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, and was the predecessor to Antara.
• The Russian newspaper Pravda Severa 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; as Sydney Cecil Nudelman, in Toronto, Canada
• * 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
• * 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, United States
• * Bonnie Baker, American jazz and big band singer, best known for the hit single "Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!"; as Evelyn Underhill, in Orange, Texas, United States
• * Dinu Lipatti, Romanian pianist, known for his interpretations of Johannes Brahms and Frédéric Chopin; as Constantin Lipatti, in Bucharest, Kingdom of Romania
• Died: Scott Joplin, 48, American composer and pianist, most popular of the ragtime musical artists, including compositions "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer"

  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; as Robert William Greer, in Fairview, Missouri, United States

  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.
• Battle of Toboly - Central Powers troops captured in a rapid attack Russian bridgehead over the Stochod river around the villages of Toboly and Helenin, Volynska Oblast, nowadays north-western Ukraine. Action also showed a successful strategy of coordination of infantry and artillery implemented by German general Georg Bruchmüller.
• 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, 25, British poet, author of The Diary of a Dead Officer; killed in action
• * Milton Wright, 88, American religious leader, bishop of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, father to the Wright brothers

  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 S.XIII 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, England
• * 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; as William Johnston Hovde, in Crookston, Minnesota, United States

  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, United States
• Died: E. H. Coombe, 58, Australian politician, member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1901 to 1912, and 1915 to 1917

  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-born 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; as Mary Leonora Carrington, in Clayton-le-Woods, England
• * Howard L. Fogg, American artist, best known for his railroad art, particularly for the American Locomotive Company; as Howard Lockhart Fogg, in New York City, United States
• Died: Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia, German noble and champion horse rider, bronze medalist in the 1912 Summer Olympics; died of gunshot wounds after being shot down in combat

  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; as Robert Golden Armstrong Jr., in Pleasant Grove, Alabama, United States
• * Mongo Santamaría, Cuban-American jazz musician and composer, best known for developing Afro-Caribbean Latin jazz including the standard "Afro Blue"; as Ramón Santamaría Rodríguez, in Havana, Cuba
• Died:
• * Spyridon Samaras, 55, Greek composer, known for operas including Messidor, Lionella and Rhea
• * George Brown, 81, British missionary, founder of the Piula Theological College in Samoa

  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, United States
• Died:
• * Richard Olney, 81, American politician, 40th United States Attorney General
• * Arsenio Cruz Herrera, 53, Filipino politician, first indigenous mayor of Manila and leader of the Progresista Party from 1907 to 1914
• * Wilhelm Frankl, 23, German air force officer, commander of Jagdstaffel 4 for the Luftstreitkräfte, recipient of the Iron Cross; killed in action

  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; as Boris Michel Soso, in Goldfield, Nevada, United States
• * Irene Morgan, American activist, noted plaintiff in Morgan v. Virginia, which was the first case to successfully challenge state segregation laws; in Baltimore, United States
• * Johannes Bobrowski, German poet, known for his lyric poetry collections including The Land of Sarmatia and Shadowland; in Tilsit, East Prussia, German Empire
• * Vincent O'Brien, Irish horse trainer, trained six champion race horses including the only British Triple Crown winner since World War II; as Michael Vincent O'Brien, in Ireland
• Died:
• * Edward Thomas, 39, British poet, known for his poetry collections Six Poems, Poems and Last Poems; killed in action
• * R. E. Vernède, 41-42, English poet, known for poetry collection War Poems, And Other Verses, published posthumously; killed in action
• * Charlie Gould, 69, American baseball player, first baseman for the Cincinnati Red Stockings from 1869 to 1870