Around the world and on the frontlines 1914 In France In Paris
The Archduke of Austria-Hungary is assassinated in Sarajevo JUNE 28
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia JULY 28
JULY 31 Jean Jaures is assassinated

Germany declares war on Russia

 AUGUST 1

All men up to the age of 48 are mobilized

800,000 men leave Paris
AUGUST 2

State of siege is declared

Cars, horses, and buses are requisitioned

Businesses reputed to be German are pillaged, including Maggi stores, which are Swiss
Germany declares war on France and Belgium AUGUST 3 Museum and concert halls are closed
Germany invades Belgium AUGUST 4 Appeal for the Sacred Union by the President of the French Republic, Raymond Poincaré Funeral of Jean Jaurès

The United Kingdom declares war on Germany

Early closings of the city gates, public transportation, cafés and restaurants
AUGUST 5

Decree establishing censorship of the press 
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia AUGUST 6

French offensive in Alsace and Lorraine

 AUGUST 7-10

Numerous charitable organizations are created
AUGUST 8

The employment of women in public transportation is authorized
France and the United Kingdom declare war on Austria-Hungary AUGUST 11
AUGUST 15 The Bulletin of the Armies of the Republic is created
Battle of Charleroi (40,000 dead), France is defeated and retreats; France is invaded AUGUST 19-23 Voluntary enlistment of foreigners begins
Japan declares war on Germany
AUGUST 20

Creation of state-subsidized municipal unemployment funds

"La rue d’Allemagne" [Germany Street] is renamed the Avenue Jean-Jaurès, and the "rue de Berlin" becomes the rue de Liège
AUGUST 26

The first Belgian refugees arrive at the Gare du Nord
General Gallieni is appointed military governor of Paris
AUGUST 28 Civilian exodus of 500,000 Parisians leaving the city, many of whom return after the victory at the Marne
Germany defeats the Russians at Tannenberg AUGUST 29
AUGUST 30

First aerial bombing of Paris by a German plane (Taube, 2 dead)
SEPTEMBER 1 3rd Taube over Paris

The Germans are 50 kilometers from Paris

 SEPTEMBER 2

The government withdraws to Bordeaux

Paris is exclusively administered by the Military Governor (General Gallieni) and the Police Prefect
Military defenses around the city are reinforced
SEPTEMBER 3 The Bourse [stock market] closes
SEPTEMBER 5 The poet Charles Péguy is killed in combat

The Battle of the Marne halts the German advance

 SEPTEMBER 6-13

630 taxis are requisitioned to carry troops to the front
Beginning of the Race to the Sea SEPTEMBER 17
Reims is bombed—the cathedral burns SEPTEMBER 20
OCTOBER Beginning of the sugar crisis
OCTOBER 12 Bombings (4 dead, 28 wounded)
OCTOBER 13

Le Grand Palais is converted into a military hospital
OCTOBER 26 The Central Placement Office for the Unemployed and Refugees is created
The Ottoman Empire enters the war on the side of the Central Powers NOVEMBER 1
Stationary trench warfare on the Western front begins NOVEMBER 17
NOVEMBER 23 Show halls are allowed to partially reopen
DECEMBER 7 The Bourse reopens
DECEMBER 9 The government returns to Paris
DECEMBER 20

Belgian Day: the first fund-raising day
Around the world and on the frontlines 1915 In France In Paris
JANUARY 18 Illumination of public, commercial and domestic spaces is reduced
The Northern coasts of France and England are blockaded by Germany FEBRUARY 5
French Offensive in Champagne FEBRUARY 15-MARCH 18
The Dardanelles operation against the Ottoman Empire begins FEBRUARY 19
The Allies blockade Germany MARCH 1
MARCH 21

First bombings of Paris by Zeppelins (1 dead, 7 wounded)
APRIL 8 The Croix de Guerre [War Cross, for high military distinction] is established
APRIL 13 Commercial divination is banned
Toxic gas is first used in combat APRIL 22
The Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire begins (1 million murdered) APRIL 24
MAY

The Army Photographic Section and the Cinematographic Section are established
The Germans torpedo the British ocean liner Lusitania (1,200 dead, of whom 128 Americans) MAY 7
MAY 18 Humorous drawings of the war on show at La Boétie
Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary MAY 23
JUNE 2 Police officers receive gas masks to protect them against poisonous gas attacks
JUNE 3 Law is approved authorizing women to exercise paternal authority in their husbands’ absence
JUNE 24 Viviani gives a patriotic speech to the Chamber of Deputies to revive the “Sacred Union”
JUNE 26

Dalbiez law against “embusqués” [those evading military service]
JUNE 30 The Departmental Labor Placement and Statistics office opened in the Department of the Seine
JULY 1

Authorization is given for active military personnel to take 6 days leave
German offensives in the Argonne and Russia JULY 13
JULY 14 The ashes of Rouget de l’Isle are transferred to the Invalides
JULY 16 Soldiers serving in the entrenched defenses encircling Paris are banned from cafés but authorized for soldiers on leave, except for on terraces
AUGUST 24 The country's newspaper directors file a petition against political censorship (with no effect)
First issue of the satirical newspaper Le Crapouillot
SEPTEMBER 10 First issue of the satirical newspaper Le Canard enchaîné
The Franco-British offensive in Artois and Champagne fails SEPTEMBER 25
Bulgaria enters the war on the side of the Central Powers OCTOBER 5
Franco-British troops land at Salonika to support the Serbs OCTOBER 6
Natives in French West Africa are mobilized OCTOBER 9
France declares war on Bulgaria OCTOBER 17
OCTOBER 20 Explosion of a grenade factory at 173 rue de Tolbiac (nearly 50 dead and 100 wounded)
OCTOBER 30

Weekly posting of price of food staples to combat price increases
NOVEMBER 25 The First National Loan Program is launched
DECEMBER 1 City gates are reopened to car traffic until midnight
General Joffre is appointed Commander in Chief of French armies DECEMBER 2
DECEMBER 25-26

Journée du poilu 
In the world and on the fronts Date In France A Paris
Around the world and on the frontlines 1916 In France In Paris
JANUARY Income taxes are collected for the first time, along with various other taxes
JANUARY 20

"Refrigerated meat" first goes on sale
JANUARY 25 Censorship debate held in the Chamber of Deputies
JANUARY 29

Zeppelin bombings in Easter Paris (75 dead, 33 wounded)
The Battle of Verdun (160,000 French, and 140,000 Germans dead, 770,000 wounded) no result FEBRUARY 21-DECEMBER 18
Portugal enters the war on the side of the Allies MARCH 9
MARCH 19 Meeting of refugee and war victims" associations at Trocadéro (4 million refugees, 75,000 in Paris)
MARCH 21 Official visit of Alexander, Prince Regent of Serbia
MARCH 25 New reductions of public lighting for energy savings imposed
MAY 1 French construction workers go on strike
MAY 10 Foreign soldiers on leaver are authorized to frequent cafés without restrictions, as opposed to French soldiers
MAY 30

Law passed reinforcing oversight of charitable organizations

The number of Parisian charitable organizations drops to 818
JUNE 1

National funeral ceremony held for General Gallieni at the Invalides before a huge crowd
The first bus line returns to service
JUNE 14

“War savings time” moves official time ahead 60 minutes to economize energy used for lighting
The Battle of the Somme (1.1 million dead, wounded or missing) JULY 1-NOVEMBER 18
JULY 1 Censorship becomes stricter--no posters can be mounted in Paris without a permit from the Prefecture
JULY 2 The Val-de-Grâce war medical museum opens
JULY 14 The President of the Republic ceremonially awards honorary diplomas to the families of soldiers who died for the Nation
MARCH 20 Policy is implemented banning employment of mobilized workers for jobs that women could occupy in the war industry
Romania enters the war on the Allied side AUGUST 28
Hindenburg is appointed German army commander AUGUST 29
Assault tanks first used by British forces SEPTEMBER 15
SEPTEMBER 30 Show of photographs from the war at the Pavilion de Marchan
OCTOBER 1

2nd National Loan Program
NOVEMBER 11 Concert halls required to close one day per week
NOVEMBER 16

Lighting with gas or electricity is banned for all stores and public establishments
DECEMBER 15

Le Feu by Henri Barbusse is awarded the Goncourt literary prize
Nivelle replaces Joffre as French army commander DECEMBER 25
In the world and on the fronts Date In France A Paris
Around the world and on the frontlines 1917 In France In Paris
JANUARY Bitter cold
Food and cold shortages worsen

Potatoes distributed free to those in dire need
JANUARY 4 Policy protecting working women is approved
JANUARY 5 National defense factories go on strike
JANUARY 11 Growing vegetables in "fortification gardens" is authorized in ditches of fortifications around the city
Germany unleashes total submarine warfare JANUARY 31
FEBRUARY 6 Temperature of -15°C

"Luxury breads" are banned and pastry shops are ordered closed two days per week
FEBRUARY 6 - MARCH 20

Show halls limited to 3 evenings et 2 matinees/week
FEBRUARY 15

Serving more than 2 dishes, with only one containing meat, is banned in restaurants
FEBRUARY 23 Call for students to assist in agricultural labor
MARCH 1

Sugar ration coupon book first imposed
Czar Nicolas II abdicates following the February Revolution MARCH 17 First ministerial crisis during war-time (Briand resigns)
MARCH 31

Municipal loan of 632 million francs
Congress approves the United States’ joining the war APRIL 6 The city is emblazoned in the colors of the United States
The French offensive at the Chemin des dames fails APRIL 16 – MAY 9
The first mutinies occur in the French, German and Italian armies APRIL 17
APRIL 26 Law approved for “national bread,” that includes flours from cereals other than wheat
MAY 14 Arms industry labor strikes The Paris Fair opens, the first to be held since 1912

Petain replaces Nivelle at the head of the Armies of the North and the North-East

 MAY 15

2 meatless days per week implemented
Strike of women workers--"midinettes"--later spreads to other trades, including the "munitionnettes" and "cheminotes"
MAY 18 Parade is created by Cocteau, Satie, Picasso, and Massine and performed by the Ballets russes at Châtelet
JUNE 1 First women mail carriers
The first American troops arrive in France JUNE 28
Greece enters the war on the Allied side JUNE 29
JULY 4

Parade of American soldiers for Independence Day 
JULY 12 The newspaper Le Bonnet rouge, which was accused of being German financed, is suspended
JULY 29

The status of ward of the state for war orphans is established
Third Battle of Ypres JULY 31 - NOVEMBER 6
AUGUST 5 Law passed governing breast-feeding in industrial and commercial establishment
China declares war on Germany AUGUST 14
SEPTEMBER 3 Beginning of milk rationing and banning of milk in cafés and restaurants
SEPTEMBER 11 The pilot Guynemer is killed in combat
OCTOBER 1 Inexpensive “national” shoes go on sale; supply is unequal to demand
OCTOBER 15

The dancer Mata-Hari is shot for espionage 
NOVEMBER

3rd National Loan Program begins
Lenin and the Bolsheviks come to power in Russia NOVEMBER 7
NOVEMBER 16 Georges Clemenceau, head of the “Jusqu’au-boutistes” [to-the-bitter-enders] named President of the Council
NOVEMBER 30 Individual bread cards imposed in towns with over 20,000 residents
DECEMBER 12 Casino de Paris opens after being rebuilt with the review "Laisse-les tomber!" [Forget Them!]
DECEMBER 29

Restrictions on paper use increased
In the world and on the fronts Date In France A Paris
Around the world and on the frontlines 1918 In France In Paris
JANUARY 15 A third bus line re-enters service
JANUARY 21

Cellars and metro stations used as shelters are officially inventoried
JANUARY 26

Bread cards are distributed
JANUARY 30

First bombings by Gotha airplanes (63 dead, 207 wounded)
JANUARY 31

Evacuation of the last artworks and protection of public monuments
The number of shelters in increased
FEBRUARY 12 New restrictions imposed on restaurants
FEBRUARY 23

General food cards with detachable coupons first distributed
Central Powers and Bolshevik Russia sign a peace accord MARCH 3
MARCH 8 Bombings by Gothas (19 dead, 50 wounded)
MARCH 11 Bombings by Gothas (104 dead, with 70 following a stampede in the Bolivar metro station)
MARCH 15 Accidental explosion of a grenade depot at La Courneuve
German offensive in Picardie MARCH 21
MARCH 23

First bombings of Paris and suburbs by long-range cannon-fire (Big Bertha) from 120 km distance (15 dead, 36 wounded)
MARCH 23 – APRIL 3 2nd exodus--roughly 500,000 people left Paris and schools were released for early vacations
MARCH 24

Bombings (11 dead, 34 wounded)
MARCH 24 – LATE APRIL

Near-daily bombings (145 dead)
MARCH 29 Paris and the surrounding area were integrated into the Army zone
A mortar shell strikes the Church of Saint Gervais/Saint Protais in the 4th arrondissement (88 dead, 68 wounded)
APRIL 3-8 Matinée shows closed
APRIL 12 Night-time bombing raid by Gothas (27 dead)
APRIL 26 Eating meat 3 days per week is banned
MAY 16 Labor strikes held in national defense factories
MAY 18 Municipal butcher shop opens
MAY 27 – JUNE 11 Second series of bombings (33 dead, 84 wounded)
MAY 30 Thousands of refugees arrive
JUNE-JULY Streets renamed in honor of French and Allied heroes--rue Guynemer, avenue Gallieni, avenue du Président Wilson, quai Albert I, avenue Victor-Emmanuel III, avenue George V, avenue Pierre I de Serbie
JULY Spanish flu epidemic spreads, eventually causing 128,000 deaths in France in 1918
JULY 15-16 Third round of mortar fire from Big Bertha (6 dead, 9 wounded)
Second Battle of the Marne; the Allied counter-offensive is victorious JULY 18
AUGUST 5-15 Fourth round of mortar fire from Big Bertha (46 dead, 148 wounded)
SEPTEMBER 2 Repatriation of evacuated citizens begins
Foch, Allied Commander in Chief, launches a general counter-offensive on the Western Front SEPTEMBER 26
OCTOBER Peak of flu-related deaths in Paris
OCTOBER 5 The pilot Roland Garros is reported missing
OCTOBER 6 Lighting of public spaces resumes
OCTOBER 20 4th National Loan Program
Emperor Wilhelm II abdicates NOVEMBER 9 Guillaume Apollinaire dies of Spanish flu
The Republic is proclaimed in Germany and Austria

The Armistice between the Germans and the Allies is signed at Rethondes

 NOVEMBER 11

The Armistice is announced at 11 a.m.-- cannons are fired, bells ring, buildings are decorated, and crowds throng the streets
The war has caused 10 million fatalities 90,000 Parisians died in the fighting
522 dead, and 1,223 civilian wounded in Paris
NOVEMBER 13 Creation of the operetta Phi-Phi (Willemetz and Christiné), a great success until November 1921
NOVEMBER 28 – DECEMBER 19 Visits from the sovereign rulers of England, Belgium, and Italy
DECEMBER 13 The title of honorary citizen of Paris is awarded to President Wilson of the United States during his visit
In the world and on the fronts Date In France A Paris
Around the world and on the frontlines 1919-1921 In France In Paris
FEBRUARY 1919 Municipal kitchens and restaurants open
MARCH 6, 1919 The first "baraques Vigrain," price-controlled municipal food stores, open
Peace conference adopts a plan to create the Society of Nations APRIL 1919 Demolition of the city's fortifications begins
JUNE 1, 1919 Bread card no longer needed
The Treaty of Versailles is signed: Alsace-Lorraine is returned to France, and reparations payments are imposed on Germany JUNE 28, 1919
JULY 14, 1919 Victory parade
JULY 28, 1919

Paris is awarded the Croix de guerre 
DECEMBER 30, 1919

New so-called Reconstruction Loan Program
NOVEMBER 11, 1920 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe
JANUARY 13, 1921 Coal ration card no longer needed
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