New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-30
FORCING ARMIES
INTO HUGE TRAP

ri IS the ambition Of every military
commander to entrap his enemy
- into a strategical position from
which there is no escape and complete
surrender is inevitable. To-day, when
aeroplane scouts daily watch from the
clouds the mau~uvres Of hostile
troops. 1t is almost impossible for
general TO outhauk or, surround his
enemy with q surprise movement, ana
the Furopean conflict IS not likely 70
produce any startling surrenders. Be
fore the advent Of the air scout, now
ever. saws "Tit-Bits,' many famous
campaigns were shortened and IN some
cases won when thousands of men were
cleverly encircled with an impenetra,
Bile ring of troops and cannon and
forced into complete surrender;
The decisive battle OF the Franco
German War in 1870 occurred at Sc
dan. when 100000 Germans hemmed IN
a French army 10000 strong. A ring
cor,posed of 700 belchlng cannon
hurled death at the French IRON mus
on every side. Marshal MacMahon,
the French commander, was badly
wounded by a shell, and his master
mind was unable TO scheme an escape
for his troops. The French were
forced 10 hoist the white flag. which
meant the surrender of $4,000 men,
200 guns and 200 field pieces, tins be
ing the greatest event Of its k'nd IN
history. .,o. -.
clever surrounding movements, tor ne
was a master of such tactics. during
The Napoleonic wars Of 1905 Bonaparte
forced 10000 Austrians with sixty can
non TO surrender at Ulm. The french-
man, By n bold and rapid movement;
threw his troops across the khlne anu
cut off the Austrans' communication
with Vienna Without FOOD or amihu.
rition supplies, the enemy were causHs
like rats in Il trap, ana alnouEn 10.
two weeks they fought desperately lol
tbo recovery Of the Vienna roads they
wore eventually forced 10 surrender. .
Starvation has often compelled an /
.vr,, "a surrender when surrounded.
for win the enemy or every side 1000
eupplics cannot be obtained. IL was
lack Of food which caused General Lee
during the American CIVIL war 70
boist the white flag a. AppomauoN'
wben over 25.000 men fell INTO the
bc,ds If the enemy. The Confederate
troons were not oyerawed by the huge
,,,mbers opposed 20 them, and ior.
r.ortbs refused to surrender, until, half
e,arved. barefooted and IN rags, they
we're forced 10 recognize defeat. In the
Frarco-Gcrman War the French army
in Paris. though hopelessly trapped
refused TO hoist the white nag untl .
the death rate had grown 10 5'OOo
week and both citizens ana solule''
were literally starving.
One Of the most dramatic surrenaers
IN military history was that OF ForI
Arthur during the Russo-J apanese .
var For five months the Russians
under General Stocssei. defended the
citv into which they had been forced (
nv the fierce onslaughts Of the Japan
$50 II was expected that the Cars
troops. $4,000 strong and well pro 4
yisioned. would safely hold Port Ar
thur until relief came. After twenty
weeks Of siege. however. Stoessel +
raised the white flag and the japanese
marched into the city. General Stoes-
sci was tried for treason IN eonnec-
ton with the surrender. and he was
sentenced to death. for II was stated
that the Russians had sufficient food
and ammunition in Port Arthur TO nave
continued their defence for some time
The Car commuted the sentence on
Stoessel 20 one Of ten years imprison-
ment. but the disgrace broke his health
and he died recently. para!yZed ana
dumb.