New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-06
CHARGE SONIME
DRIVE IS FAILURE
Germans Declare They
Held After Sending
Troops to Rumania

Ill, Tho successes of Won Macken-
SON and Falkenhayn in Dobrudja and
Transylvania have been aided by large
bodies Of troops transferred from
.ho Western front while the Allies
d~;re IN the Somme was at its height.
This was revealed in an analytical re-
mort from German army headquarters,
which declares the Anglo-French push,
measured by its gains and the sacri-
fees entailed. has failed.
The report, published in German
newspapers, says:
CONTRARY 10 former wars, IN wnlcn
the destiny Of nations and continents
is often decided by one battle and in
the space of a few hours, this world
war brings battles which go on for
months without an important result
being decided. Such is the engagement
being fought on the River Somme.
"The attacking powers without any
doubt conceived and planned battle
Of the greatest style. destined to
change radically the general strateg-
ical situation on the war theatres OF
three continents. What is the result?
An infection of the unshakable Ger
man front hardly noticeable even on
maps of the largest scale.
"The gain OF this infection. accord
:nr TO conservative calculation, cost
sbout 100000 men, loss that means
. 000 men for each square kilometre OF
terrain transformed into a desert The
enemy has not even obtained the con-
quest Of Peronne and Bapaumc.
Change in Objective
THE fact that these figures offer
sharp contrast to The result reached
I'D TO the present is the reason why
the Entente Powers now deny their
original intentions in making the attack
and why they affirm that they did not
plan TO break through, but only to de-
tain German masses of troops on the
Western front.
This is the success Of the Somme
offensive. undertaken with all the
worlds means and with the highest
hopes"
Further extracts say:
"The first great thrust of the En-
tente offensive in July surpassed Ger
man expectations as to power and en-
durance. but il failed owing to the
UNPARALLELED aggression OF the German
troops. and our assailants gave up
their intention TO break through IN
that direction. .,
"Already in August the enemy had
passed somewhat the unmethodlcai tao
tics Of a general pressure against the
whole front, which. as was natural,
brought only isolated advantages. IN
September the tactics of the enemy
again were completely changed. BY an
undeniably increased pushing force ne
obtained an important gain IN terrain,
and, resuming his bold intention OF
breaking through. the enemy directed
all his efforts against the top OF the
triangle and to gain some ground north
Of the Somme, between that river and
the Ancre. This meant the definitive
division of the general battle into two
separate engagements.
Couldn't Extend Gains
"The southern battle in the district
of Biaches and Vermandevillers, after
the failure OF the idea TO break
through on a big scale, resulted IN
noticeable gain of terrain in the sector
of Berry and Chaulnes in consequence
of powerful local thrusts. These gains,
however, could not be extended owing
10 the heavy losses sustained by the
attacking troops.
"In the northern sector the weight
of the common thrust succeeded IN eX-
tending considerably the conquered
triangle by the conquest OF Gueude-
court and further terrain, including
Combles, during the battle OF Septem-
Der 25 10 September q, but the aim OF
this unheard-of effort the strateglcal
breach Of the lines at the top OF the
triangle was not obtained IN spite OF
murderous lighting beyond all human
comprehension.
"The unheard-of Anglo-French efforts
I'm the battles Of October also finally
failed as the result Of the German re-
sisting power, which certainly had in
creased enormously since the middle
Of September.
The result OF the Somme battle,
therefore, can be stated as follows:
"The enemy did not succeed in break
ing through the German lines. Neither
did he crush the German forces, which
would have meant the shaking OF the
German West front. The enemy did
not even obtain the modest aim of de-
tanning a sufficient number OF German
troops on the Western front 10 impede
a great German action IN another war
theatre. Conquered Dobrudia and lib
Grated Transatlantic arc proof OF this