South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-15
CLIMAX REACHED
IN CARSO FIGHT
italian General Uses 100000
Men Against Enemy on
SiX-miIe Front.

ZURICH, Dec. IA thrilling de-
scription Of the recent terrible battle
on the Carso Plateau from the pen
Of Joseph Pogany, a war correspon-
dent who viewed the gigantic struggle
from the most advanced Austro-
Hungarian positions. has just been
published here
The eighth battle on the Isonzo
was the elimination or the Italian
campaign says Pogany. Il have
witnessed the awful struggles
around Doberdo and Gorilla, but
the hell on the Carso Plateau sur
passed all horrors 1 had seen be-
fore The Italian attacks in this
latest and greatest battle were of
almost incredible ferocity and the
heroism displayed by both sides will
live forever in history.
The new Italian offensive was
we'll planned and carried out with
great skill and energy On the
comparatively short front of six
miles Gen. Count Cadorna threw no
less than $4,000 men into battle. or
100000 men more than he used in
his September drive on a front of 10
miles. Two full corps of infantry.
the 18th and the oath, attacked on
. front % only 4brae md opa-bo I q
miles. together with q corps of dis
mounted cavalry. while at the same
/ time eight regiments stormed for
ward against Hill IA.
"In his great effort TO break the
AustrO- Hungarian lines, Gen. Ca
/ dorna used the methods Of Joffre
/ and Brussilof. He prepared the
storming attacks by a drum fire of
/ his heaviest artillery and when, after
/ a terrible bombardment of 200
( hours, the Austrian positions seem
4 ed 10 be pulverized or at least bad
/ ~ shaken. he ordered "A general at
tack. His infantry, with admirable
dash and courage. advanced in for
nations 20 lines deep under a with
ering fire from the heights.
The Italians concentrated their
efforts on the short front between
/ Grace di Merna and Novavas and
/ Hills 144 and 2OS. From two sides
the Italian waves rolled forward
I until they reached JamianO. The
\ Austrians soon found themselves
\ thanked from two directions and
their retreat was impossible, as the
Italians had penetrated n full mile
to their rear and threatened TO cut
them off completely.
When the situation became ex-
tremely critical for the AustrianS
two Tyrolean regiments launched q
furious counter attack. The Ital-
ians were caught in the flank and
fell in rows under the hail of Aus
trian shells and bullets. Nearly l.
hundred men were cut off and had
TO surrender.
During the night the battle
around Hills IA and EOS and Nova.
vas ragged necessarily. Italian rein
forcements arrived continually and
when the morning came the righ
flank of the defenders hung in the
air and the ruins of NOvavas were
in the hands of the Italians. 4
counter attack of TyrOlean regi
ments and Hungarian troops rces
tablished the Austrian line, but
was bent back three-quarters of
mile on a front of about two miles
This was the whole result of A.
hours of the most bloody fighting o
the present war. All during tn
next day and the following nigh
the Italians continued their storm
ing attacks without "A moment
pause. Their reserves seemed to b
inexhaustible, but they made no fur
Their Roadway.
1 ION the morning of the fourt
day they gave up their efforts t
/ break the Aus.ro- Hungarian from
I Only in the southern part of TN
Carso Plateau they attacked
: hours longer.
I'm their latest attempt TO reac
1 Trieste the Italians sacrificed &
least 100000 men. I am positiy
$4,000 of their officers and soldier
were killed. wounded or taken pri:
oners in the sector between Lob
vica and Hill IA alone, but th
| losses of the Austrians were ais
| very heavy When the battle cease
the field was covered with dea,
They are all holy. friend and foe
| an Austrian general said TO m
i pointing TO heaps of corpses. L,