Declarations:
British Empire declared war against Central Powers, and officially
joined Allied Powers side.
China declared war on Tibet.
Japan declared full war on Russian Empire.
Spain raised economy to prewar status.
Germans used chemical weapons against Russians.
And many other things. However, I found these excerpts from various
newspapers published throughout the world:
| Central Powers newspapers:
Germany: British Empire entered war against our alliance!
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Victory in Skagerrak!
A part of our navy, dispatched from Hoch See Flotte to patrol in our outer waters, faced the entire British fleet that was advancing to blockade our home ports and Skagerrak-Jutland pass to prevent reach of foreign goods needed for our economy. A small task force consisting of light cruisers and destroyers, under command of rear admiral Muhlhausen sighted British armored cruisers Brimingham and England about 40 miles northwest of mouth of Wesser river. Our task force used rain and heavy overcast to approach unobserved from British navy and opened fire on them as they closed in range. However, in that moment, main part of British navy entered on the scene, consisting of 11 battleships and 3 battlecruiser and several light cruisers and destroyers. Admiral Muhlhausen used smoke to allow destroyers to approach line of battleships and ordered torpedo attack. Three leading battleships soon got fire and that slowed British task force and disturbed perfect line they followed from the start. However, our ships also took serious damage and light cruisers Konigsberg and Danzig got out of power and remained floating while they fired back to approaching British fleet. The situation was dare and our task force reverted back to our home ports pursued by remaining British ships. In effort to cut the way for our escape several British light cruisers and destroyers get to close to our light cruisers and Muhlhausen again ordered torpedo attack on them. The result was disastrouos for British navy and they lose 6 destroyers and 3 light cruisers while we lost only 3 destroyers. However, main part of British navy, equiped with ong range guns opened fire again on ust, and our very exhausted crew tried to avoid shells but cruisers Bremen and Westfalia, Mulhausen’s flagship, were hit, later hit in ammunition chamber and blown in few seconds and 2 other destroyers were lost. The only light cruiser left, Kassel, and 6 destroyers succeded to pass through toward home ports to get out of reach of British navy. In that moment, our second task force entered to scene. Leaded by admiral von Hipper on battlecruiser Prussia, task force consisting of three battlecruisers, 4 armored cruisers, 15 light cruisers and 30 destroyers in three lines opened fire on British line of battleships. It was like a battle of David and Goliath, no much hope for our ships, but Hipper ordered to destroyers to close for torpedo attack. British navy responded sending their destroyers in advance to challenge our light units. Both sides launced torpedoes and there were great losses on both sides. British battleships got away to avoid torpedo attack but our battlecruisers tried to get to them before they left the scene. Fire from our ships were precise and leading and second battleship soon got fire. Both sides exchanged fire and our light cruisers with destroyers that survived clash with British light units succeded to cut the path of British battleships and launched new torpedo attack which was, because of short distance, very precise and almost all of British battleships got at least one torpedo. British battleships tried to fend off our light cruisers and several ships are lost, including all four armored cruisers. Last floating, armored cruiser Blucher was later tried to tug to port but it inevitable sunk 6 hours after the battle. This battle, with only ligh units on our side, proved that German navy is capable to challenge British navy. We did win that battle, but cost was great. We inflicted serious blow to several times stronger British navy which lost 7 battleships and 3 battle cruiser, probably 5 battleships were heavily damaged but we don’t have exact information of their destiny, also they lost 14 light cruisers and 26 destroyers. We lost admiral Muhlhausen and well trained crew, we lost 1 battle cruiser, 6 armored cruisers, 16 light cruisers and 38 destroyers. The time will show which side lost more, but as admiral von Scheer said: "It was only a matter of time when would we face again. Then we would see who lost more in this battle, because missing ships would influence balance in both sides strength". Few hours before this battle started, British navy tried to surprise us with submarine attack, but we succeded to sink several subs and the rest ran away… |
| Second battle in Skagerrak!
Declaration of war given by British Empire did not surprised our navy. Several submarines from Second submarine fleet found British navy halfway to British home waters and commander Johanson ordered to close to commence torpedo attack on British ships. The attack was done with superior precision and almost half of British task force was knocked out making remaining ships to move chaoticaly in various directions. However, they succeded to find some of our submarines and we probably lost them. However, British battleships remained untaouched and Johanson, after three hours of pursuit ordered that capital ships are to be attacked and launched second attack on them. British were more prepared this time so we were unable to make decisive blow and we lost commander Johanson and his U-29 and several other submarines. Remained submarines disengaged after this second attack and returned to home ports. Submarines as new weapon proved very effective against unprotected ships but we will have hard time to bring submarines as effective weapons against armed ships. However, we achieved great victory against British navy that lost more then they could afford, now, and for some time our fleet can breathe again… |
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| Failure at Finland!
After succesfull invasion of Lapri, admiral Scheer ordered second invasion on Helsinki. General Schneider was appointed to make plans for invasion and he utilized the same tactic as in first one – beach landing attack with support of naval heavy guns. But, this time Russians were more aware of our presence and they prepared defense pulling entire 4th army against our small expedition. The result was that we were unable to set foothold on Finland and we were forced to pull armies back on the ships and revert back to Germany. General Schneider was released of duty as soon as he returned home to Konigsberg and his commander, general Luddendorf appointed von Hindenburg to command with entire operations on Russian front... |
|
| Lemberg battle undecided!
Parts of our southern armies ordered to retake Lemberg from Russians started advancements in late January toward their objectives. After initial skirmishes, parts of 17th and 37th division were directed eastward where they found only minor resistance. Main part, however, advanced through northern part through terrain previously heavily bombarded by our artillery with no resistance. After three days of advancements, northern army met well prepared Russian defense which proved difficult to pierce, mostly due to their heavy artillery support. In three attacks front line didn’t move so both sides remained covered by shelters dug to prepare for next period… |
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| Serbia fell!
Strengthen by our artillery, Austro-Hungarian army eventualy took capital of Serbia. The battle started over 2 months ago with southern part of Austro-Hungarian army supported by Austro-Hungarian and our artillery entered porvince of Serbia from both northern and western border in the beginning of January and in simultaneous assault took Serbian defense in few days. "They were overhelmed by our force, and their morale was lowered after heavy bombardment done by our and Austro-Hungarian artillery" general Conrad said. "With this victory we secured our southern flank and we can move more units on the Russian front to match Russians". Host of Serbian armies surrendered and general Putnik is taken as prisoner of war with several thousands of demoralized Serbian soldiers… |
Prevented Russian attack on Lodz!
Siege of Warsaw continues. Cold and snow still prevent our armies to attack old Poland capital and our infantry were preparing for spring offensive. However, Russians did not sit but launched new attack on Lodz area. "They prepared new strategy and first they approached our ranks then their monitors coordinated heavy artillery fire!" said general Mackensen. "It was surprising but still wrong and our artillery forced their to move out of reach, leaving their infantry virtualy undefended and unprotected!" Losses of Russian army were great and they lost more then they anticipated, and the time will show if their losses would be compensated on other way. For the record, in the battle of Lodz we used new weapon for the first time. Chlorine gas carefully released toward Russian positions, using the right wind flow, made Russian infantry to run out of their entrenched positions so they became easy targets for our machine gunners and snipers… |
| Austria-Hungary:
Battle for Serbia decided, the battle continues
for Macedonia!
|
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| Allied Powers newspapers:
Great Britain Battle in Skagerrak!
|
God save our king and our glorious nation!
We are at war!
"God save our king" was played yesterday evening after British parliament announced that Great Britain and crown colonies would join France and Russia in their right fight against evil German Empire and Austria-Hungary. Our king, George V, said: "I was trying, desperatelly, to avoid this. I wrote letter by letter to my cousin, kaiser Wilhelm, to stop that war, that ravaged through Europe in last six months, but all efforts were fruitless. Therefore I recommended to parliament to do actions to either settle negotiations of warring sides or to try warn both sides about consequences". Prime minister announced six months ago that British Empire won’t intervene in Europe if our interests are not endangered. "We proclaimed our territorial water as non war zone and we guaranteed independence of Belgium and Denmark", prime minister said. "But, Krauts did not listen, and their deployment of several submarines around our islands made our trade vulnerable, so we had to protect our economy at once". Although words of prime minister are serious, it is obvious that it is not main reason why British Empire declared war against Central Powers. Steel production of German Empire growed fast and few years ago they took leading place in that category, making their war economy stronger then ours, and their successes against Russia, and passiveness of France, made our government to believe that it is the time when we must act, or we will lose our leading place as world’s first great power. "We ordered mobilization and we will enter, very soon, in German soil", said war minister. "First we must eliminate their fleet which growed almost as big as ours, then we will bring Germans to their knees". The war won’t last long, we are Britishers, best soldiers and sailors in the world, heighoo, heighoo… |
| German submarine warfare escalates!
Two days after dramatic battle in Skagerrak, parts of Grand Fleet entered English Channel to block pass for German submarines to open sea. Numerous sighting of subs were noted by our admiralty and they decided to prevent submarine activities in Channel. "What we found was beyond our expectations", said admiral Sturdee. "We expected that Germans deployed 5-6 subs in the channel so we prepared for hunting, but it came that they had more then 30 subs here and they acted as surface ships attacking all ships they sighted". "In dire situation, we lost several destroyers and great number of transport ships while we sunk almost all that floated above or below waterline with German flag", said Sturdee after while… |
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| France:
Subs sink in Western Mediterranean Sea!
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Russia:
Attack on Lodz!
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| Victory at Helsinki!
General von Rennenkampf which moved parts of northern 4th army toward Finland, achieved great victory over his German counterpart near Helsinki." It was noted that German navy moved ships back to Germany and we expected that they would try another invasion. All we had to do is to predict where it would happen", said von Rennenkampf after tremendous success… |
More bad news from Far East!
Recent diplomatic activities failed and we are, now, in full war with Japan. "Our force is still focused in Europe and we expect that our allies do influence Japan to stop such activities.", defense minister, Grand Duke Nicholas said after he met war council. "We expect major involvement of our new ally, British Empire, on the affairs in Far East". Fall of Kamchatka in to hands of Japan was not a good news, either,… |
| Other neutral newspapers:
China: Victory over Tibet brought back our historical
position!
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Japan:
War against Russians continues and escalates!
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