Ooooh! Thanks for the capsule history, DB.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
Severe British January pressure on the Anere prompts Rupprecht to demand a voluntary retirement to Siegfried Stellung (the so-called “Hindenburg Line”); (OHL vetoes on January 29).

Eastern Front
Romania: Taking advantage of the cold weather, Russian troops manage to advance 2 miles against the Germans in Bukovina.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mesopotamia: Considerable progress by British on right bank of Tigris south-west of Kut.

Naval and Overseas Operations
North Sea: British government announces it has completed mining operations in a 100-mile zone along the entire German North Sea coast.
Black Sea: 2 Russian destroyers sink or capture 22 Turkish sailing craft between Ordu and Sinope (until January 31).
Atlantic: U-53 sinks Spanish SS Nueva Montana (arrying core for Newcastle) off Ushant and a similar ship on January 29.

Political, etc.
United Kingdom: Royal Navy Room 40 intercepts Bernstorff’s second protest against unlimited U-boat war.
Frank Godden, chief test pilot for the Royal Aircraft Factory, is killed during a test flight: http://imgur.com/KZFTPXU
4,523 private factories and works, employing 2.25 million workers, are now controlled by the British government to assist in war production.
United States: Not knowing its value, robbers who stole a $10,000 necklace from the Chicago Art Institute sold it for $18.
Naval radio station at Chollas Heights achieves wireless communication 6000 miles away with Australia: http://imgur.com/6trRyaD
China: Yikuang, Prince Qing and former Prime Minister of the Qing Chinese Empire, passed away: http://imgur.com/TADNut2
Costa Rica: General Federico Tinoco Granados launches a coup in Costa Rica, deposing President Alfredo González: http://imgur.com/yRcs2PP
Mexico: US General Pershing and his troops ordered home.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
French troops practicing with rifle grenades: http://imgur.com/QTN93T2* © IWM (Q 94768)
Verdun: German forces continue to hold gains on Hill 304, repulsing four French counterattacks.

Southern Front
News footage of a Royal Irish Regiment captain demonstrating a rifle grenade, possibly in Salonika: http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/index/45839

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mesopotamia: British progress continued near Kut.

Naval and Overseas Operations
North Sea: Royal Navy submarine K13 sinks on acceptance trials in Clyde, 47 men survive after 57-hour ordeal. The ‘K’-class was designed as fleet submarines capable of 24 kts surfaced. No contemporary diesels were equal to the task so steam turbines were fitted together with a diesel to drive the generator. Over a third of the hull was devoted to machinery. https://i0.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w.../01/K-class.jpg
Announcement of laying of New British minefield from Yorkshire to Jutland.
East Africa: 160 soldiers of KAR (King’s African Rifles) besiege Fort Utete on river Rufiji; c.200 Germans escape on rainy night (January 30.31) and maul pursuit (February 2).

Political, etc.
Russia: Allied delegation (Lord Milner, Generals Wilson and Castelnau) arrives at Petrograd (until February 21).
United Kingdom: Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of Cromer and first British Controller-General of Egypt, passed away: http://imgur.com/dkgSSXB
United States: Rockefeller Foundation provides $772,700 to universities & other educational institutions, including $197,500 to African American schools.
President Wilson vetoes an immigration bill that would have required a literacy test for arriving immigrants.
Greece: Allies' flags formally saluted at Athens.
Switzerland: Prince Sixtus of Bourbon receives Emperor Charles’ peace letter from his mother (also Empress Zita‘s).

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
Lorraine: Destructive French trench raid south of Leintrey; penetrates to German second line taking PoWs. Further small success south-west of Leintrey.

Eastern Front
Airship LZ-98 raids Petrograd.
Baltic Provinces: Between Tirul swamp and River Aa (Riga) strong German attack succeeds in one sector, 900 Russians taken prisoner.
Romania: East of Jakobeny (southern Bukovina) Russians assault and capture important hill fortifications claiming to take over 1,000 prisoners.

Political, etc.
Germany: Government replies to Wilson’s message from January 22, 1917 and ‘will do her best to protect US interests.’
Germany estimates that due to the blockade and war, food supplies have decreased by 2 million tons of grain compared to last year.
Russia: Allied conference is ongoing in Petrograd to help reorganize the Russian military and financial situations.
United Kingdom: British Committee on Electoral Reform suggests that women 30 years and up should be given the right to vote.
Norway: Norway re-issues statement forbidding submarines in territorial waters.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
During January 4 German Jagdstaffeln (fighter squadrons) formed, another 6 in February.
German attacks fail on the Ancre near Beaucourt and west of Serre.
Total of German prisoners taken by British in France during January is 1,228, including 27 officers.

Eastern Front
Baltic Provinces: East of Jakobeny Germans attack three times by night against previous lost positions, but are repulsed with heavy loss.

Naval and Overseas Operations
During January U-boats have sunk 180 ships (51 British, 63 Allied, 66 neutral including 34 Norwegian) worth 328,391t (British 109,954t), 2 U-boats lost. U-boat toll in Mediterranean is 75,541t.

Political, etc.
Germany: Government informs US Government it will not ‘leave any means whatever unturned [ie unrestricted U-boat warfare] to hasten the end of the war. Since the Allies have rebuffed Germany’s attempt to reach an understanding by negotiation … The Imperial German Government must therefore abandon the limitations … imposed upon itself …’.
GERMANY DECLARES UNRESTRICTED U-BOAT WAR and threatens cross-Channel hospital ships (alleged munition cargoes). Bernstorff orders sabotage of German ships [that is, so they could not be seized and used by the US or Allies] in US ports.
Germany announces zone in which all shipping liable to be sunk as from Terschelling (Holland) north to Udsive (Norway) then northwest to Faroe Islands and down longitude 20° West 350 miles west of Ireland to Cape Finisterre. Zone also includes whole Mediterranean excluding Balearic Islands and seas east of Gibraltar as far as Spain’s heel. A 20-mile channel left for ships sailing to Greece until January 11, 1918. Archangel added to barred zone on March 1917. Scheer Order of Day says whole Navy must support U-boats.
German approval for the new development ‘U-boats go forth’: https://i2.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...oote-heraus.jpg
Count Kuno von Westarp, Conservative leader in the Reichstag, states Germany will seek territories and reparations after winning the war.
United Kingdom: Commodore Godfrey Paine appointed Fifth Sea Lord and Director of Air Services (succeeding Rear-Admiral Vaughan-Lee).
Turkey: Legal and literary faculties of Stamboul (Istanbul) University in Constantinople nominates Kaiser Wilhelm for the Nobel Peace Prize.
United States: U.S. Secretary of State Lansing announces normal diplomatic relations with U.S. and Mexico will be resumed immediately.
New York Department of Health orders all New York restaurants and lunch counters to obtain a license to ensure sanitation.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Lots of interesting tidbits. Germany's declaration of unrestricted sub warfare and US resuming diplomatic relations with Mexico in particular.

Western Front
In February German Army now has 15 assault battalions and 2 coys of Stosstruppen (given title of Grenadier, and Guard insignia in March). Each German infantry coy to have 3 Bergmann sub-machine guns.
BEF forms 1st Tank Brigade (2nd on February 15; 3rd on April 24), Central Workshops and Stores already begun on January 7.
57th Division (on February 6) and 59th Division (on February 21) join BEF.
The Sopwith Triplane enters service with No.1 (Naval) Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS).
Flanders: German infantry wearing winter white battle dress unsuccessfully raid British positions near Wytschaete. Severe frost on this and several succeeding nights. This week temperature falls below zero °F.
Somme: Unsuccessful German trench raid near Grandcourt. British trench raiders seize 56 PoWs near Gueudecourt.
Occupied France: During February German senior commanders and staffs, attend tactical School at Solesmes to learn new defence methods (school at Sedan opens in March).

Eastern Front
Baltic Provinces: Russian forces west of Riga are able to check German advances through the use of armored cars.
Galicia: 15 miles south of Halicz (Galicia) Germans in white overalls break through Russian lines but are ejected by counter-attack.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Mesopotamia: Near Kut, east of the Tigris-Hai junction, British capture all but last line of Turkish trenches, taking 166 prisoners, and repulsing a strong counter-attack.

Naval and Overseas Operations
German unrestricted submarine warfare begins (see January 31st): 105 U-boats in service (42 under repair, 51 lost to date – High Seas Fleet 49, Flanders 23, Baltic 2, Adriatic 24 including Austrian, Constantinople 3). 51 more U-boats ordered. Maximum of 44 at sea on anyone day. Royal Navy C-in-C Ireland has 10 Q-ships operational in home waters and Bermuda.
Dutch S.S. Gamma attacked and sunk by German submarine. Dutch Government request an explanation.
Britain: 4 new seaplane stations cover Southwestern Approaches. Over 600 neutral ships refuse to sail.
North Sea: HM Special Service Smack I’ll Try (ex- G & E) scores two hits on U-boats. In February dreadnought battleship Queen Elizabeth becomes Beatty’s Grand Fleet flagship.
Aegean: During February Royal Navy Air Service forms seaplane base for 4 planes at Suda Bay, Crete, to patrol against U-boats.

Political, etc.
Austria-Hungary: Austria-Hungary also announces it will also intensify its naval actions in the Mediterranean.
Germany: German Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg: “We stake everything and we shall be victorious.”
United Kingdom: Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, inspecting the North Staffordshire Regiment near Beaussart: http://imgur.com/W44q7mX* © IWM (Q 4776)
United States: U.S. closes New York City harbor to all shipping upon receiving news of the German note. Other neutral nations’ ports do the same.
Stock prices at Wall Street tumble due to the German resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare. 2 million shares change hands.
The press of U.S.A. takes bellicose view of the German decision to resume unrestricted submarine warfare.
Norway: Norway reiterates the announcement forbidding foreign submarines to use her waters.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

The Bergmann ironically was adopted by the British Navy as an emergency weapon in World War 2. It used captured Italian 9mm ammunition and was in service into the 50s.

It was called the Lanchester.

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Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

Oh, right, OF< I had completely forgotten that. Indeed, it was. Thanks.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
Fighting on the Western Front is limited to small engagements as intense cold weather hampers troop movements.
Bruges harbour bombed by British naval airmen.

Eastern Front
Baltic Provinces: East of Kalutsem high road, (west of Riga) Germans launch several attacks, repulsed.

Naval and Overseas Operations
Black Sea: Off Anatolian coast Russian warships sink 18 small Turkish vessels.

Political, etc.
United Kingdom: The Government approves a scheme giving the Air Board responsibility for experimental work and approval of aircraft design, the number to be ordered and their allocation between the Services. The Ministry of Munitions undertakes production, inspection and delivery.
Appeal to nation for food economy by Lord Davenport.
United States: Around 50,000 American volunteers are fighting for the Allies, with around 40,000 in the British Army.
Count Adam Tarnowski (on left), the new Austro-Hungarian ambassador to the U.S., arrives in New York: http://imgur.com/CRD9qqt
Bill is introduced in the U.S. Senate for the construction of 100 new submarines.
President Wilson goes to the Capitol and meets with Senate leaders to discuss severing diplomatic relations with Germany.
Norway: Norway institutes coal rations in order to combat shortages caused by the war.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Western Front
British news-film “Topical Budget” showing footage of French artillery in action, among other news: http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/index/5415
First units of the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps arrive in France.
British troops among the snow-covered ruins of Combles: http://imgur.com/8rwWDxE* © IWM (Q 6387)
East of Beaucourt (north of the Ancre) British line advanced 500 yards on a front of 1,200 yards; over 100 prisoners taken, and counter-attacks repulsed.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Egypt: Affairs in the Siwa Oasis (West Egypt) begin (see 5th).

Naval and Overseas Operations
Atlantic: Germany submarine SM U-53 sinks a U.S. cargo ship Housatonic, further harming relations between the two countries. (ed note: this sinking was carried out entirely within the confines of international law: that is, Kapitänleutnant Hans Rose stopped the Housatonic, examined her papers, determined that she was carrying contraband to an enemy country, gave her crew time to get to the lifeboats, then towed those same lifeboats to within sight of another vessel able to take the refugees on board. There was no loss of life involved. Nevertheless, U-53’s action had come on the heels of the declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare by Germany, and served to further inflame the yellow press in the United States.)

Political, etc.
Germany: Germany protests Norway and Sweden’s decisions to ban German submarines, unless damaged, to enter their territorial waters.
Count Bernstorff receives his passports and Mr. Gerard is recalled from Berlin.
United States: President Wilson, in front of Congress, announces his decision to break off diplomatic ties with Germany: http://imgur.com/UdTkwvB
According to the 1910 census, German and Austro-Hungarian born residents in the US number 4,171,915 people.
U.S.A. demands immediate release of over 60 Americans taken prisoner by German Atlantic raiders.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Thanks gg for continuing this thread.

Western Front
At Ancre, British troops advance 500 yards on a three-quarters of a mile front. Trench raids are conducted in other areas.
North-east of Gueudecourt both sides make raids.

Eastern Front
Baltic Provinces: Near Riga, German forces conducted 6 large attacks against Russian lines from daybreak to nightfall, but fail to make major advances.
East of Kalutsem road, Germans again attack and take positions, but are ejected.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Egypt: At Siwa (Western Egypt) British expedition locates and defeats the forces of the Senussi leader, Said Ahmed.

Naval and Overseas Operations
In Manila Bay German crews wreck the engine-rooms of nine German steamers.

Political, etc.
Germany: Intense cold wave continues in Germany, with some areas seeing record lows. Suffering is exacerbated by the coal shortage.
Germany agrees to yesterday’s US demand to release 72 Americans whose ship was sunk in the Atlantic by a German raider.
Turkey: Sa'id Halim, Turkish Grand Vizier, resigns [Appointed in 1913.]: succeeded by Talaat Pasha (see October 13th, 1918).
United States: U.S. government appeals for other neutral nations to also break off diplomatic ties with Germany for resuming unrestricted submarine warfare.
William J. Bryan, former US Secretary of State, likens Germany to a “drunken chauffeur,” but urges the U.S. to avoid war.
Brazil: Brazil, responding to Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare, proposes a defensive union for all American nations.

__________________
On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Eastern Front
Germany attacks Russian positions ten miles south of Kieselin (Volhynia), but is repulsed.

Southern Front
Italy: Italian line heavily attacked by the Austro-Hungarians in various sectors. All attacks beaten off.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Egypt: Affairs in the Siwa Oasis end (see 3rd and 8th); Siwa evacuated by the Senussi and entered by British, who capture Munasib Pass, cutting off Senussi retreat.

Political, etc.
Germany: Referring to the break with U.S.A., Germany says: "The struggle is for our existence. For us there can be no retreat."
Russia: Russian Conference on future of Poland announced.
Switzerland: Switzerland in a message to U.S.A. decides not to break off diplomatic relations with Germany.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Great 'tag team' play going on in this thread........

gg posts and then DB has his say and OF added his thoughts.

All 3 of you add to the thread giving us more information keeping it interesting.

Thank you guys.

: Yeah Pixies men, great as always! :