![]() Map of the Third Battle of Ypres, taken from 'A Short Military History of World War I - Atlas', 1950įor the armies of the European nations, it was almost the last time this would happen on such a scale. Three major events that occurred in 1917 have significant repercussions even today. That year was also of particularly great importance for the front in Flanders, or Flanders Fields, as in the poem by John McCrae. In short, anyone who wants to learn more about the current balance of power in the world, or about the Middle East, cannot disregard the crucial year of 1917. This was followed at the beginning of November 1917 by the Balfour Declaration, which triggered the Palestinian issue. In May 1916, Great Britain and France shaped their colonial policy for the Middle East in the secret Sykes-Picot Agreement. ![]() In October 1917, tsarist Russia was defeated by the Bolshevik Revolution, which led eventually to the foundation of the Soviet Union, and almost immediately to the dissolution of the Eastern Front, in January 1918. At around the same time, the young republic of China joined the ranks of the Allies and permitted around 125,000 labourers to be recruited for the logistical support of the British and French armies on the Western Front. In April 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. After almost three years of heavy fighting, Europe was already significantly weakened and the new future world powers were entering the theatre of war for the first time. If we consider the history of the First World War from the perspective of its enduring legacy, we see that 1917 was certainly a crucial year, if not the most crucial year of all.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |