Western Front
French gain ground in eastern Champagne.
British raid near Arras.
Soissons bombarded with incendiary shells.
A British fighter pilot, James McCudden, wins the Military Cross. His final tally of medals also included the Victoria Cross, a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and a bar to his Military Cross, and the Military Medal. McCudden was one of the most decorated combatants of World War One.
Eastern Front
Russia: Tsar Nicholas's initial response on 12 March [O.S. 27 February], perhaps based on the Empress's earlier letter to him that the concern about Petrograd was an over-reaction, was one of irritation that "again, this fat Rodzianko has written me lots of nonsense, to which I shall not even deign to reply". Eventually, the Tsar leaves STAVKA for Petrograd.
By now CoS Alexejev convinced no offensive to support Nivelle possible; only by the end of July.
Galicia: Successful German raids near Zloczow-Tarnopol railway, Brzezany and on river Narajowka.
Southern Front
British advance on Doiran front.
Naval and Overseas Operations
Atlantic: Q-ship
Privet sinks
U-85 (Petz) off Start Point near Plymouth (
UC-68 blows up on own mines there on March 13). US
SS Algonquin torpedoed without warning. The crew survives.
British submarine HMS
E.49 hits a mine off the Shetland Islands and sinks with the loss of all 30 crewmembers.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Tripoli: Italians occupy Bukamez (west of Tripoli).
Mesopotamia: Soldiers of the 1st Australian Wireless Signal Squadron enjoy a meal following the capture of Baghdad:
http://imgur.com/e8Diopd
Political, etc
Russia:
Russian February Bourgeois Democratic Revolution begins. Starting with the Volinsky Regiment, the garrison of Petrograd begin to mutiny one by one. Eventually, the whole 17,000-strong Petrograd garrison joins crowds.
http://imgur.com/8LSrdVs
Temperature 0°F.
Duma prorogued at first: then some delegates decided to form a Provisional Committee of the State Duma, led by Rodzianko and backed by major Moscow manufacturers and St. Petersburg bankers. However, the Duma refused to head the revolutionary movement as a whole. Its first meeting was on the same evening and ordered the arrest of all the ex-ministers and senior officials. In the Marinsky Palace the Council of Ministers of Russia, assisted by Rodzyanko, held its last meeting. Protopopov was told to resign and offered to commit suicide. The Council formally submitted its resignation to the Tsar.
No bread or transport. Only 2 regiments and the police loyal to Tsar in sporadic street fighting.
Students and army deserters fire on police in Petrograd:
https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...reien.jpg?ssl=1
Petrograd protestors burn symbols of the Russian monarchy:
http://imgur.com/yvfrKtv
United Kingdom: Anglo-French Conference assembles in London to discuss relations of British and French commanders in the Western Theatre and employment of prisoners of war in the fighting zone (see February 26th, 1917 and March 26th, 1918).
Bread order makes sale by weight compulsory.
British Lieutenant General Smuts states German colony in East Africa is immensely rich and suggestions to return it is “preposterous.”
Canada: Third War Loan opens.
United States: United States Government announce arming of all merchant vessels in the war zone (see February 26th).
112 labor unions in the U.S. meet in Washington, D.C. to discuss how to aid the American war effort if it was to enter the war.
Mexico: The 1917 Mexican general election is held. Venustiano Carranza is elected President with 97.9% of the vote:
http://imgur.com/2RyKgp1