Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-11-20
MACEDONIAN CITY IN
HANDS OF ENTENTE
CONTINUED from Paes ope,.

the country, was enabled to re.estab.
lish the capital on their native soil
A temporary capital will be immedi-
ately re-established. French and Ser.
bans captured the heights surround
ing the town, making it untenable.
The Macedonian town Of Monastir
was evacuated during Sunday night
by the German and Bulgarian troops.
who retired to prepared positions fur
Their north. They thus withdrew from
highly unfavorable positions in the
plain, where they were exposed to ar
til!ery fire from the heights to the
south and southeast of the town.
p. Not a Surprise.
% The news OF the evacuation of Mon.
astir does not come as surprise. tho
Associated Press having been inform.
ed some days ago by the military au-
thorities that the question as to
whether Monastir's political import.
ance was great enough to justify the
military sacrifice necessary to defend
the town was being weighed by the
general staff, and that military con.
siderations probably would prevail. -.
7 Monastir is located at the bottom of
a bowl surrounded on all sides by
dominating heights. 1t was therefore
tactically extremely unfavorable as
soon as the enemy forces gained q
footing on the rim of the bowl, as
already had been done to the south,
less than five miles from the town
and only slightly greater distance
to the southwest.
Decisive Theatre.
Since the opening of the campaign
in the Roumanian theatre, which, as
was cabled recently, is regarded here
as the decisive theatre OF the whole
war front, east and west, it was con.
sidered correct decision strategic
ally and tactically not to call upon
the defenders for heavy sacrifices and
efforts to hold the town itself.
1t is pointed out in Berlin that Mon.
astir is likely to be an uncomfortable
place for the Entente allied troops,
as the new Bulgar-German positions
command the town in the same man.
ner as it was previously commanded
by the enemy guns. .., -.
Politically, of course, various con.
siderations urged that efforts be made
to retain Monastir, not only because
would give the Serbian government
local habitation in Serbian terri.
tory and encourage General Saxrail,
commander of the Entente allied op-
erations in the Balkans, to press the
campaign, but also for it's political
effect in general. 1871.
In war, however, military consider.
ations must prevail over political.
The evacuation of tMonastir will in a
way shift the operative difficulties
from the Bulgar-Cerman army to Gen.
eral 'Sarrails shoulders. Up to the
present his forces have had the dis.
tinct advantage of operating at the
end of the Monastir-Saloniki railway
and with fairly good network of
roads in the rear.
Local Importance.
The rail head for Field Marshal Won
Mackensen's forces, on the other
hand, is at Wales (koprulu), from
which point there is only one road
to Monastir. This originally was a
good road, but is badly cut up by
| ucdSy dulOuOUllc lTdulC.
The retirement of the Germans and
Bulgars would have the effect OF
bringing the attacking forces away
from their line Of communication and
INTO the almost roadless region Of
southwestern Macedonia and the de-
Tending forces corre4pondingly nearer
their base of communication. As the
/ present withdrawal has, occurred in
the extreme southwestern sector of
the front, furthest removed from the
Trans-Siberian railroad and from the
center of operations, and as the re.
mainder of the Macedonian front is
not affected, members of the general
staff familiar with Macedonian cOndi
lions insist that the loss of Monas.
tir can be regarded as only of local
Importance and without effect on the
general strategic situation.
It is frankly admitted that Rouman.
ian attacks in the Kimpolung region,
Pennsylvania. southwark of DragosIa.
vele. In the Aberhetl region, the Rou-
manians advanced and took 100 pris'
oners, cannon and two machine guns.
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