Year by year · 20th century
1917
1917 in world history: 34 events, 18 births, 15 deaths, 5 works, 17 states founded and 6 that came to an end. 750 recorded states existed that year.
Events
Zimmermann Telegram is forwarded to Mexico
Germany's ambassador in Washington relayed Arthur Zimmermann's secret offer of an alliance to Mexico, promising Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Decoded by British intelligence, its publication helped bring the US into the war.
Germany announces unrestricted submarine warfare
Germany told the United States its U-boats would sink without warning any ship in the war zone from the next day. The decision led to the break in relations and, in April, to America's declaration of war.
Protests in Petrograd begin the February Revolution
On International Women's Day (23 February Old Style), women textile workers protesting about bread shortages began strikes that spread across the city. Within a week Tsar Nicholas II had abdicated.
British and Indian troops capture Baghdad
General Stanley Maude's army entered Baghdad after the Ottoman garrison withdrew, avenging the surrender at Kut a year earlier. Britain went on to rule Mesopotamia, later Iraq, under a League mandate.
Tsar Nicholas II abdicates
Facing revolution in Petrograd and mutiny in the army, Nicholas II gave up the throne for himself and his son. Over three centuries of Romanov rule ended, and a Provisional Government took power.
United States takes possession of the Danish West Indies
Denmark transferred St Thomas, St John and St Croix, sold for 25 million dollars in gold. The US wanted to deny the islands to Germany and guard the approaches to the Panama Canal.
United States declares war on Germany
Congress approved President Wilson's request for war, provoked by unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmermann Telegram. American troops and resources helped tip the balance on the Western Front.
Lenin arrives at Petrograd's Finland Station
Returning from Swiss exile with German help, Vladimir Lenin was greeted by crowds in Petrograd. His call to oppose the Provisional Government set the Bolsheviks on the road to the October Revolution.
The Battle of Passchendaele begins
British and French forces opened the Third Battle of Ypres in Flanders. Heavy rain turned the battlefield into a swamp, and months of fighting won a few miles for hundreds of thousands of casualties.
Mata Hari is executed by a French firing squad
The Dutch-born dancer Margaretha Zelle, known as Mata Hari, was shot at Vincennes after conviction as a German spy. Historians still dispute how much, if any, useful intelligence she passed on.
Canadian troops capture Passchendaele
Canadian forces took the ruined village of Passchendaele, ending the Third Battle of Ypres. The British-led offensive had gained a few miles of Flemish mud at a cost of hundreds of thousands of casualties.
The Bolsheviks seize power in Petrograd
Bolshevik-led Red Guards took key points in Petrograd and stormed the Winter Palace overnight, toppling the Provisional Government. The October Revolution, so called from the Julian calendar, led to the Soviet state.
British tanks attack in mass at Cambrai
Some 476 British tanks led a surprise attack at Cambrai, breaking through German lines several miles in a day. A German counter-attack soon recovered most of the ground, but the tactics pointed to the future.
Finland declares independence
The Finnish parliament adopted a declaration of independence from Russia, a month after the Bolshevik seizure of power. Lenin's government recognised it at the end of the month.
Jerusalem surrenders to British forces
The mayor of Jerusalem surrendered the city to the British army, ending four centuries of Ottoman rule. General Allenby entered on foot two days later.
Revolution
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution of 1917 brought down the Russian monarchy and led to the first communist state.
Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution was the seizure of power in Petrograd by the Bolshevik Party under Vladimir Lenin on 25 October 1917 by the old Russian calendar, 7 November by the modern one.
Battle
Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge, fought on 9–12 April 1917 in northern France as part of the Battle of Arras, was the first attack in which all four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought together.
Event
Second All-Kazakh Congress
The Second All-Kazakh Congress met in Orenburg in December 1917, shortly after the Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia.
In the profiles
Luba EmpireKasongo Nyembo is captured after years of resisting Free State and Belgian rule
Mutapa EmpireThe Portuguese suppress the last reduced Mutapa kingdom in the Zambezi valley
Russian EmpireNicholas II abdicates after the Petrograd garrison mutinies
MexicoThe Constitution of 1917 is promulgated at Querétaro
CanadaThe Canadian Corps captures Vimy Ridge
Kingdom of the NetherlandsThe Pacification brings universal male suffrage and equal funding for schools
Russian SFSRThe Bolsheviks seize power in Petrograd in the October Revolution
Republic of FinlandParliament declares independence from Russia on 6 December
Kingdom of YugoslaviaThe Corfu Declaration agrees on a South Slav kingdom under the Karađorđević dynasty
Rattanakosin KingdomSiam joins the First World War on the Allied side
Wars and longer events
Born in 1917 18
Do Muoi1917–2018
Geoffrey Bibby1917–2001- Indira Gandhi1917–1984
Juan Rulfo1917–1986
Óscar Romero1917–1980
Abdullah al-Sallal1917–1994
Ferdinand Marcos1917–1989
Fulbert Youlou1917–1972
Jânio Quadros1917–1992
Joshua Nkomo1917–1999
Melvin Evans1917–1984
Murray MacLehose1917–2000
Nur Muhammad Taraki1917–1979
Yahya Khan1917–1980
Yigael Yadin1917–1984
John F. Kennedy1917–1963- Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin1917–2002
- Sharof Rashidov1917–1983
Died in 1917 15
Dadabhai Naoroji1825–1917
Ranavalona III1861–1917
Ferdinand von Zeppelin1838–1917
Leander Starr Jameson1853–1917
Liu Yongfu1837–1917
Hans Kudlich1823–1917
Hussein Kamel of Egypt1853–1917
Ali-Qoli Khan Bakhtiari1858–1917
Charles Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak1829–1917
Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of Cromer1841–1917
Jesko von Puttkamer1855–1917
Mandume ya Ndemufayoc. 1894–1917
Themistokli Gërmenji1871–1917
William Knox D'Arcy1849–1917- Yevgeny Alekseyev1843–1917
Works 5
States founded 17
- Alash Autonomy 1917 CE – 1920 CE
- Autonomous Governorate of Estonia 1917 CE – 1918 CE
- Bashkurdistan 1917 CE – 1919 CE
- Canton Military Government 1917 CE – 1925 CE
- Crimean People's Republic 1917 CE – 1918 CE
- Iskolat 1917 CE – 1918 CE
- Kokand Autonomy 1917 CE – 1918 CE
- Moldavian Democratic Republic 1917 CE – 1918 CE
- Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus 1917 CE – 1920 CE
- Occupied Enemy Territory Administration 1917 CE – 1920 CE
- Republic of Finland 1917 CE – present
- Russian Republic 1917 CE – 1918 CE
- Russian SFSR 1917 CE – 1991 CE
- Transcaucasian Commissariat 1917 CE – 1918 CE
- Ukrainian People's Republic 1917 CE – 1921 CE
- Ukrainian People's Republic of Soviets 1917 CE – 1918 CE
- United States Virgin Islands 1917 CE – present
States that came to an end 6
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- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). 1917. In The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1917
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- Chicago
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- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘1917’, The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1917 (Accessed: ).