Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-01-14
THE EUROPEAN WAR

The year 1915 has been so distinc-
rive from historymaking viewpoint
that in all the ages to come 1t will
nfHnd apart from those that have pre-
rsacd II and from those which are
90 follow. During it's entire length,
fhs greater nations OF the European
uoneinent have abandoned themselves
20 a policy Of bloodshed which has
fallen little short of delirium. To
the neutral onlooker 1t has been a re-
viyal ON a huge scale of the irration-
N and murderous activity which char
acterized the earlier ages of mankind.
N has been the complete overthrow Of
m the pacific theories which had ap-
parently gained so strong foothold
NJ the time OF the firing of the first
gum I'm the present conflict.
Al the beginning of the year, it was
evident that it was to be a struggle
tp the death. 1t was plain that the
Tsutonic plan to force a speedy set
bsment by dint of superior armed
preparednef had failed. Six months
had elapsed and the Teutonic allies
were still faced by three great ma
tions. their strength unbroken and
fhair determination inflexible. Aus
srta had been driven repeatedly by her
Rnssian invaders and twice the Serbs
lad routed Austrian armies sent
against them. On other fields, also.
Teutonic efforts had been futile. Thus
fnr Turkey had been of little assist
nncs and the holy war had failed to
come into being. German Southwest
Africa had been lost and German in
nnence IN Asia had been smothered
by the Japanese.
As an Offset, the Germans still held
practically all the conquered territory
which had fallen into their hands.
Thar lines still held firmly in Po-
land. IN Flanders and in France. 1t
was apparent that as yet the Teutonic
rrr-'oation showed no sign of weak
o. .nd a war of attrition seemed
insviGable. Both in the east and
N the west the military operations
of the early part of the year were
practically without decisive result.
The fighting in Poland had resolved
itself into a complete deadlock. In
January, the French English combine
made three attempts to break the
Toutonic hold on French territory, but
accomplished little. The German un-
successful drive at Warsaw and the
rout OF the Austrisns in Galicia left a
aliKht balance ia the January fighting
IN favor of the allies.
From q strictly military viewpoint,
February was a promising month for
the Teutonic allies. BY the middle of
tho month, German troops were ad-
yRncing all along the front from
the vistula to the Niemen, and thus,
seven months after the breaking out
of the war. German soil was practi-
cnily cleared of its Russian invaders.
Tho deadlock on the western front
wns stiIl unbroken.
scone Shifts to pardanelIes.
With the adyent OF March. there
came q sudden and dramatic change
IN the war situation. The scene of
military activity was shifted to the
DurdAnelles- BY the third week of
the month. Rome. Athens. Sofia and
Bucharest were centers of great po-
aiticnl activity. The surrender OF
Przemysl. March %, was the most
stirring victory for the allies since the
battle OF the Marne. The German
assertion that the military power Of
Russia had dwindled into insignih.
eance was disproved at once and the
allied cause gained instant strength in
an the neutral capitals. One of the
greatest strongholds in Europe had
been taken by the Russians.
The disaster to the allied feet at
fhs Dardanelles, which occurred dur.
tng the third week of March, put an
end to the expectation of forcing the
straits by naval means alone. Ger
man prestige advanced perceptibly
and the dsniculty of the task under.
, taken BY the allied feet was now un.
1orBtood. I'm this month. also. the
British won the battle of Neuve
Chapelle after bloody fight.
In April the French made a bold
offensive stroke against the German
position between the Meuse and the
Mosclle-the famous st. Mihiel wedge
which resulted In a tremendous loss
Of men on both sides, with small ad
vantage for either. Nowhere had the
allies made appreciable gain in ter
ritory. The invader held his OWL
Btubbornly and with success. About
the middle of the month, Zeppelinf
made their appearance over English
towns. inspiring great interest and moi
a little apprehension, but doing com
paratively small damage. About this
time. also. the attempted, submarine
blockade OF the British coast proved
90 be ineffective. In the closing days
of the month another great Teutoni'
sfronsive swept against the allied line'
IN Belgium, thrusting the enemy bacl
upon Ypres, with great loss Of life oI
both sides.
In May the Germans sent their bes
troops to the aid Of the hard
pressed Austrians. BY the middle o
me month they had worked star
tiing change in the situation. Pre-
nysi was retaken. the Russian cam