The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-12-30
REVIEW Of EUROPEAN WAR AND OTHER
IMPORTANT EVENTS Of THE YEAR 1916
Great Conflict RACES With Increased ntenstyRoumana, Ff-
teenth Nation Enter Struggle 0veFrun by Central Pow
ers-Teutonic Allies Make First Peace Proposals.
United States Faces Several Crises

blow when the British cruiser Hamp-
shire was blown up in the North sea
by a mine and Earl Kitchener, British
secretary of war, and his entire staff,
were lost. During the early part of
June the Russians broadened their Of
fenSive in Galicia and along the lines
further north and on June they an
nounced the recapture of the fortress
of Lutsk in VoIhynia and the crossing
Of the Ikwa and Styr rivers at several
points.
On July 1, the British and French
launched their great drive on the west
front. A concerted attack was made
on 25-miIe front north and south of
the SOmme river. July IL, after ten
days and nights of continuous fight
ing, the British claimed the capture
of the whole of the enemys first lines
of defense on a front of 1900 yards.
During the remainder of the month the
British and French continued their ad-
vance, the British occupying the entire
village of POzieres July 26 and the
French advancing close to Peronne, an
| important railroad center.
During the month of August the
Russians, after terrific fighting, pierced
the TeutOn lines on the Lemberg and
kOvel fronts and advanced in the Car
pathians. The Italians continued their
drive on Trieste. August 9, after days
Of terrific fighting, they captured Go
ritz and pushed forward, pursuing the
retreating AustFians.
Roumania Enters War.
Roumania, after months of wavering,
entered the war on the side of the en-
tente allies with a declaration of war
on Austria-Hungary. ROumania was
the fifteenth nation. to enter the war.
On the same day Italy declared war on
Germany and the following day Ger
many declared war on ROumania With
the declaration of war fighting began
between the Roumanians and Aus
TRANS on the Transylvanian frontier.
August 80, the ROumanians occupied
Kronstadt and Hermannstadt, the two
chief cities of Pennsylvania. Field
Marshal Won Hindenburg, whose sue
| cesses had made him the idol of the
German people, succeeded General Won
Falkenhayn as chief of the general
staff of the German army August %.
During the month of SEPTEMBER, the
ROumanianS, cooperating with the
Russians, advanced in northern Tran
Sylvania and BukOwina, but suffered
severe reverses at the hands of the
BulgarianS and Austrians in Dobrudia.
The allied troops made decided gains
in the -Somme sector, occupying
COmbles and other important towns
on September 26.
Early in October the tide turned
against the Roumanians and Russians
in Pennsylvania and the latter were
forced to retire before a strong Austro-
German force under command of Gen
eral Won Falkenhayn. On October IL,
the Teutons began an invasion of ROD
mania. On the Verdun front, the
French smashed the German lines Dc
tober "a, retaking Douaumont fort and
village.
The struggle between the Roumanian
and Russian forces on the one side and
the TeutOn and Bulgarian armies on
the other held the center of attention
in November. Taking advantage of
! the plight in which the ROumanians
on the Transylvanian front found
| themselves Won Mackensen held his
lines in DObrudja and, attacking the
Danube line, forced the river barrier
at several points. Effecting a juncture
| of their forces, the TeutOn command
| ers drove the Roumanians back upon
Bucharest. The ROumanianS retreat
| ed rapidly toward the capital, burning
| villages and all stores of grain and
munitions in the district through which
they passed. November %, the seat
of the Roumanian government was
moved from Bucharest to Jassy, near
the Russian frontier The Roumanians
evacuated Bucharest December 6 in or
der to save their army.
The Serbians, aided by French and
Italian troops, made a start toward
winning back their country during No
vember. Their big drive resulted in
the capture of AIonastir on November
| 10. On the Somme front the battle of
| the Ancre opened November ID with
! the capture by the British of five miles
of the German positions, together with
I three strong towns.
An announcement of far-reaching
| significance was made in the Russian
| duma December 2 by Premier Trepoff,
who read a proclamation announcing
officially that an agreement concluded
by Russia, France and Great Britain
in 1915, and later approved by Italy,
establishes in definite manner the
rights of Russia to the straits and
ConstantinOple"
The fall of the British cabinet early
in December furnished one of the most
sensational features of the years war
developments. Demands of David
Lloyd-George for the formation of a
smaller war4council to obtain greater
efficiency forced the resignation of Pre-
mier Asquith. Lloyd George was made
pfemier and selected a new cabinet,
the prosecution of the war being
placed in the hands of five men, in
Guiding the premier.
The first direct overtures for peace
came on December Is, when Germany,
Austria-Hungary. Bulgaria and Turkey
of that thOught-and consequently
cheap moral conduct 1t is in this di-