Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-08-21

| 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 a 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-
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 ard counter-mine.
The flooding of the River Aisne
from winter SHOWS gave the Germans
chance to entrap the French troops
on the north side of that river in the
vicinity of scissors for a considerable
distance and kill or capture most of
them (January I'D.
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 Hartmannsweilerkop 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. 60. in
Flanders. Whether these should be
| accounted successes for the allies is
doubtful. The British suffered enor-
| nous losses and at Neuve Chapelle
bungled affairs to the extent of she'll
| ing their own men who had taken Ger
man trenches In other cases they
| left gallant little parties lodged in
| enemy's trenches without supports to
be annihilated-
The next development was the un-
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 compensating
| 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
slaught effectively a few miles back
from their former position
Begin Series of Attacks.
The German line makes a salient al
| scissors. though not such pro
nounced one as at ST. Mihiel The
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 time
and again blasted away the barbed
wire entanglements and concrete
trenches. held by Crown Prince Rup
precht of Bavaria's men, and then
charged across the desolate ground 70,
slight gains.
The fighting centered about the su
| gar rennery OF Souchez and the great
German work called the Labyrinth
Fighting went on in cellars and tun
nels below the earth and the casual
ties were heavy. The French bent the
German line and captured the LADY
rinth. but whether the gains justified
their sacrifice in human life is ques
| tionable.
In July. Crown Prince Frederick
Williams army attacked .in the Ar
gonne forest. west of Verdun. and
succeeded in gaining several hundred
| yards of shattered woodland and cap
turing several thousand Frenchmen
There were rumors that TIE Ger
mans were reinforcing for another
great drive toward Calais or Paris
but the Teutonic campaign in, the
West continued to wait upon ths
crushing of the much weaker enemy
: IN Poland
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