Turkey. In six months it will be abolished by the British High Commissioner.

Pope Benedict XV released the encyclical Quod iam diu (That which has long been), requesting all Catholics everywhere in the world, no matter which side they were on, to pray for a lasting peace and for those who are entrusted to make it during the upcoming peace negotiations in France.

In the United States the second annual Pulitzer Prizes are awarded.

The Farm Workers Union is founded in Uppland, Sweden.

Born Today:

Shunpei Uto, Japanese swimmer, silver and bronze medalist at the 1936 Summer Olympics, in Kakegawa, Shizuoka, Japan.

Died Today: Margit Kaffka, Hungarian poet, first major female Hungarian writer, member of the Nyugat literary group (born 1880).

Peter Hume Brown, Scottish historian, proponent of Scottish history as a discipline, member of the Privy Council of Scotland (born 1849).

[Jimbuna]

2nd December 1918

Western Front

Belgians occupy Julich.

Naval and Overseas Operations

British destroyers active arrive at Libau.

Political, etc.

Conference in London between British ministers and French and Italian visitors.

Ship Losses:

Tours (France) The ship ran aground in Deepslade Bay. She was on a voyage from Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Atlantique to Swansea, Glamorgan, United Kingdom. Tours was refloated on 29 June 1919.

[Sailor Steve]

December 2, 1918


"And throughout it all how fine the spirit of the nation was: what unity of purpose, what untiring zeal!"
-U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, in an address to Congress about the American men who served in the Great War.

A solar eclipse is observed in across much of South America and portions of South West Africa.


Died Today:

Edmond Rostand, French poet and playwright, best known for the plays Cyrano de Bergerac and Les Romanesques which was adapted as the 1960 musical The Fantasticks, which ran off-Broadway for forty-two years (born 1868).

[Jimbuna]

3rd December 1918

Southern Front

Last Bulgarian troops evacuate the Dobruja.

Political, etc.

Inter-Allied Conference continued and concluded.

[Jimbuna]

4th December 1918

Western Front

Owing to supply difficulties, British Second Army resumes march only today.

Belgian cavalry enters Neuss; British occupy Duren.

Naval and Overseas Operations

Publication of official estimate of world's shipping losses during war.

Political, etc.

Nomination of candidates for General Election in United Kingdom.

President Wilson sails from France.

Yugo-Slav Union proclaimed.

Romanians of Transylvania and Banat vote union with Romania.

[Sailor Steve]

December 4, 1918


President Woodrow Wilson leaves for Europe from New York aboard the SS George Washington to attend the Paris Peace Conference. He is the first U.S. President to visit a foreign country while in office.

Belgian politician Frans Van Cauwelaert starts the daily newspaper De Standaard as the voice for the Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams political party.

Born Today:

Maurice Binder, American designer, who created the famous title sequences for the James Bond films from Dr. No to Licence to Kill, in New York City (died 1991).

Isabel McNeill Carley, American composer and music educator, co-founder of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, in Chicago (died 2011).

Robert Ettinger, American academic, promoter of cryonics, founder of the Immortalist Society, in Atlantic City, New Jersey (died 2011).

[Jimbuna]

5th December 1918

Western Front

Belgians occupy Munchen-Gladbach.

Naval and Overseas Operations

H.M. light cruiser "Cassandra" sunk by mine in Baltic.

Announced that all Turkish warships and all Russian warships in Black Sea have been surrendered.

Political, etc.

Mr. Lloyd George publishes statement of aims and policy of British Government.

Ship Losses:

HMS Cassandra (Royal Navy) British campaign in the Baltic: The C-class cruiser struck a mine and sank in the Gulf of Finland with the loss of ten of her 400 crew.

[Sailor Steve]

December 5, 1918


The Руска Народна Република Лемків (Ruthenian National Republic of the Lemkos) is founded in Florynka, in present-day Poland. Its purpose is to support unification with Russia and oppose an alliance with the West Ukrainian People's Republic.The new Central Council is headed by Jaroslav Kacmarcyk.

Born Today:

Charity Adams Earley, American army officer, first African-American woman to be officer in the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps, in Kitrell, North Carolina (died 2002).

Jagan Nath Azad, Pakistani poet, president of Anjuman-i Taraqqi-i Urdu from 1993 to 2004, in Isakhel, British India (died 2004)

Bud Mahurin, American air force officer, commander of the 1st Fighter Group during the Korean War, recipient of the Silver Star, Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Flying Crosses, and seven Air Medals, in Benton Harbor, Michigan (died 2010).

Died Today:

Schalk Willem Burger, South African state leader, 6th State President of the South African Republic (born 1852).

[Jimbuna]

6th December 1918

Western Front

Belgians occupy Crefeld.

Second British Cavalry Brigade and armoured cars enter Cologne.

Political, etc.

British railway dispute settled.

Fighting in Berlin between Government troops and "Spartacus" party.

[Sailor Steve]

December 6, 1918


The battleship SMS König and light cruiser SMS Dresden arrive at Scapa Flow for internment, the last two ships of the German High Seas Fleet to do so.

An earthquake measuring 7.2 in magnitude hits the Stewardson Inlet on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Colombia at 00:41 hours. It is felt as far away as Washington State, but because of the sparsely populated area, the most noted damage is to the Estevan Point lighthouse.

The Port Adelaide Workers Memorial is unveiled in Port Adelaide, Australia to commemorate labor activists in the city and throughout the country. The memorial was funded by the Australian Labour Party and United Trades and Labour Council of South Australia.

Born Today:

Harold Hopkins, British physicist, leading researcher into optics leading to development of the zoom lens, fiberscope, the rod lens for keyhole surgery, and the borescope, in Leicester, England (died 1994).

[Jimbuna]

7th December 1918

Western Front

28th Infantry Brigade reaches Cologne.

Political, etc.

Revolutionary and counterrevolutionary violence continues to spread throughout Germany.

Ship Losses:

Gerisoles (United States) The cargo ship foundered in Lake Superior with the loss of all hands.
Inkerman (United States) The cargo ship foundered in Lake Superior with the loss of all hands.

[Sailor Steve]

December 7, 1918


"Never, indeed, in the history of the world, has a people been confronted with such terrible armistice terms and admitted its complete defeat, although no enemy has yet set foot on its soil and, on the contrary, its armies are still deep within the territories of its enemies. The simple man in the street cannot understand what has happened so suddenly and feels completely lost."
-Arthur Rupin

A Georgian force of 200 men under command of Varden Tsulukidze is sent to put down a local uprising at the village of Uzunlar in the disputed region of Borchaly Uyezd, Georgia (now part of Lori Province, Armenia) but are driven back.

Died Today:

Frank Wilson, Australian politician, 9th Premier of Western Australia (born 1859).