World War I

Historical eventJuly 191916

World War I

First World War: The "worst 24 hours in Australia's entire history" occurred when Australian forces unsuccessfully attacked German defences at Fromelles, France.

Everything on July 19Original source

In context

When
Wednesday, July 19 1916110 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1910s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

Russia, Greece and some other countries used the Julian calendar into the early 20th century, so local records may show a date up to 13 days earlier.

At a glance

Dates: From 1916.

What happened

World War I, or the First World War, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Central Powers. One of the deadliest conflicts in history, World War I resulted in an estimated 15 to 22 million deaths, including those in war crimes and genocides. The war also helped spread the Spanish flu pandemic. The conflict saw important developments in weaponry, including the first large-scale use of machine guns, artillery, aircraft, chemical weapons, and tanks.

July 19 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1916World War I
  2. 1992Via D'Amelio bombing
  3. 1994Alas Chiricanas Flight 00901
  4. 1997The Troubles
  5. 2011Guinea
  6. 2012Syrian civil war
  7. 2013NASA
  8. 2014New Valley Governorate
  9. 20142014 Farafra ambush
  10. 2018Knesset
  11. 2024Neary's

Also in 1916

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  • October 16Margaret SangerMargaret Sanger (pictured) established the United States' first family planning clinic in Brooklyn, New York.
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Everything we record for 1916 →

Sources

Cite this page

“World War I”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/world-war-i-1916-july-19, accessed October 24, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did World War I happen?

July 19 1916 — 110 years ago, on a Wednesday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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