The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-07-06
The TURKS
Vienna Bakers Saved Europe
From the Grip Of the MosIsms.
CAUSE OF soLYMAN's DEFEAT.

NNNff"N ANANN-N8 ANNN
Form Of Crescent.
DO you know why Vienna rolls an
shaped Ike c-sscents9 The story
forms one Of the great "ifs' OF history.
eolymah the Magnificent. sultan Of
Turkey. planned TO oyerrun Europe
even as be and bis Moslem predeces-
sors had seized the countries OF the
orient with a mighty army be cap
tured the fortified island Of Rhodes
and invaded Hungary. annihilating the
Magyar forces at Mohacs Gin 1920 and
Staying the Hungarian king.
SO successful was the first expedition
that be planned a second and more far
reaching raid In 1929. Moving on
ward almost unchecked and carrying
all before him. he captured Buda and
advanced against the city OF Vienna.
An Europe stood aghast Nothing
had been able to stem the wave OF
Moslem conquest Men remembered
how one eastern land after another
had been seized by the Mohammedan
hordes and forced to adopt Moham-
mechanism as their religion. People
trembled for the fate Of Christendom
1t seemed for a moment almost pos
sibie that the whole eastern section OF
the European continent might fall vic
tim to the Turk Ard become part Of
the Moslem possessions
To hope for clemency from Solyman
was to rely upon the mercy OF the
merciless Conquering one Christian
army and stronghold after another. the
sultan's all powerful army threatened
to carry destruction Gnd Mohammed-
anism throughout the continent It
was one OF fate's big movements.
On moved the Turks. Vienna (then
capital OF the German empireD stood
In their path. a seemingly fraf obsta-
Gle between such q host and the rest
Of Europe. Should Vienna fall before
the Moslem onset the progress OF the
sultnn's army would be made far easier
and other lesser cities would lose heart.
The inhabitants OF Vienna were at
that time more renowned for culture
and thrift than for warfare Yet un-
der Nicholas Won Salm they gallantly
proposed to defend their city against
the foe and to fight TO the last gasp for
their imperiled homes. The Turks
drew near. destroying Vienna's sub
urbs. and eneamped close to the town
itself
1t was on Sept. ~. 1920, that the
enormous Turkish host laid siege 1,
Vienna. Solyman conducting the anaii
IN person Before risking useless loss
Of life in a general assault the sultan
tried to make an entrance into the city
by means Of tunnels. His soldiers
were set to work with pick and spade
TO dig a secret underground way into
Vienna by which a body OF men might
later pour into the place and thus
catch the defenders ''between two
fires"
The cleverness OF the Turkish engi-
heers and the countless workers at
their command made the task a swift
one. Here 1t was that an ''if' inter
vened TO save the threatened capital
and perhaps Europe as well
Some Vienna bakers were at work
one night-so the story runs-in a eel
lar. making bread for the garrison.
During a pause In their conversation
one OF the bakers happened TO hear the
muftied sound OF digging. 1t seemed
to come from spot not far beyond
one Of the cellar walls. Guessing at
once that the enemy was tunneling o
way into the city. the bakers rushed
out ana gave the alarm. The garri-
son. aroused. was able to battle Soly.
mans plan.
The sultan. failing at strategy, next
tried force He hurled his army
against the city in one 6erce assault
after another. The viennese fought
ike heroes Each attack was repulsed
with terrific loss to the Turks. For
four entire days the MonsSms assailed
the city. fresh detachments ever tax.
ing the places OF those who reeled back
defeated. On the fifth day Of the as.
sault. oct IA. Solyman gave up the
attempt ~ crush Vienna. He with.
drew sullenly from the scene OF his de-
feat. leaving S0.OOO dead Turks on the
neid- The price OF conquest was for
once too nigh Tor him.
Vienna was saved. and not only VI I
emma. but Europe Vienna had been /
Europe's barrier against the Turks
farther advance. and the barrier held
hrm- The northern limit OF Europe's
Turkish raids was reached
Once more. IN later years, Vienna
was besieged by the Moslems. and she
again beat them OF. The high tide
Df such invasion had come and reced.
ID Europe at large was now forever
secure from this long dreaded foe.
In the moment OF victory. according
% the account. the bakers who had
given the alarm were not forgotten.
TO commemorate the event they and
heir descendants thenceforth nodded
heir rolls into the shape OF a crescent
the sacred emblem OF Turkey. The
'rstom prevails to this day.
Few Americans who are used to see