Things are quickly unravelling for Emperor Karl in Vienna; while his armies are in full retreat in Italy, war-weary, hungry and angry people all across the empire are clamouring for independence. Nationalists in Budapest are now vowing to break the union with Austria.

Rumours of the impending operation by the High Seas Fleet are spreading amongst German sailors; several hundred crewmen of SMS Derfflinger and SMS Von der Tann have disappeared ashore at Wilhelmshaven, refusing to participate in what they believe to be a "suicide mission."

The arrival of British troops (carefully hidden during the preparation of the offensive) appears to be particularly jarring for the war-weary Austrian soldiers. Some flee to the rear "almost too fast to give the riflemen and Lewis gunners much chance to shoot them down."

The Italian offensive, while not without its difficulties (little progress has been made in the mountains), has clearly shown Austria-Hungary to be unable to resist for long; British and Italian troops have crossed the Piave in force, taking many prisoners in the process.

Upon returning to the hotel where he is staying for the night, Ludendorff angrily tells his wife Margarethe: "In a fortnight we shall have no Empire and no Emperor left, you will see."

Kaiser Wilhelm accepts Ludendorff's resignation, but bluntly tells Hindenburg that he will keep his position. Ludendorff is resentful that his colleague does not insist on sharing his fate and refuses to leave the Kaiser's residence with him.

Following their denunciation of the search for an armistice, Ludendorff and Hindenburg have been summoned to Berlin. Sensing they have severely overstepped their authority, upon meeting with Kaiser Wilhelm, they both offer their resignation.

Scheer has declined to put his orders for the impending naval action in writing, hoping to achieve complete surprise. He keeps the operation on a need-to-know basis; not even the Kaiser or his government in Berlin is to know in advance.

The German Navy is now preparing for a final show of force with the battleships of the High Seas Fleet. Navy leaders agree: "An honourable battle by the fleet - even if it should be a fight to the death - will sow the seed for a new German fleet of the future."

Recently appointed Chancellor, Maximilian of Baden, who is spearheading the German quest for an armistice, is furious at Ludendorff and Hindenburg; he demands that the Kaiser dismiss at least Ludendorff, or he himself will resign.

Ludendorff and Hindenburg have, effectively but not officially, led Germany through a military dictatorship for the past few years. Their unsanctioned proclamation is openly defying the authority of Kaiser Wilhelm, (nominally) the leader of the nation.

In their order of the day to the army, Erich Ludendorff and Paul von Hindenburg have penned a scathing dismissal of the Allied demands for surrender: "Wilson's answer can only prompt us soldiers to continue resisting with all our strength."

Exactly one year after their disastrous defeat at Caporetto, the Italians are attacking the Austrians across much of the north-eastern portion of the front. They are spurred on by an impatient prime minister in Rome: "Between inaction and defeat, I prefer defeat. Get moving!"

Wilhelm is predictably livid at this latest American message, ranting: "The hypocritical Wilson has at last thrown off the mask. The object of this is to bring down my House, to set the monarchy aside." Erich Ludendorff is equally outraged and is furiously penning a response.

Wilson declares: "If [The United States] must deal with the military masters and the monarchical autocrats of Germany now... it must demand, not peace negotiations, but surrender." Effectively, he claims that the German head of state, Kaiser Wilhelm, is an illegitimate ruler.

President Wilson, speaking on behalf of the Allies, insists that "the nations of the world do not and cannot trust the word of those who have hitherto been masters of German policy." The end of unrestricted submarine warfare is not enough to cease the fighting.

The Italian government is well aware that its allies have been less than impressed by Italy's conduct of the war, and is worried that unless a strong show of force is performed before the end of the war, it might lose out on its claims of Austrian territory.

After months of relative silence, the Italian front is stirring with anticipation: Italy is preparing a final, decisive blow against Austria-Hungary, before the latter (which appears moments from internal collapse) can secure peace with the Allies.

Reinhard Scheer is furious at the new restrictions on the U-boat forces. Unbeknownst to anyone outside his immediate circle in the German Navy, he is now planning for a last hurrah of the High Seas Fleet, in the hope of causing as much damage as possible to the British.

Following Allied pressure and intense internal debate, German leadership has announced an end to unrestricted submarine warfare: U-boats are no longer to attack merchantmen without proper warning.

Emperor Karl I, well aware that Austria-Hungary is falling apart due to widespread discontent and famine, has proposed a restructuring of the empire into a federal union, where different ethnic groups would have greater autonomy. But for many, it's too little, too late.

Czechoslovakian nationalists, with the blessing of the Allies, have declared a Provincial Government in exile; they foresee a near future outside of the crumbling Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Ludendorff is also vehemently against the cessation of unrestricted submarine warfare: "To allow ourselves to be deprived of our submarine weapon would amount to capitulation.

Erich Ludendorff has abruptly denounced the quest for a quick armistice, which he himself suggested at the end of September. He now claims the German army is capable of holding the Allies off until the winter puts a stop to the offensives.

British troops have entered the French town of Lille; after almost exactly 4 years of German occupation, the townspeople are overjoyed and greet their allies with gusto.

Scheer took over the position as Chief of the Naval Staff in August, and has, Germany's diminishing resources be damned, called for an expansion of the submarine fleet with over 400 new vessels. His plans call for 36 new submarines a month.

The Allied demand that Germany cease their unrestricted submarine warfare before any armistice can be negotiated is causing heated discussions amongst the German high command. Chief of Naval Staff, Reinhard Sheer, furiously declares: "The navy does not need an armistice."

President Wilson singles out the German campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare as particularly heinous; a few days ago, the Irish RMS Leinster was torpedoed and sunk off Kish Bank. Hundreds of souls were lost, and the Allies now demand an immediate stop to these attacks.

Responding to the German request for an armistice, President Woodrow Wilson insists that an armistice is impossible "so long as the armed forces of Germany continue the illegal and inhumane practices which they persist in."

After nearly a week surrounded by the enemy in the Argonne forest, the "lost battalion" of the American 77th Division has reestablished contact with the rest of the American forces in the area. Out of over 500 men, less than 200 still stand; the rest killed, wounded or missing.

Where the Allies advance, they are greeted by elated civilians, eager to celebrate the end of German occupation. Here, some children of Brancourt eagerly chat with one of the liberating Americans.

American infantry on the attack near Premont. The officers have brought along their horses, a practice long abandoned by the other armies of the conflict.

Another day, another small crisis for the German army: British forces have pushed into the city of Cambrai, swatting away what little resistance the local German forces could muster.

Chancellor Baden has questioned the request for an immediate armistice, arguing that it puts Germany in a very weak negotiating position. He relents when Ludendorff predicts an imminent collapse of the army in the west.

Prince Maximilian of Baden has been appointed as the new Chancellor of Germany. Despite personal misgivings, he has, on the request of Kaiser Wilhelm and Erich Ludendorff, sent a message to the United States, asking for "the immediate conclusion of an armistice."

The headquarters of the surrounded American troops in the Argonne forest has received a message, delivered by a shell-shocked carrier pigeon: "We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heavens sake stop it."

Faisal was offered a ride into Damascus in a captured German Mercedes, but preferred to enter the city on an Arab charger. He will now lead Arab interests in the thorny question of the region's future: Britain has made claims to Palestine, while France demands Syria.

Fresh from the celebrated capture of Damascus, General Allenby of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force has had a first official meeting with Emir Feisal, the celebrated leader of the Arab Revolt.

The American attack into the Argonne has encountered heavy resistance, and spirited German counter-attacks have surrounded over 500 men of the US 77th Division, who are now desperately resisting assaults on all sides.

Along much of the Western Front, Allied armies push against the retreating Germans in a series of offensives that have rolled on more or less continuously since August. But these attacks come at a cost: in the past month, Britain alone has suffered close to 200,000 casualties.

Damascus has fallen! With whatever Ottoman troops still in the city surrendering or simply deserting, Australian cavalry has already entered and exited the ancient settlement: they exit to make room for the ecstatic Arab Army.

Even as Kaiser Wilhelm joins the military leadership in Spa to discuss the catastrophic fallout of Bulgaria's exit from the war, the Allies attack the Hindenburg Line at the St. Quentin Canal, breaking through what Ludendorff had hoped would be an unbreakable defence.

Bulgaria has signed a separate armistice with the Allies: as of noon tomorrow, Bulgaria is no longer in the war. Germany and Austria-Hungary are now physically separated from their Ottoman allies, and a critical gap has formed in their flanks that the Allies are eager to exploit.

After calming down and regaining his composure, Ludendorff approaches Chief of the Great General Staff Paul von Hindenburg. They both agree: Germany has lost its chance at victory; an armistice must be signed before the Allies can reach Germany itself.

Following the news of the Bulgarian collapse, Erich Ludendorff breaks down in an apparent mental episode; his staff leaves him alone in a closed room as he angrily rants "against the Kaiser, the Reichstag, the navy and the homefront."

Earl Winterton, a member of the House of Commons, is serving with T.E. Lawrence in the British effort to assist the Arab Revolt. The Arabs, laughing heartily at Winterton's appeal, leave the prisoners alone, slaughtering a sheep instead.

Edward Turnour, Earl Winterton, argues with a group of Arabs not to murder their prisoners by appealing to his future political career: "The good people of Horsham and Worthing... whose votes I shall be seeking...might think I connived at the shooting and vote against me."

Lawrence and the other British officers did not, in fact, order the execution of enemy prisoners. Still, rather than admitting they had lost control of their Arab troops, they claim responsibility for their unlawful executions of prisoners.

The Arab forces, outraged over the slaughter at Tafas, show no mercy to any enemy they catch up to outside of the village. 250 Ottoman and German prisoners are mowed down. After the fact, Lawrence reports: "We ordered 'no prisoners' and the men obeyed."

Hundreds of people have been slaughtered throughout Tafas. The village headman, Talal, having arrived at the site with Lawrence, furiously charges alone at the retreating Ottomans, shouting as his war cry: "Talal, Talal!" He is promptly killed by the Ottoman rearguard.