Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-04-17
IvERDUN BATTLE
GREATEST EVER
Gigantic Struggle Enters
Upon Ninth Week of
Slaughter.
GREATEST EFFORT e..
OF PRESENT WAR
Modern Guns Compel Defenders Of One
Of Greatest Forts Of Europe to De-
pend Largely Upon Trench Warfare
- Four Hundred Thousand Men
Killed, Wounded or Invaiided in At
tack and Counter Attacks.


tack and Counter Attacks.
The most gigantic conflict in the
history Of the world-the battle of
Verdun-has entered upon it's ninth
week. The enormous scale of the Ger
man preparation and the execution Of
the attack, the unparalleled concen-
tration Of artillery and the sustained
ferocity Of the fighting, mark the bat
tie as one of the greatest efforts of the
war. T.
. Verdun has been rated as one Of the
greatest fortresses of Europe, a cor
nerstone in the defenses against Ger
many. The evolution Of military tao
tics. and particularly the employment
by Germany Of long-range howitzers,
capable Of reducing the greatest forts,
have done much to change the char
acter of the Verdun campaign as COM
pared with the earlier conceptions.
Before the battle opened the French
partly dismantled their forts around
Verdun and here, as elsewhere on the
various fronts, chief reliance for re-
sistance was placed on an elaborate
system of trenches. In no previous
battle were the losses so high as in
the fighting around Verdun # esti-
mates are correct nearly 100000 men
have been eliminated as fighting units.
Germans Gain Little.
The ground occupied by the Ger
mans after ffty-six days Of offensive
operations may be roughly calculated
as 100 square miles. They have forced
back the French from outlying posi-
tions to their definite line Of resistance
along a circular front from the edge Of
the Argonne eastward across the
Meuse and southNard into the Woevre.
For the most part this mhin line has
withstood the shock OF 81 qccesstve at
tacks. - Es &5
The verdun drive was BEGUN on Feb
81 by the German army under Crown
Prince Frederick William. &1
The Germans are reported to have
brought up about 100000 men to rein
force the troops which had been in
service there. After an unparalleled
artillery bombardment by way Of
preparation the infantry attack was
launched Within the first ten days
the French lost Haumont, Samogneux,
Brabant, Ornes, Beaumont, Cham :
brettes, Marmont, Cotellate, Champ
neuville and the fortified works Of
Hardaunnont, Dieppe, Fromezzey, Abb
aucourt and, most Of all. Fort Douau-
mont. These positions lie east Of the
Meuse and north, northeast and east
Of Verdun. 4:,s. f.. : s%s..&sg -.&
"@ Struggle at Fort Vaux. +
! Fighting continued Internationally
northeast Of verdun during the third
week, centering in the struggle for
Fort Vaux. Meanwhile. new phase
of the battle had developed west Of
the Meuse. With batteries 100 yards
apart violent artillery attacks were
made against Dead Man Hill preceding
the long expected offensive from the
northwest Forges, near, Dead Man
Hill. was captured early In the third
week d. G,., g. \ r.. ...s =
On March 81 the capture Of Malan-
court was accomplished after fierce
night attacks. On the forty-sixth day
Of the battle the Germans announced
the capture Of Haucourt, supporting
point of the French LEFT wing. From
1t large section Of the French left
line and fortif1cations could be taken
under German fire, including Bethin-
court. This village then became the
object point. The French admitted the
evacuation OF the Bethincourt salient
two days later. saying it was pre-
meditated move to straighten out the
line. 90
Lines Still Unbroken.
On Sunday Of last week the Ger
a thirteen-mile front. The Germans
announced that within *~~ro 4 s,ours
Bethincourt was isolated. Trenches
near Dead Man Hill were carried but
at no point was the French line broken
thru
4 Toward the end Of last week this at
tack subsided and there came another
pause. followed by French counter
attack. @H.
The failure of the Germans TO break
the line led French correspondents to
assert that the German offensive had
front, however. Indicate that the at
tacks are going forward under pre-
conceived plan.
e fUsIteI teilPOIdTIly assuming lne az
gressive in the yerdun battle, launch
ing attacks In the Douaumont-vau
region. which Is declared to have
gained them some ground, the French
yesterday and last night held their i'm
fantry in check.
Riotous demonstration occurred In
Athens when an attempt was made to
break up meeting OF former Premier
Venizeios' supporters i
The British ship Glehdoon and the
steamer Herrovian have
been sunk. 81 II, sss
French Positions Bombarded.
Paris; April III French positions Ii,
Avocourt wood and on the front from:
Dead Man Hill to Cymieres were
yesterday. There were 40.
infantry attacks the official report sof;
this afternoon says. sS.s;l s:s$
TO the east Of the Aieuse the night
n s M