Primary Documents - 1915
This page of the Primary
Documents section of the website collects together archive source documents
originating in 1915, the first full year of the war.
Included among the 1915 documents are America's repeated formal protests to the German government regarding the latter's sinking of the Lusitania. Also available is the text of an influential letter sent by journalist Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett to the British Prime Minister highlighting concerns relating to the prosecution of the war on the Gallipoli peninsular.
The list presented below - with each entry accompanied by a brief summary of its significance - is sorted by date, with earlier documents listed first.
Document | Description |
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January - Japanese attempt to gain hegemony over China |
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January - German threat to sink neutral shipping |
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February - German Declaration, quickly withdrawn |
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February - Alfred von Tirpitz's criticism of declaration |
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February - Prince von Bulow's support for declaration |
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February - President Wilson's warning to Germany |
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March - Writer's flawed commentary on failed attack |
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March - Magazine commentary highlighting British losses |
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March - U.S. Ambassador to Turkey's Thoughts |
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March - Journalist Henry Nevinson's Account |
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March - Talaat Pasha's written orders from March 1915 |
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March - Austro-Hungarian Minister of War's account |
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April - Russian Commander-in-Chief's account |
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April - Allied attempt to bring Italy into the war |
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May - The German Field Marshal's account of the battle |
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May - German press release gloating in victory |
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May - British report into German atrocities in Belgium |
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May - First official U.S. reaction to loss of Lusitania |
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May - Austro-Hungarian Minister of War's reaction |
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May - Italian Prime Minister's declaration |
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May - Written by British observer with Russian Army |
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May - Official Law Court's Review |
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May - Franz Josef's formal declaration of war |
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May - German Chancellor's formal reaction |
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May - Foreign Minister von Jagow's note to U.S. |
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May - President Wilson's second note to Germany |
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June - Russian Commander-in-Chief's account |
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June - British Commander-in-Chief's official report |
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June - Official German press statement |
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June - Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister's note |
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July - President Wilson's third note to Germany |
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August - German General's account |
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August - Minister of War's official report |
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August - Commander-in-Chief's official report |
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August - British journalist's account |
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August - Aide to Liman von Sanders' account |
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August - Secretary of State Robert Lansing's note |
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September - Tsar assumes command of his armies |
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September - Australian war correspondent's despair |
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September - U.S. demand for Austria's recall of Dr. Dumba |
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September - Constantin Dumba's official statement |
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September - Upbeat government statement on progress |
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September - German Army Chief of Staff's account |
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September - Account of Germany's Ambassador to U.S. |
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October - German government's dismissive statement |
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October - Russian declaration of hostilities |
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October - Bulgarian Prime Minister's rationale for war |
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October - Account of an opposition meeting with the Tsar |
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October - U.S. Ambassador's appeal to Germany |
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October - Belgian councillor's report |
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October - Secretary of U.S. Legation to Belgium's report |
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October - British chaplain's account of visit to see Cavell |
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October - Official German view of Cavell's execution |
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October - Anniversary celebration of British action |
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October - British government report indicting Turkey |
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November - German Army Chief of Staff's account |
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November - German General's summary |
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December - Request for combined action at Chantilly |
A "Grand Slam" was British slang for an impending attack or battle.
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