davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1916-08-20
AUSTRO-ITALIAN ARENA.
Chronological Events.
SUNDAY.

Z.
Artillery duels in Gorilla region
Italians report repulse for enemy at
tacks on Forame slopes. on the Boite and
in the Sugana valley.
Austrian batteries lombard towns in
Chiarzo and Cordevole valleys.
Severe fighting goes on in the Tolrnino
region.
Austrians claim to have taken 5000
prisoners during Italian offensive.
MONDAY
Italians are reported to have entered the
suburbs of Tolmino.
Italian advance guard reported within
thirteen miles of Trieste.
Austrian attacks repulsed by Italians,
who gain near Sainte Grado and Monte
Pecnka.
Italians carry more enemy intrench-
menlnts east of Gorilla.
Austrian aircraft raid Monfalcone
Ronci, st. Canziano and Piaris.
Austrians report repulse of Italian at
tacks in the Vipacco valley.
TUESDAY.
Italians penetrate Austrian trenches on
defend Trieste.
Seven Italian charges in Gorilla sector
Evening star., 1916-08-20
NEAR EAST AND AFRICA.
Chronological Events.
SUNDAY.

SUNDAY.
british forces continue to drive Turks
back east Of the Suez canal.
British reported to have retired after
attacking Turks in Mesopotamia.
MONDAY.
Russians claim capture of strong
Turkish position in region OF Sakkiz,
Persia.
Constantinople reports capture of
Hamadan. in Persia. after inliicting
heavy losses on Russians.
TUESDAY
Turks make further advance north
of Bitlis.
Russians force retreat of Turks on
southwest bank of Lake Van.
British forces operating in German
East Africa occupy coastal station Of
Raganiojo.
WEDNESDAY,
Russians report repulSe of Turkish
detachments south of Kalapasvas, in
Persia.
THURSDAY.
Capture of karema, German East
Africa, is reported.
FRIDAY.
London places Turkish losses around
Katia. east of Suez canal, at 5000 killed
and wounded.
Belgians report continued progress
in German East Africa
British and Turks engage in minor
clashes in Mesopotamia.
Evening star., 1916-08-20
The Austrian Threat.

Now look at the map and you will see
thatif the Austrians coming down these
routes were able to overflow into
would get possession of the only rail-
roads that lead from Italy eastward to
the Gorilla gateway and to Austria.
Hence If Italy undertook to attack the
Gorilla position before she had closed
this backdoor entrance into her own
house, her armies going eastward to
GoriZia would have their rail and road
communications cut off and would
either have to cut their way out and
back south of the Po, or else they
would be captured. And If Austria
once cleared Venetia of Italian troops
she could stand behind the Po and the
Mlncio which comes out of the Lago
di Garda, on that line famous in all
earlier wars as the Italian quadrilat-
eral, and taking its names from the
four ancient fortresses Verona, Pc
schiera. Legnano and Mantua. She
would then have the war far in Italian
territory, as Germany has it In French
territory.
Accordingly when Italy did come into
the war her energies We're first direct
ed TO closing this back door entrance
and because Austria was busy else
where she was able to send her troops
up the shores of Bago di Garda, almost
to Riva, up the Adige valley, almost to
foVeretto, and UP the Brenta to BorgO.
But she did not succeed in getting to
Trent. Could she have done this she
would actually have put a cork in the
neck of the Trentino bottle and would
have had no further worry about her
back door. She could then have turned
to the main business of forcing thu
GorlZia gateway. She was stopped.
however, by the Austrian defenses be,
lore and We'll south of Trent
Evening star., 1916-08-20

reported to have been put down by the
Austrians.
Reported Germany Will send army to
defend Trieste.
Italians claim to have taken Austrian
trenches on slopes Of Monte Pecinka, and
in neighborhood Of San Caterina and
San Marco.
italian and French aeroe raid NUM-
lions works at Muggia near Trieste
WEDNESDAY.
Austrian attack on the Carso reported
repulsed.
Italians shell Santa Lucia station.
THURSDAY.
Austrians deliver attacks on Trentino
front.
Gen. Cadorna's big guns batter heights
east of Gorilla
Vienna reports repulse of Italian at
tacks on upper Isonzo front
FRIDAY.
Austrian attack on Italian left wing on
Isonzo front is repuised.
Heavy artillery actions prevail
Evening star., 1916-08-20
not only captured 1900 meters of enamy
trenches in the
Gains Registered in region of Bel
low en- San
Region of Peronne. terre which Is

S6AoAA Va terre, Wh1ch is
the southernmost point on the Somme
battle line but they registered some gains
Immediately to the southwest of Peronne.
This city is declared already to be In
flames German soldiers dynamiting block
after block IN an effort to stay the con-
iagration. The greatest successes OF the
week from allied point of view nave
been registered to the northwest OF
Peronne in the vicinity of Clery. Maure-
pas and Guillemont The allies have
moved to points on two sides of Guile
mont, and this town is expected TO ran al
any moment. The French have entered
the outskirts of Maurepas and the town Is
under crossfire. How the Germans can
long resist the pressure at this point Is
not clearly seen. At Clery. three and a
half miles from Peronne. the French also
are said to be slowly gaining
The fighting in the region of Thiepval
and Pozieres has been Of bitter character,
although there was tendency on the
part of the British TO lessen their EFFORT
during the latter part of the week Ger
man trenches over front of nearly
mile were penetrated to a depth of be-
tween 400 and 500 yards during the early
part of the week. Terrific German coun-
ter attacks were launched and the Brit
ish lost one section of trenches, but later
-egalIed 1t.
Before Verdun the French have taken
up the gage Of battle and have been
bitterly attacking the Teutons at Fleury,
which point hey have wrested from en-
erny. The French are being subjected to
fierce counter attacks. however. but Paris
processes to see eventual success for the
present offensive effort. If the French are
TO force the Germans back at Nerdun to
point where they no longer bring inn
mediate menace to the once great citadel
the present time would appear to be op-
perfume. in view of the withdrawal Of
large German forces to the Somme re-
gions.
Evening star., 1916-08-20
EASTERN ARENA.
Chronological Events.
SUNDAY.

SUNDAY.
Russians continue crossings Of Rivers
Stripa. Zlota Lipa and Koropice.
Russians capture Podgatcy and Mari
ampol and Ezema-
Teutons driven back in region Of By
stritza-
Austrians reported to have evacuated
Stripa line.
MONDAY.
Russians capture Zablonitza-
Germans offer determined resistance
to Russians along line south OF Brody
Austrians forced to fall back four miles
in the region of Trustobaby.
Slavs gain firm foothold on west bank
Of the Zlota Lipa.
Russians reoccupy Vermkhta and
Arjeliuf on the River Pruth.
Slav attacks in Luh and Graberga sec
tors reported to have failed.
TUESDAY.
west of Vorokhta and Ardzemoy in Car
pathians.
Petrograd places total German prison
ers taken in summer offensive at S5S.OOo
Russians progress between River Ziota
Lipa and the Dniester.
Russians occupy Griava and Solotvina
Teutons continue retirement in regions
of Delatyn and Vorokhta.
WEDNESDAY.
Russians report repulses of determined
German counter attacks at many points
on the eastern front.
Russian attacks in the ZalvcZe region
reported repulSed.
Austrians claim check for enemy north
of the Dniester near Trustobaby.
THURSDAY.
Turks claimed to have repulsed Rus
sian attacks.
Vienna claims gains on Starawipczna
hill in the Carpathians.
Teutonic offensive west of the Zlota
Lipa to Podhaytse reported repulsed.
Russians claim capture of iysiets
southwest of Stanislau.
FRIDAY.
Russians break through German lines
on Stokhod river.
Lively engagement west Of Lake
Nobel.
Evening star., 1916-08-20

which comes a great trunk railroad, cross
ing the Brenner pass tothe north OF
Botzen and entering Italian territory a
little north of the city of Verona.
This is the historic route by which
northern invaders have again and again
descended into Italy, and Austria retained
this route, with the Italian speaking dis
tricts about the city Of Trent, solely for
the purpose of being able, In case of war
with Italy. to pour her troops down this
funnel She had guarded 1t with forts
and had rendered it actually one fortress
projecting into Italy
Just at the city Of Trent this route
divides into three. thus offering its pos
SCISSORS three different roads into the Ital-
ian plain, one coming down the shores Of
Lago di Garda, another coming straight
down the Adige valley to Verona and
third coming round the Brenta valley and
thus intothe plain near the city of vi
cenza.
Evening star., 1916-08-20
Germans Able to
Move Large Forces.

" }
have been enabled to move great forces
from this section to the southwark to
aid the Austrians in staying the Rus
sian drive, which brings with it grave
menace. Possibly this is one explana-
tion of the strong efforts to hold the
Russian armies to the minimum of
gains in the lower section OF the line
during the past ten days. 1t is a
noticeable fact that UP until the ap-
pointment Of Field Marshal Won Hin
denburg TO supreme command of all
armies operating IN the east the
Austrians were unable In anywise to
check the Russian drive. In fact, the
Austrians are declared to have been IN
almost complete state of demoraliza-
tion. and the possibility OF further
striking and material Russian gains
only was checked when the chief reins
were placed under the guidance of Won
Hindenburg. who previously had COM
uanded only those German armies to
the northward. That he should seize
advantage OF the Russian iethargy In
this section to move large number
Of forces. in which he had thorough
confidence. TO the southwark, seems TO
be natural conclusion.
The Russians. evidently realizing that
concerted effort over the whole east
ern front is the only logical means of
preventing large German transfers of
men from one section TO the other
have demanded that there be greater
effort southwark from Riga. All events
would indicate this, particularly the
removal Of Gen. K kuropatki from COM
inand OF these armies. 1t is believed
that his failure to gain results while
Gen. Brussiloh was achieving such pro-
nounced successes in the general di-
rectton of Lemberg led to this custer
Possibly the most peculiar feature Of
The whole situation. however, Is the
appointment OF Gen. Ruszky to sue
ceed KTroDatkin. He, during the op-
erat!ons around Lemberg early in the
war. won great fame for his daring
exploits. He was in charge of the
Russian operations in the north during
the earlier part of the great retreat"
in 1915, and although il was announced
that the strain involved in defending
the roads TO Petrograd had SO under
mined Gen. Ruszky's health he was
forced to surrender command IL is sur
missed that his previous successes, in
the light of later failures, were for
gotten by the czar and he summariiy
was dismissed. Gen. Ruszky always
has been one Of Russia's foremost mil
itary leaders. however, and it is but
natural, In view of previous accom-
plishments. he should be reinstated in
favor and given another chance to
prove the trust which the general staff
always has reposed in him even in
the face of the czar's displeasure.
1t would appear that the Russians
are on the eve Of greater endeavor, and
a large proportion of the prospective
blows will fall upon the Teutons north
of tho Pfnsk marshes.
Considerable interest 10 attached to
Evening star., 1916-08-20

The geography of this strip of land
between the sea and the Alps is easy
to grasp. Coming down out of the
Julian Alps, the Isonzo river touches
the Venetian plain less than thirty
miles from its own mouth. AS it comes
out OF the gorges it washes by Monte
Sabotlno, which is on it's western bank.
little to the south it touches the
foot of Podgora hill, also to the west,
flowing still to the south, but now on
the eastern bank 1t touches the foot of
the CarSo plateau, which crowds it
westward in wide curve before 1t
falls into the sea, through a swampy
mouth, similar to those of most north
ern Italian rivers that enter the
Adriatic.
Above Monte Sabotino the character
of the country is such that it is prac-
tically impossible for an invading army
coming up out of the Venetian plain to
force its way into Austria, although
Napoleon did go this way in his cam
paign that took him to Leoben and
ended in the treaty of Campo Formo.
NOW, however, modern artillery has
closed this route absolutely Thus,
when the Austrians had built perma-
nent trench lines. not old-fashioned
iorts, on Monte Sabotino. on Podgora
iltl and on the western edge of the
Carso plateau, which bears the name
OF Monte San Michele, they had a forti-
hed position quite comparable to the
ancient Thermopylae.
Evening star., 1916-08-20
Obstacles Allies
Have Surmounted.

Have Surmounted. ansnv - ~ aren e
sive is broken. At first glance 1t would
appear that the ground gained has not
been worth the cost. 1t being declared
in Berlin that nearly 500, 900 French
and British soldiers have fallen But
the fact must be taken Into considera-
ton that IN storming the German first
and second line trenches, and in some
cases sections of the third line, the al
lied forces really have accomplished a
great task. The system Of Notifications
erected by the Teutons during the long
period OF trench warfare was deemed
almost impregnable. line of trenches
in the present war does not, by any
means. mean that there is but one
trench to be stormed The aggressor
oftentimes must penetrate a labyrinth
of trenches within trenches. series after
series OF them. The second and third
lines invariably are closely connected
with interlockinR trenches. Each line
represents a maze of underground for
tifications. SO, consequently, when the
announcement is made that the Ger
mans have lost this line that it i'm
mediately must be borne in mind that
the success scored by the allies is
material one. The same process Of rea-
soning should hold good when the Ger
mans are reported to have gone over
allied ramparts. The very fact that the
allies now are resting in practically all
sections of the Somme beyond the Ger
man second line is an achievement
which London and Paris are inclined to
consider well worth the effort and cost
Notwithstanding the Teutonic spirit
of optimism. the fact nevertheless re-
mains that the forces defending Ba-
paume and Peronne are in great dan
ger. Both French and British slowly
are creeping forward. first here, then
there. The present effort would seem
10 indicate that 1t is the allies inten-
tion Of first seiZing Peronne, as the
fall Of this fortified point possibly
would do most to disorganize the gem
eral German scheme of defenses, mas
much as the chief lines Of communica-
tion on the lower section Of the west
ern battle front center at this point.
The fall of Peronne means a retire.
ment of large proportions by the Teu-
tonic troops.
Evening star., 1916-08-20
Teuton Confidence Allied Of
fensive in West Is Broken
Hardly JustifiabIe.
FRENCH AND BRITISH
KEEP UP SLOW GAINS
Negotiation of Enemy's First and
Second Lines in Somme Region
a Big Accomplishment.

Italians are said to be within thirteen
miles Of Trieste at one point. while they
have penetrated the suburbs of Toll
mino on the northern end of the present
front.
According to advices emanating from
Teutonic and other sources, the kaiser
has decided to send a German army to
the Isonzo front to combat the Italians
but this is more or less to be discredit-
ed in view of the severe difficulties
which the Germans face in other
Evening star., 1916-08-20
In the Rear of Trieste.

A secondary. but j.. Italian eyes a vi
tai. consideration was the fact that
once she had got through the Gorilla
gateway Italy would be in the rear of
the great port Of Trieste, which could
be cut off from the rest of Austria and
invested and captured by siege Trieste
is an Italian city by population, al
though belonging to Austria, and it
was to get Trieste, together with the
Trentino, that Italy came into the war
more than a year ago. Austria, deter
mined to hold Trieste, had this second
reason for holding on to the death to
her Gorizia position.
Eut the Italian strategy was compl-
Gated by another very serious difficulty.
When the treaty of 1866 gave Italy her
present frontiers, it left 10 Austria the
complete possession of that Trentine dis
trict which projects like a peninsula deep
into Italian territory and almost embraces
the whole of Nenetia. Inthe center of this
Trentine peninsula, to continue the figure,
is the valley OF the Adige river down
Evening star., 1916-08-20
The Gorilla Bridgehead.

Eastward from Podgora hill and
across the Isonzo is the little city of
Gorilla, Italian in character and popu-
iation, despite Slavic elements, but re-
tanned by Austria in the treaty of 1856,
and a portion of Italy's irredenta I'm
der cover of Podgora hill several
pridges one carrying the main railroad
going west into Italy, cross the IsonZo
Holding Podgora hill the Austrians
held both ends of the bridges, and this
explains the military term. Gorilla
brldEehead, which has become familiar
IN recent days. The French, holding
the Aeuse hills on the opposite side of
the river from the Verdun citadel, held
a similar bridgehead, and the Germans
usually speak of the French position as
The Nerdun bridgehead
hen Italy entered the war she had
trla, which was fighting Russia and
Serbia as well, could spare to hold the
western frontier. But Italy could not
use her superiority in numbers until she
mad broken into Austria through the
narrow Gorizla gateway. once through
this gateway she would find plenty of
room to deploy her masses and Austria
could not meet them with equal num-
bers. 1t was, then, the sole purpose of
Austrian strategy to hold this CoriZia
position and keep Italy in a position
where she could not use her greater
numbers with inevitable consequences
to Austria
Evening star., 1916-08-20
Gorizia Bridgehead Offensive of Italians;
Point Where Spartans Made Great Stand
N0w the Scene of Conflict With Austrians
Historic Spot Defended by 800 900 Men Able By Reason of
Their Position to Check Enemy Forces Aggregating
Considered Practicable Road for Inuasion
By FRANK H. SIMONDS,

Author of 'The Great War"


allowing for difference
o enter FrSans penetrate
the and this
less won
defended by
Q Austria afronIt
Evening star., 1916-08-20
Failure Before Gorilla.

Stin, having barricaded the backdoor
as best she could, Italy turned to the
lsonzo, the Gorilla gateway. and
began hammering on it. But she made
very little progress. Her experience
was exactly the same as that of her
allies, who tried to force the German
lines in France. She, too, still lacked
the heavy artillery and the aminu-
milton.
Accordingly, having made a little
progress. Italy was held up She made
desperate efforts at the time Russ a
was in bad straits last September and
again when Austria was sending troops
to the Balkans to blast way through
Serbia to the Golden Horn But de-
spite terrible losses she could nos Eet
forward and she did not prevent the
destruction of Serbia. This is the his
tory of Italian effort to get through
the Gorilla gateway from the first days
of war well into last winter
Meanwhile Austria had got most of
her troops back from the Balkans, and
winter. by paralyzing Russia, permitted
ner temporarily to withdraw troops
from the eastern front as Germany was
Withdrawing them from her Nerdun
operation. By this means Austria cell
lected powerful army in the Tren-
tino region, furnished it with vast
masses of heavy artillery and a little
after Germany began her attack upon
Verdun, Austria attempted to blast her
way through the barricades Italy had
thrown up at her own back door and
thus get down into the Italian plain.
Evening star., 1916-08-20
Chief Russ Gains
Scored to Southwark.

where armies of Gen. Letchitzky. flank
ing the forces of Gen. Won Bothmer i'm
mediately to the north. have approached
within seven miles of the important
stategical city Of Halicz. Russians
operating along the Upper Dniester
also have pressed closer to this point.
while the Slavs still farther to the
north are declared practically to have
isolated the Austrian armies from their
cohorts holding down the central sec
ton of the long battlefront
While the Russians are drawing their
net closer about HalicZ-regarded the
real key to the Galician capital of
Lemberg-it has been necessary Tor
them to inaugurate an offensive in the
In this they have accomplished much,
as IT is officially declared from Petro-
grad that Jablonitsa, which is said to
have guarded the Carpathian passes to
the Hungarian plains, has been seized
by the Slavs. Their line also has been
pushed forward in the Delatyn section,
which is almost at the apex of the
great salient, which Gen. Brusilons s
men have pushed into enemy lines In
the Bukowina and lower Galician
regions.
Just as 1t has been necessary for the
Russians to endeavor to straighten
their front in the Carpathian regions
in order to prevent possible fanking
movements, so will 1t be necessary for
them to bring greater pressure on the
Germans along the northern section OF
the eastern line, where. although sew
eraI battles have been fought, the Rus
sian progress has been of negligible
character.
Evening star., 1916-08-20

Fighting over a front of 100 miles to
the north of Saloniki is reported In
Ere h official
Fiphtinp Goes on m m unications
which d C a e
on Saloniki Front. that the French,
British and Serbians have been able to
wrest a number Of villages in the gen
eral vicinity of Doiran, which station
has been captured The rejuvenated
Serbian armies are proving to be of
great assistance in the present effort,
they holding down a large section of
the battle line. The Teutonic allies are
reported, however, to have taken the
Greek town of Florina from the Serbs.
After scoring successes in the lower
Isonzo region in the general vicinity of
Monfalcone and to the west of GoriZia
the Italian armies in these sections are
contenting themselves with repulse of
Austrian counter attacks, while the line
along the northern end of this battle
front is being Strengthened. Although
the Italians have scored some gains
these have not been of such striking
character. possibly due to the deter
mined Austrian resistance. Notwith-
standing enemy effort. however. the
Evening star., 1916-08-20
The Dark Days.

And for two months the Austrians
were very successful. They drove the
Italians down the Adige and Brenta
passes between them began to sift into
Italian territory and to get to the last
foothills of the mountains, within sight
of VicenZa and the railroads and roads
which were vital to the existence of
the Italian armies fighting away off
along the Isonzo in front of Gorilla.
About June ] the Italian outlook was
frankly gloomy and an italian minis
try fell as a result of the failure of
the Italian troops to hold back the
storm.
Conceivably the Austrians might have
got all the way down into the Italian
plain if they had been permitted to go
on unmolested at any other point hut
June J Russia began her tremendous
drive against the eastern lines, that
Austria had thinned to get the men to
attack Italy. When these lines col
lapsed as they promptly did there was
nothing for Austria TO do but call back
her troops from the italian field and
set them to work stopping the Russian
flood. Her own back door, the road
ger and she had to desist from her
efforts to force the rear entrance TO
Italy.
Saved from a real peril, the first task
IOT italy was plalniy TO stop up the
roads by which the Austrisns had come
almost to the Italian plain, win back
the hills and trenches that Austrians
had taken and obtain positions which
would enable her to make new effort
to seal up this Trentino entrance to
her own house. And all through June
and July this was what italy was do
Ing, and we had steady reports of the
recoil of the Austrians and the slow but
sure advance of Italy up the Adige
nd Ua1 ha
between the two valleys, by which the
Austrians had come. Until this was
done there was no justification for any
of the effort to force the
Gorizia gateway.
The Sudden Thrust.
But by the first week of August this
work must have been finished to |
italian satisfaction. for we had sud |
denly the outbreak Of q new and !
italian thrust straight |
Evening star., 1916-08-20

During the week Just closed the French