Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-04
RUSSIANS HURL
! GERMANS BACK
At BUCHAREST
Danube Body of German
Forces Already Menacing
Fortresses Around City,
Says Berlin.
AT ARGECHU RIVER NOW
Troops Of Central Powers Also
Gain Ground to North
west of Goal.
RUSSIANS IN KIRLIBABA
AT ARGECHU RIVER NOW
RUSSIANS IN KIRLIBABA
Bulletin.

Petrograd Via London). Dec. B.
Russian troops have arrived south OF
Bucharest and engaged in battle to
save the Roumanian capital, the war
office announces, The German and
Bulgarian troops have been COM
PEELED to retire. The Russians and
Roumanians have taken prisoners and
booty, Further successes for the
Russians on the Transylvanian front
also are reported,
The series OF engagements marking
the advance of the Teutonic troops
upon Bucharest are developing into a
great battle. From Berlin comes the
announcement that the First Rou-
manian army, which had offered battle
on the Argechu river southeast OF
Pitechti, northwest OF the Roumanian>
capital, has been defeated, after a
tenacious struggle. Whether this indi-
Gates the turning OF the right wing of
the Roumanian armies is not clear.
The capture of more than 5000 Rou-
manian troops is announced.
Force Slight Retirement.
The attacks upon the Roumanian
troops on the roads from Pitechti to
Bucharest compelled only slight re-
tirement of the defenders, according
t. the Russian announcement.
The Roumanian resistance south of
Bucharest has stiffened and Tzomana
and Gostinari have been recaptured
from the invading forces. The Rus
slams have regained possession OF the
western part OF .the Tchernavoda
bridge across the Danube. A fierce
battle continues in the wooded Car
pathians and along the Bukovina and
Moldavian frontiers. The attempt OF
the Russian and Roumanian forces to
break through into Pennsylvania is
nowhere diminished in violence. The
Russians have gained a footing in
Kirlibaba and street fighting is in
progress. according to Reuter- dis
patch from Petrograd.
Close in on Bucharest.
London, Dec. Although the
Roumanians apparently are offering
desperate resistance west and south
of Bucharest, the enemy forces are
rapidly closing in on their capital and
even the most optimistic military crit
les here now admit that the situation
is extremely critical.
Advices from Berlin today report
that the Danube army is already
menacing fortresses around Buchar-
est, having reached the Argechu
river, which is only FIVE miles from
the forts. The Germans and Bull
garians also have gained ground
northwest of the capital by working
through the passes southeast of
Champulung.
Still another enemy forceis report
ed to have broken through and de-
feated the First Roumanian army
southwest of Pitechti, enabling it to
capture general staff officers. The
Roumanian and Russians COM
muniques are silent regarding this last
claim, although both admit that the
Roumanians, under pressure, were
compelled to retire slightly in this.
sector.
Further west, in Wallachia, the
Roumanians assert that adverse
weather conditions are hampering
their operations. 1t is generally be-
lieved that Russian pressure of Won
Falkenhayn's army through Transyl-
vania has come too late to Offset the
rapid gains of the Germans, or affect
materially the German plans of en-
circling Bucharest. The Russians
latest success in capturing a series OF
heights south of Kirlibaba gives them
an entering wedge into Transylvania
and proves most encouraging coun-
ter move on the part of the allies.
That the Russian forces, in con-
junction with Roumanians, are max
ing progress in Dobrudja is indicated
by the latest communications, which
report that the allies have regained
part of the Tchernavoda bridge, COM
pelling the opposing forces to retire
southwark from several heights. A
significant feature OF the move from
all points in this .theater OF war is the
absence of claims that either side is
taking large numbers of prisoners,
which seems to indicate the desperate
character of the encounters.