Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-03-06
GREATEST BATTLE OF
 MODERN TIMES NOW ON
Two of Largest Armies In the World Locked In Death strucgle-Ceneral kuropatkin's Position Is Now Desperate but He Has One Chance-Field Mar hal Oyama's Tactics Have Startled St. Petersburg

oI ctcISUuTS, MdTCu D, S.OU p. m.-- The result of the greatest battle of modern umes is exp cted to be deter mined to-day or tomorrow. Two of the largest armies of modern times both in men and guns are now locked in death struggle and although Gen. eral kuropatkin has evidently made every preparation to cover his retreat bv remoyir.' his accumulated stores the ol inicn of military men here that one side or the other cannot escape an overwhelming disaster. With both wings bent backward kuropatkin's position appears to be desperate. put the issue is still in the balance. News of a victory for him is only regarded as poSsi,lt lt " his breaking through the envelopfng lines and news of a concentrated offensive is hourly await ei. Unlrss Krropatkin can strike and strike hard it is realized that he must hSe.
 Field Marshal Oyama's strategy in this battle is now clear. He startled and amazed the war office by the mar vicious darino of General Kuroki's ad- vance against the extreme Russian left and the series of blows delivered at the center where no less than thir- teen separate attacks have been launched by the imperial guards ten miles east of Poutiloff hll But 1t is now realized that the heavy blows at the left were intended to mask the reaIt,lrnine movement which came like hoJ 1,,% o< rJo c1y n,1f nf west. Kuropatkin fell into the trap. The situation seemed an exact dupli- cate of that at Liaovang and the Rus sian commander in chief hastened to mass forces to meet Kuroki. Friday the whole situation was suddenly re- versed when with liehtnino raDidi'y the Japanese turning operation began on the plain between the Hun and Tiao- rivers. In order to succeed Oyama threw the neutrality of Chin' to 'm winds. General Nogi with his Port Arthur veterans moved I'D the rirht bank of the Hun and fell like an avala' c' upon -he weak. nnd Russian right. doubling it back in confusron. the Japanese advance beino co-ordin- "tAd wit' tho advance straight fri; the west of Japanese column of 4O,- OOO men which circEed around ur through Chinese neutral territory. AL though rumors of the advance of the latter column westward of Mnkfen were circulated as long ago as 1ues- av K 70; tkin v.dently was taKan hy surnvise. possibly refusing to De- lieye that the Japanese would thus one.,Iv fling Chinese neutrality to the winds. At any rate it was not until Sotrrdav night that he was able to shift sufficient achievements west to s.a,n the tide when the Jananesa were within sight of Mtikden. But the iar. est advices are to the effect that the Jananese. exhausted by their tremeir dous efforts. have everywhere stopped and now if ever Kuronatkin's hour hns come. The Japanese lineS are extend. ed over sixty miles while Kuropar- k'r's are corstns,tIv contracting. Be sides he has the advantaoe for the or ronsive of operating in the interior of his lines. Military critics declare Ovama has not great enonoh suDer'or- ity to take risks. According to the war office Ovama has not over 7oHn men in excess of Kuronatkin. whose forces total ahout 3i0.OoO Should ovara srcceed tha critics declare that he will prove himself 10 hn master of military science and establish repu- tafion for military genius of the first marritrdo. Pvt rnlnss he con com. rlatalv crush Kuronat'siu's r'~ht thev say Oyama is in imminent danger of havino his own loft cut off and de- stroved. Kuropatkin's chances. the war office saws. is n., opportune offen- sive. as passive resistance would re- suit in total defeat.