Western Front
France: FOCH’S PLAN FOR FINAL PHASE OF GENERAL OFFENSIVE (until November 11): major thrusts by BEF in North and AEF in South, both supported by French armies on their flanks. BEF is to force the Scheldt, advance to Maubeuge and press on to seize Meuse crossings from Namur to Dinant. If taken before Germans evacuate Flanders they are to be pressed back against border of neutral Holland and captured. In south, US First and French Fourth Armies to advance by forced marches to seize Mezieres and Sedan, so isolating Germans facing French Centre Army Group and sever the great lateral railway Bruges-Ghent-MaubeugeÂMezieres–Metz, key artery to half of Western Front.
ScheldtÂ: BATTLE OF VALENCIENNES (until November 3): Haig turns Scheldt defences (Hermann position) and pushes east and north to Maubeuge, Mons and river Dendre. BEF Third and First Armies attack on 6-mile front and reach Valenciennes outskirts (4th Canadian Division captures Mont Houy) despite German 28th Reserve Division counter-attack with 4 (captured BEF) tanks (2 lost), last such effort. BEF Fourth Army’s 32nd Division and 3 tanks attacks Happegarbes Spur southwest of Landrecies. Constant rain (until November 11).
Aisne and Meuse – FRANCO-US OFFENSIVE begins: US First Army (7 divisions) with 19 tanks and right wing of French Fourth Army; US V Corps in centre, drives a 5-mile deep wedge into German lines astride Bourgogne Wood including first AEF use of mustard gas (41t of gas, 36,000 round), as 4 German divisions overrun. US 5th Division crosses Meuse isolating DunÂ-sur-Meuse.
Eastern Front
Germany: Between 1-11 November 2 German divisions transfer to Western Front.
North RussiaÂ: In November A A Samoilo made C-in-C Sixth Detached Red Army (headquarter Vologda). Red Western Front formed and Ukrainian Soviet Army (late November).
Don: Red Army takes offensive vs Denisov’s Great Don Host (50,000 men).
TransÂ-Caspia: British and White troops reoccupy Merv around date.
Siberia: British War Cabinet decide to recognize Provisional Government.
Russia: Early November Communist Youth League Kom somol founded; 100,000 members by end of 1919.
Southern Fronts
SERB TROOPS LIBERATE BELÂGRADE AND WHOLE SERBIA: Bojovic’s First Army enters as last Austrian boats reach Hungarian shore and engages Austrian monitors from Topcider batteries; Second Army reaches river Drina in West.
Italian Front: Comando Supremo receives Allied armistice terms by telephone from Paris by 0615 hours, Badoglio tells Austrians’ actual text available only on November 2. Allies progress on Asiago plateau, Italians reoccupy Belluno and Longarone. Last Austrian GHQ communique ‘In the Veneto the evacuation operations proceed’.
Sea War
Adriatic: Italian frogmen Paolucci and Rossetti mine, capsize and sink former Austrian flagship Viribis Unitis (Captain Vukovic, Yugoslav Fleet commander) in Pola harbour and liner Wien.
Air War
Western Front: DH9s bomb Brussels rail station and Maubeuge.
North Russia: In November 2 air squadrons (White and RAF plus 6 Sopwith Camel fighters form late November) go into action above Dvina Force.
Western Front: Fonck’s 75th and final victory, a German leaflet-dropping two-seater.
Germany, Black Sea and Mediterranean: ÂGerman Naval Air Service 1,478 aircraft and seaplanes with 16,122 men (2,116 aircrew) at 32 seaplane 17 land air bases strong.
Politics
Bulgaria: King Boris of Bulgaria abdiÂcates; Peasant Party leader Stamboliski becomes Prime Minister at Tirnova.
Serbia: Great Serb National Council proclaimed at Sarajevo.
France: Versailles Conference opens. Around date Supreme Allied Council for Supply and Relief formed.
Austria: Baron Flotow provisionally succeeds Count Andrassy as Austrian Foreign Minister.
Home Fronts
Turkey: Talaat Pasha addresses last Congress of Party of Union and Progress, admits massacre of innocent Armenians by many officials.
USA: 306,719 Army flu cases since September 12; 19,429 deaths.
Britain: RFP up 4% to 133%. Shipbuilding control transferred from Admiralty to Shipping Ministry.
