April 1917

The following events occurred in April 1917:

Sunday, April 1, 1917

* Federico Tinoco Granados, President of Costa Rica, held the first general elections since staging a military coup in January. The election results where Granados was declared the winner were contested as fraudulent after votes for former president and main opponent Rafael Yglesias Castro were considered invalid.
* The United States Army established the 41st Infantry Division as a National Guard unit, five days before the United States entered World War I. It was changed to an infantry unit in July.
* The 243rd Infantry Division was established as part of the last wave of new divisions created for the Imperial German Army. It was dissolved in 1919.
* The Dutch news agency Aneta was established as the first news organization in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), and was the predecessor to Antara.
* The Russian newspaper ''Pravda Severa (Truth of the North)'' released its first edition in Arkhangelsk, Russia.
* The Spanish newspaper ''El Ideal Gallego'' released its first edition in A Coruña, Spain.
* The Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery opened in Nuneaton, England.
* The Mære Station for the Norwegian State Railways line opened at Mære, Norway and operated until 2001.
* Born: Sydney Newman, Canadian television producer, created popular television shows including ''The Avengers'' and ''Doctor Who'', in Toronto (d. 1997); Michel Donnet, Belgian air force officer, commander of the No. 64 and 350th Squadrons of the Royal Air Force during World War II, recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and ''Croix de guerre'', in Richmond, London, England (d. 2013)
* Born: Mark Evans Austad, American broadcaster and diplomat, leading news broadcaster with WTTG in Washington, D.C. and diplomat for Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, in Ogden, Utah (d. 1988); Bonnie Baker, American jazz and big band singer, best known for the hit single "Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!", in Orange, Texas (d. 1990); Dinu Lipatti, Romanian pianist, known for his interpretations of Johannes Brahms and Frédéric Chopin, in Bucharest (d. 1950)
* Died: Scott Joplin, American composer and pianist, most popular of the ragtime musical artists, including compositions "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer" (b. 1867)

Monday, April 2, 1917

* U.S. President Woodrow Wilson asked the United States Congress for a declaration of war on Germany, stating that the war would "make the world safe for democracy" and later that it would be a "war to end war".
* The Lillestrøm football club was founded after the merger of two local clubs. The team currently plays out of the Åråsen Stadion in Lillestrøm, Norway.
* Born: Dabbs Greer, American actor, best known for the role of Reverend Robert Alden on the television show ''Little House on the Prairie'', in Fairview, Missouri (d. 2007)

Tuesday, April 3, 1917

* Vladimir Lenin left Switzerland for Russia using a "sealed train" to cross Germany.
* Louis J. Wilde was elected 17th Mayor of San Diego, beating George Marston with 58 percent of the vote.
* The Brazilian football club Maruinense was established in Maruim, Brazil as the Socialista Sport Club before it was renamed in the 1960s.
* Died: Arthur Graeme West, author of ''The Diary of a Dead Officer'', killed in action (b. 1891); Milton Wright, American religious leader, bishop of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, father to the Wright brothers (b. 1828)

Wednesday, April 4, 1917

* Walter Edward Foster replaced James Alexander Murray as Premier of New Brunswick, with the latter only serving two months.
* The first test flight of the French SPAD biplane was conducted.
* The National Sylvan Theater, the first federally-funded outdoor public theater, opened in Washington, D.C., in the presence of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson.
* Born: Richard John Cork, British air force officer, commander of the 880 Naval Air Squadron, recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and Distinguished Service Cross for actions during the Battle of Britain during World War II, in London (d. 1944, killed in a plane crash); William J. Hovde, American air force officer, commander of several squadrons in World War II, Korean War and Cold War including the 14th Fighter Group, six-time recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star and Legion of Merit, in Crookston, Minnesota (d. 1996)

Thursday, April 5, 1917

* The Imperial German Army completed its withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, the new main defensive line in the Western Front.
* Brazilian steamship ''Paraná'' was torpedoed by a German submarine, killing three crewmen. The attack on shipping from neutral countries boosted public pressure for Brazil to enter the war.
* The British government issued a Food Hoarding Order to prevent households from hoarding food in short supply during World War I.
* New U.S. military aircraft began landing at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, to improve military aircraft capacity for the Mexico–United States border.
* Born: Robert Bloch, American writer, author of many best-selling science fiction and horror fiction including '' Psycho'', in Milwaukee (d. 1994)
* Died: E. H. Coombe, Australian politician, member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1901 to 1912, and 1915 to 1917 (b. 1858)

Friday, April 6, 1917

* The United States declared war on Germany after passing U.S. President Woodrow Wilson's resolution for military action against the Empire. The United States House of Representatives voted 373 to 50 in favor of declaring war. The United States Senate also voted 82 to 6 in favor of war.
* Ottoman authorities deported the entire civilian population of Jaffa and Tel Aviv on orders from Ottoman Syria Governor Djemal Pasha. Muslim evacuees were eventually allowed to return, but Jewish evacuees were not able to return until after the British conquest of Palestine.
* German flying ace Hans Berr died when he and his wingmate collided during a dogfight with planes from the Royal Flying Corps No. 57 Squadron. He had 10 victories to his credit.
* The United States Marine Corps aviation unit was built to a total strength of seven commissioned officers and 43 enlisted men.
* The Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany was formed by expelled members of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, with Hugo Haase as the party's first chair.
* Born: Leonora Carrington, English-Mexican painter, best known for her work in surrealism including ''El Mundo Magico de los Mayas'' and ''Mujeres conciencia'' as part of the women's liberation movement in Mexico, in Clayton-le-Woods, England (d. 2011); Howard L. Fogg, American artist, best known for his railroad art, particularly for the American Locomotive Company, in New York City (d. 1996)
* Died: Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia, German noble and champion horse rider, bronze medalist in the 1912 Summer Olympics (died of injuries from a plane crash) (b. 1893)

Saturday, April 7, 1917

* Cuba and Panama declared war on Germany as allies to the United States.
* German merchant raider ship was scuttled at Guam shortly after the crew learned the United States had declared war on Germany, but nine crew members were accidentally killed during detonation.
* American songwriter George M. Cohan completed the most famous World War I-themed song, "Over There," but would not have it published until June 1.
* The American Friends Service Committee was established by members of the Religious Society of Friends to assist civilian victims in World War I.
* Born: R. G. Armstrong, American actor, best known for his collaborations with film director Sam Peckinpah including ''Ride the High Country'', ''Major Dundee'' and ''Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid'', in Pleasant Grove, Alabama (d. 2012); Mongo Santamaría, Cuban-American jazz musician and composer, best known for developing Afro-Caribbean Latin jazz including the standard "Afro Blue", in Havana (d. 2003)
* Died: Spyridon Samaras, Greek composer, known for operas including ''Messidor'', ''Lionella'' and ''Rhea'' (b. 1861); George Brown, British missionary, founder of the Piula Theological College in Samoa (b. 1835)

Sunday, April 8, 1917

* In Petrograd, 40,000 ethnic Estonians demanded national autonomy within Russia.
* Born: John Whitney, American animator, pioneer in computer animation including ''Five Film Exercises'' and ''Moondrum'', in Pasadena, California (d. 1995)
* Died: Richard Olney, American politician, 40th United States Attorney General (b. 1835); Arsenio Cruz Herrera, Filipino politician, first indigenous mayor of Manila and leader of the Progresista Party from 1907 to 1914 (b. 1863); Wilhelm Frankl, German air force officer, commander of ''Jagdstaffel 4'' for the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', recipient of the Iron Cross (killed in action) (b. 1893)

Monday, April 9, 1917

* Battle of Arras – Fourteen British, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and South African divisions attacked an portion of the German line near the city of Arras, France. The French Third Army also provided support by attacking the German line at St. Quentin–Arras, France.
* Battle of Vimy Ridge – Four divisions of the Canadian Corps attacked Vimy Ridge held by three divisions of the German Sixth Army as part of the Arras offensive, capturing most of the escarpment on the first day of the attack.
* Charles Burke, first commander of the No. 2 Squadron, was killed by a shell burst on the opening day of the Arras offensive while rejoining his old regiment. Although he wasn't part of the Royal Flying Corps at the time of death, his death became part of Bloody April. The Corps lost 245 aircraft — 140 in the first two weeks — out of an initial strength of 365. Casualties included 211 killed or missing and 108 captured. The opposing Germans lost only 66 aircraft.
* The Patriot Youth League of Sweden was established to promote the preservation of the monarchy and the official church of Sweden.
* Born: Brad Dexter, American actor, known for roles in ''The Magnificent Seven'' and ''Run Silent, Run Deep'', in Goldfield, Nevada (d. 2002); Irene Morgan, American activist, noted plaintiff in ''Morgan v. Virginia'', which was the first case to successfully challenge state segregation laws, in Baltimore (d. 2007)
* Born: Johannes Bobrowski, German poet, known for his lyric poetry collections including ''The Land of Sarmatia'' and ''Shadowland'', in Tilsit, East Prussia, German Empire (d. 1965); Vincent O'Brien, Irish horse trainer, trained six champion race horses including the only British Triple Crown winner since World War II (d. 2009)
* Died: Edward Thomas, British poet, known for his poetry collections ''Six Poems'', ''Poems'' and ''Last Poems'' (b. 1878); R. E. Vernède, English poet, known for poetry collection ''War Poems, And Other Verses'', published posthumously (b. 1875); Charlie Gould, American baseball player, first baseman for the Cincinnati Red Stockings from 1869 to 1870 (b. 1847)

Tuesday, April 10, 1917

* Battle of Arras – The British 3rd and 12th Divisions captured much of German line along the Scarpe River, known as ''Monchyriegel'', between the French villages of Feuchy and Wancourt. However, Germany still retained control of the village of Neuville-Vitasse in the center.
* Battle of Vimy Ridge – Canadian forces captured the French village of Thélus, forcing the German divisions to evacuate most of Vimy Ridge except for a defensive position on a hill code-named "The Pimple".
* An explosion at an ammunition factory in Chester, Pennsylvania, killed 139 workers.
* Red Cross hospital ship struck a mine and sank at Le Havre, France with the loss of 130 of the 205 people on board. A British patrol boat that came to rescue survivors also struck a mine and sank, with the loss of 19 of 59 crewmen.
* Born: Robert Burns Woodward, American chemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research into organic synthesis, in Boston (d. 1979)

Wednesday, April 11, 1917

* Brazil severed diplomatic relations with Germany after submarines began targeting shipping from neutral countries.
* Battle of Arras – The British 56th Division forced German defenders out of the French village Neuville-Vitasse, securing most of the ''Monchyriegel'' line. However, attempts to capture and hold Bullecourt by the British 62nd Division and the Australian 4th Division failed.
* The New York State Police was established through state legislation.
* The Marinens floatplane, based on a design by Maurice Farman of Farman Aviation Works, took its first test flight. It would be used by the Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service until 1924.
* Japanese electric equipment manufacturer Nissin Electric was established in Kyoto.
* Born: Morton Sobell, American spy, member of a New York spy ring for the Soviet Union, in New York City (d. 2018); Danny Gallivan, Canadian sports commentator, broadcaster for ''Hockey Night in Canada'' from 1952 to 1984, in Sydney, Nova Scotia (d. 1993); Barney McCosky, American baseball player, outfielder for the Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Athletics, Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians from 1939 to 1953, in Coal Run, Pennsylvania (d. 1996)
* Died: Percy Black, Australian army officer, commander of the 16th Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment, recipient of the Distinguished Service Order and the ''Croix de guerre'' (killed in action) (b. 1877)

Thursday, April 12, 1917

* Battle of Vimy Ridge – Canadian forces captured the hill known as "The Pimple", the last German defense position on Vimy Ridge. The victory came at a cost of 10,602 casualties, including 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded. German casualties for the battle were unknown but 4,000 men were prisoners. Four Canadian soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross: William Johnstone Milne and Ellis Wellwood Sifton (posthumously as both were killed on the first day of battle), and John George Pattison and Thain Wendell MacDowell.
* The Autonomous Governorate of Estonia was formed within Russia from the Governorate of Estonia and the northern part of the Governorate of Livonia.
* Senussi campaign – A peace deal was brokered between the British and the Senussi, with Prince Idris recognized as Emir (ruler) of Cyrenaica in what is present-day Libya. Senussi rebel leader Sayed Ahmed was able to escape to Constantinople where he remained for the remainder of World War I.
* The daily newspaper ''Tiesa'' released its first edition, becoming the first official newspaper of Lithuania.
* Norwegian football club Grand Bodø was established in Bodø, Norway.
* Born: Džemal Bijedić, Yugoslav state leader, 27th Prime Minister of Yugoslavia, in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina (d. 1977); William A. Campbell, American air force officer, member and commander of the 332d Expeditionary Operations Group, better known as the Tuskegee Airmen, during World War II, recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and Legion of Merit, in Tuskegee, Alabama (d. 2012); Helen Forrest, American big band singer, lead vocalist for Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Harry James, in Atlantic City, New Jersey (d. 1999)

Friday, April 13, 1917

* U.S. President Woodrow Wilson made an executive order to establish the Committee on Public Information as an independent agency of the U.S. Government to influence public opinion on the United States entry into World War I.
* Royal Naval Air Service flying boats began flying "spider web" patrols over the North Sea to detect German submarines in the area. The new patrol pattern, resembling a spider web, allowed four aircraft to search a 4,000-square-mile (10,000-square-kilometer) area in about five hours, only half the time it took a surfaced submarine to transit the area. The flying boats made 27 patrols in the next 18 days, sighted eight German submarines, and made bombing attacks against three of them.
* U.S. Navy battleship ' was launched by the New York Naval Shipyard in New York City. It was most famous for supporting the major amphibious landings during World War II against the Japanese in the Pacific before it was decommissioned in 1946.
* Danish composer Carl Nielsen premiered his most popular piano composition ''Chaconne''.
* Born: Bill Clements, American politician, 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, in Dallas (d. 2011); Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay, Burmese writer, known for works including short story collections ''A Slow Stream of Thoughts'' and ''Burmese Medicine Tales'', in Bogale Township, British Burma (d. 1982)
* Born: Ian Bruce Ferguson, New Zealand-Australian army officer, commander of 1st and 3rd Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment during World War II and the Korean War, recipient of the Military Cross and Distinguished Service Order, in Wellington (d. 1988); Robert Orville Anderson, American industrialist, founder of the oil company ARCO, in Chicago (d. 2007)
* Died: Diamond Jim Brady, American business leader, leading sales agent for Manning, Maxwell and Moore and Pressed Steel Car Company, known for lavish lifestyle and collection of rare jewels (b. 1856)

Saturday, April 14, 1917

* Battle of Arras – British forces took control of the French commune Monchy-le-Preux, completing the objective to capture the entire German-held ''Monchyriegel'' line between Feuchy and Wancourt, France and ending the first phase of the battle for Scarpe River.
* German flying ace Hartmuth Baldamus died in a plane crash following a mid-air collision with a French aircraft near Sainte-Marie-à-Py, France. He was credited with 18 victories.
* Born: Valerie Hobson, Irish-British actress, best known for her roles in ''Great Expectations'' and ''Kind Hearts and Coronets'', in Larne, Ireland (d. 1998); Albert Wattenberg, American physicist, member of the Manhattan Project, in New York City (d. 2007); Francis B. Wai, American army officer, recipient of the Medal of Honor for action during the Philippines Campaign during World War II, in Honolulu (d. 1944, killed in action)
* Born: Marvin Miller, American sports executive, executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association from 1966 to 1982, in New York City (d. 2012); Joe Kuharich, American football player and coach, guard for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team from 1935 to 1937, and coached the team from 1959 to 1962, in South Bend, Indiana (d. 1981)
* Died: L. L. Zamenhof, Polish physician, creator of Esperanto (b. 1859)

Sunday, April 15, 1917

* Battle of Arras – German forces attacked the 1st and 2nd Australian Divisions defending the French village of Lagnicourt. The Australians repelled the attack at a cost of 1,010 casualties; the Germans suffered 2,313 casualties.
* Royal Navy troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the Sea of Crete northeast of Milos, Greece by German submarine with the loss of 277 lives.
* Royal Navy troopship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea east of Malta by German submarine SM ''U-33''. Estimated casualties ranged from 140 to 210 of the 2,650 people on board.
* The Royal Flying Corps established air squadron No. 99.
* Born: Hans Conried, American voice actor, best known for the voice of Captain Hook in the Disney animated film ''Peter Pan'', in Baltimore (d. 1982); Elmer Gedeon, American baseball player and air force officer, center fielder for the Cleveland Indians, bomber captain with the European Theater of Operations during World War II, in Cleveland (d. 1944, killed in action)
* Born: Charlotte Salomon, German painter, known for her works, including the series ''(Life? or Theater?: A Song-play)'', in Berlin (d. 1943, gassed at Auschwitz); Ishrat Hussain Usmani, Pakistani physicist, second chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and associate director of the Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, in Aligarh, British India (d. 1992)
* Died: Frank Rockefeller, American industrialist, member of the Rockefeller family, younger brother to John D. Rockefeller and William Rockefeller Jr., president of Columbus Castings from 1905 to 1908 (b. 1845); John Harry Grainger

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