The Monticellonian., 1918-01-04
OF THE WORLD WAR AND OTHER
 HISTORY MAKING EVENTS IF YEAR 1917
Entrance of United States Into Conflict Outstanding Development of Past Twelve Months-PoItica Upheava in Russia Affects Strugge-Brish and French Smash Teuton Lines on West Front-Austro- Germans Launch
 Drive Against Italy,
By DONALD F. BIoGS.


 of the sinking of three American steamers, the City of Memphis, Hi. nois and Vigilancia. fifteen of the lat ter's crew being lost.
 On March 21, President Wilson is- sued a proclamation calling congress in special session on April 2.
 The American steamer Healdton was torpedoed without warning, March 22, 21 men including seven Ameri- cans, being lost
 United States Declares War.
 On April 2. President Wilson ap- peared before a joint session of con- gress and called for declaration of a state of war with Germany. On April I. the senate passed resolution de- elaring the existence of a state of war. The resolution was adopted by the house of representatives April 6 and was signed by the president the same day. At the same time 91 German owned vessels in American ports were seized by the government. Cuba de- elared war on Germany on April '. The following day, Austria-Hungary severed diplomatic relations with the United States.
 The British forces on the west front began the first great offensive of 1917 on April 9, penetrating the enemy po- sitions north and south of Arras to a depth of from two to three miles.
 The French forces launched an of fensive against the enemy on a 25-mile front between Soissons and Reims, April 16, and after three days fighting reported the capture of more than IT, GOO prisoners
 The first American casualties in the war were reported April 2S, when the armed American tank steamer Vacuum was sunk by submarine and several American gunners were lost.
 American Fleet in Action.
 It was learned on May Is, that a squadron of American destroyers un- der Rear Admiral Smms had safely crossed the Atlantic and had been pa- trolling the seas in war service since May 4.
 The United States army draft bill became law May IS when President Wilson affixed his signature to the measure and issued a proclamation fix ing June , as registration day.
 On May 24, announcement was made port Pennsylvania on May 4, with a loss of more than 400 lives. On May 25 great German air raid on the southeast coast of England caused the death Of 76 persons and the woundng of 174.
 During the early part of June grow ing unrest in Russia began to attract the attention of the allies. On June 1, workmen and soldiers seized Kron- stadt, the Russian fortress defending Petrograd, and repudiated the provis- ional government. On June 3, the American commission to Russia. head ed by Elihu Root. and the American railroad commission. headed by John F. Stevens. arrived safely at Russian ports. On June ', the Russians in possession of Kronstadt yielded to negotiations and recognized the pro- visional government.
 In the meantime the American prep rapidly. On June 5, nearly 10,000.0O0 men of military age registered for miii- tary service under the selective draft law. On June s. Major General John J. Pershing, who had been selected to head the American expeditionary forces in France, arrived with his staff in London. On the same day Wash ington reported the safe arrival in France of 100 American aviators, the first American fighting forces to reach that country.
 King Constantine Dethroned. A solution of the Greek situation, which had endangered the operations of the allies in the Balkans, was reach ed June 12 when on the demand of France, Great Britain and Russia, King Constantine abdlcated in favor of his second son. Prince Alexander who was known to be favorably inclined toward the allies. London reported another big raid by Zeppelins on June 13, in which 15T persons were killed and many injured.
 The subscriptions to the first Ameri- can Liberty loan closed June 15, the loan being oversubscribed by $750.- GOO GOO.
 On June 26. 1t was announced that the first contingent of American troops, under command of Major General Si- bert, had arrived safely in France.
 The new Greek cabinet. headed by Eleutherios Venizelos, went into office on June 27 and two days later the new government severed diplomatic rela- tions with Germany, Austria Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey.
 On the first of July, the Russian forces. under the personal leadership of War Minister Kerensky, electrified the allies by launching powerful of fensive on an 1s-mile front in Galicia. capturing many strongly fortified towns and taking thousands of pris- oners. For two weeks the Russians continued to advance along front that widened to 100 miles but on July 19 the Russian offensive collapsed and turned ihto rout, when many Rus sian regiments mutinied and fed. Kerensky succeeded Prince Lvoff as premier of Russia on July 20.
 The first political crisis in the Ger man cabinet during the war resulted on July II in the resignation of Chan