Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-08-06

of Ypres, when the Germans suffered
enormous losses In attempts to break
through the line in Flanders and reach
Calais. They succeeded in pushing
back the allies only little and the
invasion of Silesia by the Cossacks
finally induced them to desist and
send re-enforcements to Russia.
The Germans in September had per- 4
formed the feat of pushing a salient
into the French line south of Verdun,
which terminated on the west bank of
the Mouse river at St. Mihiel: while
the French had taken the offensive
with some success In Champagne at
about the same time.
For the most part throughout the
winter the fighting consisted of regu-
lar siege warfare. with heavy artillery
combats and mine and counter-mine.
The flooding of the River Aisne
from winter SHOWS gave the Germans
a chance to entrap the French troops
on the north side OF that river in the
vicinity Of Scissors for considerable
distance and kill or capture most of
them (January 14)
Take Offensive in Spring.
With the spring, the French and
English attempted to take the offensive
at several points. Always preparing
the way with tens or hundreds of thou
Stands of shells. they tried joint after
joint of the German armor.
In the Vosges the dominating height
of Hartmannsweilerkopf was taken
and retaken several times in sanguin-
airy charges and finally remained in the
hands OF the French.
The salient OF st. Mihiel was also
subjected to tremendous French pres
sure on both legs" The French sue
ceeded In gaining a little ground, but
the Germans, despite the apparent
weakness of the sharp wedge they had
driven into the French line, could not
be dislodged and later succeeded in re-
gaining some of the territory they had
lost.
The British also reported victories
at Neuve Chapelle and Hill No. so. in
Flanders. Whether these should be
accounted successes for the allies is
doubtful. The British suffered enor.
nous losses and at Neuye Chapelle
bungled affairs to the extent OF shell.
ing their own men who had taken Ger.
man trenches. In other cases they
left gallant little parties lodged in
enemys trenches without supports to
be annihilated.
The next development was the I'M
expected use of poisonous gas fumes
by the Germans in attacks just north
of Ypres. With this novel weapon
they succeeded in taking several small
villages and more than compromising
for the British gains south of Ypres
The losses OF the French, Canadians
and British were severe, but they sue
ceeded In stemming the German on
s1aught effectively a few miles bacl
from their former position.
Begin Series Of Attacks.
The German line makes a salient a
Scissors, though not such > pro
: nounced one as at ST. MIhiel TIL,
French now began a series of at
tacks on the upper side OF this salient
! to the north of Arras. Expending hun
! dreds Of thousands OF shells, they tim
and again blasted away the barbet
wire entanglements and concret
} trenches, held by Crown Prince RuT
} precht of Bavaria's men, and thei
! charged across the desolate ground 70
slight gains.
/ The fighting conferred about the 81
{ gar refinery Of Souchez and the grea
! German work called the Labyrinth
i Fighting went on in cellars and tun
, nels below the earth and the casual
/ ties were heavy. The French bent tn
) German line and captured the Laby
{ rinth, but whether the gains justife
t their sacrifice in human life is ques
I tionabIe.
. In July. Crown Prince Frederic
! Williams army attacked in the Al
gonne forest, west of verdun, an
succeeded in gaining several hundre
: yards Of shattered woodland and car
I turing several thousand FrenchmeT
J. There were rumors that tae Gei
mans were reinforcing for anothe
!. great drive toward Calais OF Parii
but the Teutonie campaign in til
West continued TO wait upon tn
crushing Of the much weaker enem
e in Poland.