Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-07

"a .The taking OF Bucharest virtually
N.Y. completes the conquest by tho Tcu.
'sS tonic forces OF the southern section OF
~ the Roumanian Kingdom. embracing
q territory OF moro Than $4,000 square
- miles. and marks tho elimination OF
e an operation accounted by military
4 sstommentators ono OF the most soundly
81 s.,,conceived and brilliantly executed stra
4 ,teGicsl fcats of the great war.
81, From tho hour when Field Marshal
Z Won Mackcnsen forced a crossing Of
the Danube and on November ~ set
b foot Rounsnian soil, cfcc,inr a
& junction shortly afterwsrd with Gen
,s-bral Won Falkenhayn's armies. driving
"a shrouSh waliachia from tho west.
psothere seemed little doubt OF the ulti-
-. Mate fate OF tho Eoumanian capital.
The onrush Of tho Tcutonir invading
-. ,Atmies. with their prcpondcrnncc Of
81 hsavy artillery. proved too much for
Sc King Ferdinands forces once the Rot
manian front was broken in Western
ALA CHA and the Danube crossed be-
the line Of the northern Tcutcnic
!; :5T,{uption. Continuously ou;nanked
.--oit the south by Won MackenSens adj
vance and on the north by further
Austro-Gcrman irruptionS through tho
Wsuutain passes the Eournanians had
I 7~ choice but to Tall back on tho line
of their capital, and now have been
forced 10 yield even that.
DATES BACK TO ENTn,
>, OF R0IMtNIt ~ WAR
.Ehe beginning Of tho Tcutonic cam
rsSEn agains; Roumania dates back to
tho Roumaniun entrance into the war
on August % Perhaps taken by sur
prise by tho speed with which the Rou-
ia kcit Inc.
Transylvanian Alps into Hungary and
took possession of kronstadt. Her
mannstadt and wide sweep OF Hum
garian territory. tho Austro-Gcrmuu
military authorities nevertheless. were
awake TO the opportunities IN Dob
rEIija on tho Roumaniau southwestern
front. within few days the Bull
Carians were found to be winning
signal successes along the Danube.
Capturing Turtakai on September and
Sf1istra on tho 10Th There remained
tho operation az clearing the remainder
Of the DohrudjR up 10 the important
railway line running from the Black
Sea port OF Constanza into interior
Roumania over the bridge at Tcher-
navoda. This Won Mackcnscn accom-
pIishcd something moro than month
later, defeating tho Russo Eounm MAN
armies and capturing the railway. thus
shutting off Bucharest from direct rail
communication with the Black Sea and
cutting the most convenient line for
sending Russian re-cnforccments and
supplies into Roumania
This accomplished. there began the
process of crushing Eouinania in the
nut-cracker fashion made famous and
familiar by the Germans in this war
When the Roumanians were pushed
back to their frontier from The north
by Won Falkcnhayn. then began the
struggle for tho Carpathiau passes
.'bhrouEh the Transylvanian Alps. which
IT was necessary to carry to reach the
Iloumanian plain The Eoumanians.
J assisted in some cases 10y the Rus
slams, tcnaciously defended these
passes and their approaches. but on
November Is came the vital break in
tho Eoumanian lines. This occurred
.,Iu the upper Jiul VALLEY when Won
Ealkenhayn won the great battle Of
.Tirgujui and opened the way to the
plains of Little Wallachia Driving
southwark, Won Faikcnhayn quickly
captured Craiova. cutting off the Rou-
inanian forces in the Orsova region, in
extreme Western Roumania aud by
November % had virtually completed
the conquest Of Little W'allachia. The
'sEeumanian retreat eastward was in
full swing by this time. when suddenly,
came the forces from the soutr. wher,
. Won Mackensen's big army in Dohrudia
. hSd effected q crossing OF tho Danube
Al several points. one At Simuit2a
turning tho position the Hcumanians
had taken up along the river after
etheir retreat from jul From then
ron events moved ranidly Won Ma
(, kensen. CAPTURING t:iurriu on ,re D,r
ube. pressed IN tho railroad limo
Thence towards Hubbares, ,,d ,ro
armies from the p.cs, and ,,r,b nj,
hing ENGAGEMENTS thn, ncrr,i+.na 80
lhaillux OF additional forces ,hro,,., ,r,
...nasses, fought their way - III. line
-+"f the Argcttu. l.
LINE is RHokEN "
GREAT RATTLE
The line was broke, ia ,-,, 10,
tic Oh December ; in ,,hic, .h~ ~.
Roumanian Army WAS hadi, do.n.,aa
and began falling h...,l, ...,,,na
disorder. The Aus,ro-,or,,,.,,
cass,re nearing Tho c,,.i,.i