New-York tribune., 1916-06-24
Storm Thiaum on t
Work and Trenches
East OF Meuse.
HELD 31z MILES
FROM THE CITY
Counter Attack Checks
Thrust - Champagne
Line Also Attacked.
m c.n,. "a TIE rribunsl J

ro,don. June 29.-With tremendous
hlors the German wedge at Nerdun
"a, driven further IN to-day until To-
riob. its point was but three ana Il
- u,;les from the heart Of the Tor
tress. ,,.
lite since the attack began four
nor+b. AGO. the Germans carried 'he
French first line trenches oet"ee"
Hills 400 and 921, east Of the Meuse,
caD+ured the foe at Thiaumont ana
r.ro.rated to the village Of Fleury' n
rr,,cb counter attack, now raging WIN
the greatest violence has aireAOS O''
~, them out Of the latter place
Co;neident with this assault oeii'
or.d over a front Of more than 'nree
IL. N. artillery bombardments 0!
uu 8o4 and lie Mort Homme' "es' u
49, Neuse. were renewed with fresh
-;o,.rce Infantry attacks at these
.o;nts were momentarily expected Oy
-. french. In the Champagne AiSO
-, assaults followed intense sne',-
-, Int broke down before the frene"
curtain Of fire.
Nville's Lines Threatened
Br, despite the German gains 10
-. .ho most far reaching since 'he
canture of Fort vau1, French OBSERVE. 1..s
80 % he alarmed. They aom''
.bst further progress at IhiauH0",
80 Fl.urv would threaten General
Vivelle's lines seriously. Inc 1ef'""ns
uorld thus be able TO command VI" W
wous. behind Verdun itself and wiz"
.t,I- .rtillerv sweeping the orioge'
rorId be abl. to force the frehc" "
.racrste the whole east bank Oh '"'
river. .ven seri-
.or.idered. Observers are con
sdsnt that Fren h counter-attaeAS VIZ
IN hs sble. as they have in the pas"
80 torce the Germans from any posi'io"
49,. is too menacing. They also poin'
out that the sector of to-days s''A'N
;s nerbaps the most difficult OF sli 'n'
defenc.s east Of the Meuse. -,
Remind Fort Thiaumont and the VII.
lace Of Fleury is the triangle %
French forts Of souville, st. Mlhiei an1
pellsville. Guns from these positions
have been able 70 prevent any advances
from Forts DouaumOnt and Vaux even
after they fell into German hands
Drive Believed Plnsl One.
Military opinion, on the other hand
- inclined 70 be optimistic over TO
dav's attacks. In their widespread
character is seen fnal supreme efor'
bv the Germans to storm the fortress
and end the Verdun adventure In order
that they may turn TO meet the Russian
menace.
The Germans have made no secrets
Of their fear Of q Russian advance
Sincs their failure 70 annihilate ire
armies Of the Gar last fall they have
exhausted every resource Of invention
in attempting 70 make their lines In
tho East impregnsble. And now that
the Austrian collapse has shown how
easily these can be swept aside there
"a. great deal Of uneasiness in Berlin.
Already General Kuropatkin Is ham
n.ring at Won Hindenburg's lines OF
landsturn, seeking their weakest link
By great show Of activity IN the
vest observers believe the Germans
ar. ,eeking TO cover the transfer OF
troops TO oppose the Russians. They
realize that they have only TO disclose
their weakness in France to bring on
. general Anglo-Freneh offensive. 1t
is this situation Of Germany, caught
between an offensive on two fronts,
predicted by Bernhard, that the Allies
hav. been seeking 10 bring about.
Battle on Threo-Mile Front.
@on the left bank Of tho Meuse,"
saws the Paris statement tonight,
"bombardments with shells OF heavy
ealibre continued all day in the region
OF Hill 3O4 and lie Mort Homme. and
on our second lines in the sector OF
Chattancourt.
"On the right bank Of The Meuse'
following violent artillery preparations
last night, the Germans at o'clock
Continued on page 3, column