The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-07-05
Fall of Verdun Near,
Says Press of Berlin

LONDON July 5.-The fall OF Verdun
Is a matter of a few days. according to
a semi official statement. obviously
government inspired, which Is printed
throughout the German press.
The author. Major d. Won schreibers-
hofen, gives a detailed strategic descrip-
ton Of the attack intended to prove
that the French resistance Of over four
months is nearing an end. The promi-
hence with which the article Is displayed
in the German papers leads to the belief
that the German military authorities
are anxious to turn the attention OF the
German public from the reverses SUI
fered in the north as a result Of the
Anglo-French offensive. o..
The article says in part:
THE northeast front of the fortress
zone of Verdun was marked by three
great fortified works. They were the
' WinE; the q. Thiaumont On fieidworts' in
the middle. and the works on the Cote
de Froide Terre, which were the key
to the southwest wing and held the ap-
proach to the Mouse.
Attack on Thiaumont.
After storming Fort Douaum>nt and
the works of Vaux further south. an
attack was made on the works Of
Thiaumont. which were captured by .
victorious advance Of the Ierman
troops. The capture Of the enemy work
further increased by taking all the
neiGhboring positions. In this way the
French again lost considerable part
degree been thrown back upon their
more being robbed Of their freedom Of
movement and ,I room for the - ds eve 9
most Importance for their counter-at-
I'm spite of all their efforts in bring
French Up are se not in pssition To deminats
most Of Which has been stormed by the
Germans. lies directly to the north Of
Caiilette wood and the Vaux-Chapitre
wood. and only q few kilometers north
Of the souville fort. on a high ridge
considerable distance. It IL, therefore.
"a point of great technical importance.
as-.it is a good starting point for .
further attack on the outer line OF forts
Little Power of Resistance.
1.-THE French now possess only the
lower works on the Cote de Froide Terre
and a strip of ground that communi-
Gates between them and the lost work
of Thiaumont. These positions have.
comparatively speaking only a small
breadth of front, and have therefore
lost to a great extent their power of
resistance and possibility Of defense,
since they are more than ever exposed
to a concentrated attack.
with the capture of the village of
Fleury the foremost German line now
runs through Fleury. the Vaux-Chapitre
wood. the ridge of Fumin wood.
through the district south and west OF
the fortress of Vaux. 1t runs almost
parallel to the section of the inner line
of forts that passes through Fort Sou
Vile and Fort Tavannes. separated
from 1t by a few kilometers.
"A characteristic feature of the Ger
man attack before Verdun consisted
therefore in the fact that now the
greater part of the outer line of forts
in this section has been stormed and
the foremost German troops have come
quite close to the inner line of defense
Extraordinarily favorable conditions fol-
the continuance OF the hattie have
therefore been brought about.
LET us think with the utmost graft.
tude and admiration of this brillian,
success of our brave and heroic troops
N yyhonn pwa thia pew yictoryv