<– Part 97 – May 28, 1916 | Part 98 – June 4, 1916 | Part 99 – June 11, 1916 –>
The heavily-damaged SMS Seydlitz, following the Battle of Jutland.
The Battle of Jutland, May 31-June 1, 1916
A clash of steel titans took place May 31, as the first combat of battleships in the war took place at Jutland, in the North Sea (and indeed only the third in history, following two twelve years ago during the Russo-Japanese War). The German High Seas fleet sailed against the British, and the German scouts successfully lured the British scouts into combat. After losing two battlecruisers, the British scouts in turned sailed to their own main fleet, and the two hour combat, from 6:30-8:30pm, saw a colossal loss of life before night fell. During the night, the British fleet sought to prevent the Germans from reaching port, and sunk several German vessels in the dark hours of the morning, but the Germans slipped the noose. Of the 151 British warships, 28 of them battleships, 6,100 sailors were killed, 700 wounded, and 200 captured, with 14 ships sunk. The Germans loss 2,600 sailors, and 500 wounded, with 11 ships sunk.
Battle of Mont Sorrel, June 6
To the south, on June 1, a German assault at Verdun with 10,000 men has taken a ridge and the French forts atop it, including Fort Vaux, which was captured June 2. French defenders continue fighting underground. Later that day, German forces, in an attempt to draw forces away from a buildup at the Somme, launched an attack against an exposed Canadian position on Mont Sorrel, following an artillery barrage. The Canadian trenches were swiftly overrun (in part due to German practice against trenches dug behind their lines in exact replication of the Canadian trench system. The Canadians launched a counterattack the following morning, but only had minimal success due to forces starting at different times and advancing in broad daylight. The Germans also detonated bombs underneath the advancing Canadians, wiping out an entire company. Allied artillery has been brought to bear to prevent further German entrenching.
Across the Atlantic, the National Defense Act has authorized a five-year increase in size and funding for the United States Army.
A Russian assault against Khanaqin, in Persia, was repulsed by reinforced Turks, who then have launched a counter-attack.
Earlier today, Russian forces under General Brusilov have launched an enormous offensive against German and Austro-Hungarian forces. The assault has achieved surprising success, due in part to an intense and accurate artillery barrage which was much shorter than normal, leaving the defenders expecting more time before the assault. Nearly half of Austrian forces in Italy, at the Asiago, have been ordered East.
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