Western Front
Flanders: Snow hampers operations. Since 15 June 77 German divisions have been transported to Fourth Army front (from Lille-Armentieres road to coast) and 63 transferred elsewhere.
German troops launch attacks against French lines north of the Aisne to the Meuse, but make little gains.
Verdun: Germans repulsed at Chaume Wood. In December Charles Mangin restored to duty in command of French IX Corps.
Kuhl memo to Ludendorff urges his St George scheme for a Flanders offensive since now fairly certain BEF unable to launch offensive until numerous US troops arrive.
Eastern Front
Armistice signed at Brest-Litovsk between Russian Bolshevik Government and Bulgaria, Central Powers and Turkey, to begin at noon December 17th, and terminate January 14th, 1918 (see 13th and 22nd). Fraternization centres fixed, week’s notice of termination. Germans given police powers in Baltic Provinces.
Fraternisation between Austro-Hungarian and Russian soldiers on the Eastern Front:
https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...sterr.jpg?ssl=1
After six days' fighting, General Alexei Kaledin (Cossacks) enters Rostov; local Bolshevist chiefs flee to Black Sea fleet.
Southern Front
First Battle of the Piave (until December 30): Austro-Hungarian and German forces claim the capture of 3000 Italian troops in their attacks between the Piave and the Brenta.
General Adolphe Guillaumet succeeds General Maurice Surrail at Salonika as Commander-in-Chief.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
British left center in Palestine advanced 1.5 miles on five mile front. EEF losses 18,928 to 25,000 Turkish (12,036 PoWs), 100 guns and over 132 MGs, more than 20 aircraft.
Persia: Around this date mutinies among Nikolai Baratov’s troops at Hamadan.
Turks and Russians to evacuate according to Brest-Litovsk Armistice demarcation agreed at Mosul.
Political, etc
Russia: (Listed for yesterday): Bolshevik Foreign Minister Leon Trotsky gives Russian delegates power to negotiate a peace with the Central Powers if an armistice is signed at Brest Litovsk.
Bolshevist ultimatum to the Ukraine demands free passage for troops.
The Moldavian Democratic Republic is declared by the National Council of Bessarabia, breaking away from Russia.
United States: U.S. Public Information Committee reveals it is spending $1,285,500 for U.S. propaganda in other countries.