New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-07
Rumanians Quit City
Without a Fight as
Ploesci Line Is Cut
INVADERS DRIVE
FOR MOLDAVIA
Force Defenders to Aban-
don Prahova Valley
and Flee North
rBy caSle 10 The rheunsl

(B, Cable 10 The rreunsi
London, Dec. 6.-Bucharest has fall-
en-. The capture of the Rumanlan cap
itsl was announced officially by Berlin
tonight. The Germans now hold 10000
square miles OF territory in Rumania.
The retirement of the Rumanians
from the city and the surrounding re-
gion was forced y the advance OF the
Germanic troops on three sides OF the
capital. King Ferdinand's commanders
slipped out of the enemy's' trap early
in the day, with their forces apparently
almost intact. Evidently no effort was
made to defend the city.
/ The final dash Of the troops OF fal-
kenhsyn and Mackensen on Bucharest
vas astonishingly swift, fact partly
accounted for by the determination OF
! the Rumanians TO give up the city as
I soon as their armies were threatened
with development. Yesterday the VIC
torious Danube army stood only seven
miles from the outskirts of the capital.
By this morning the defenders had been
cleared from their positions and the
/ German troops marched into the city
with little opposition.
Ploesci Is Captured
While these operations were going
/ on a movement was being carried out
by the 9th German Army IN the re-
pion northwest of Bucharest that un-
doubtedly brought about the Ruma-
mans resolution to retire with all
speed.
! Delminsingens troops fought their
I yay forward from the Tergovitza sec
tor, reached the Ploesci-Bucharest rail-
road and then advanced on Ploesci.
This important town. from which radi-
ate FIVE railroad lines, was captured TO-
day.
/ With Ploesei in the enemy's hands,
only one avenue of escape was LETT
omen TO the Rumanian troops in Bucha-
rest-that along the railroad to Ger
navoda. Presumably it is this route
that the retreating forces are now fol-
| lowing.
Part of Sakharoff's' army is in pos
session of the western end OF the
/ bridpe over which this road crosses the
Danube into the Dobrudja, so the re-
tirement of the Rumanan units is safe
guarded at that point. From that
vIaoo onotber railroad runs northwest
into Moldavia.
Prahova Valley Evacuated
The fall of Ploesci had another i'm
oortant effect. By placing the IN
vaders in the rear Of the Rumanian
forces in the Prahova sector, south and
southeast of Kronstadt. it compelled
their speedy retirement. Sinaia' 'he
summer capital" which lies on the
Kronstadt- -Ploesci railroad, was occu-
MED by the Teutonic troops. This sue
cessful operation will force the retire
uent of the Rumsnians from the en-
tire region south and east of kron-
stadt, and will give the enemy strong
grin on the region northwest Of buzeu'
which now becomes their immediate
objective. ,;.s
,ranned in Southwestern Wallachla are
rapidly being hedged In by the leutons'
DyyindlIng with each successive en-
psqement' they are forced TO fght un,
der adverse conditions. In forced
battle on the Alt yesterday this army
d lost 1900 more men in prisoners ana
was compelled TO retreat IN confusion
toward other of the walls OF men tnst
surround them.
J In addition TO this roll OF prisoners
the invaders took more than 4,iOo more
Rumanians in operations IN other sec
tors. Despite the enormous captures
made by the Teutons in the last lew
DAYS, it is apparent TO military men
that Ferdinand has extricated the main
body OF his troops.
Like Russian and Serb Drives
/ In this respect the world has seen
( repetition of the tactics followed by
I the Russians in the spring OF 1919 ana
bv the Serbians in the fall of the same
year, NUeD tHt
through the hostile country, but isiIed
10 destroy the opposing armies. both
the Russians and Serbs have since
proved the value of men over territory.
Observers look for similar sequel IN
the case Of the Rumanians.
One Of the greatest benefits that has
accrued TO the Teutons from their con
quest OF nearly one-half OF all Rumahia
lies in the rich stores of grain, oil ana
other supplies seized in the conquered
lands. Berlin evinces as much elatloh
over the capture yesterday OF stores
of wheat, bought by the British gov.
} eminent and labelled as such BY signs,
as over the defeat OF the enemys
armies.
/ In the Carpathians and in Eastern
i Tran,ylyanis the Russians vainly at
tempted to pierce the enemy's lines
during the day. Except in the iroitus
Valley, where Berlin admits the loss OF
An advanced line OF trenches, the leu
tons stood firm, and even extended their
positions.
The Rumsnisn campaign began on
! August 81. The turning point came
/ on November Is. when Won faiken-
hayn completely defeated the Ru.
rnanians at Tergu-jiu and reached
! Craiova two days later. On Noyem-
ber "a Mackensen crossed the Dan
ube and quickly formed junction
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