The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-12-28
REVIEW OF EUROPEAN WAR AND OTHER
IMPORTANT EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1916
0eat Conflict Rages With Increased Observation-Disclosures Fiji
teenh Nation to Enter Struggle Overrm by Central Pow
ers-Teutonc Allies Make First Peace PROPOSALS
United States Faces Several Crises.
THE EUROPEAN WAR


fict In which all Europe Is involved
can with difficulty appreciate the
mat altude Of the events which hnye
tfanspired during the pnst IL months.
Generatsohs to come, however, looking
nack upon this period with q clearer
vision. Will recognize the year 1915
as one OF the most tremendous, from
ia hIStory-mnklng standpoint. since the
world began.
Europe continued Its bloOd-lettine
throughout the year with even greater
ieroclty than marked the first 18
months following the breaking of the
storm. The great war rounded out
ITS second and entered upon it's third
year. with little promise Of an early
conclusion Of pence. During the year
new nations entered into the war. one
OF them. Roumanin. to become the
scene Of some Of the most ferocious
nghting Of the year. one new nation
was created, another tottered to It's
1alf. while on dozen fronts millions
or men were fed us human sacrifices
I" the insntiate war monster.
There were seven outstanding
phases Of the great war during the
year 1915. These comprised the great
offensive Of the Itussians In Galicia.
which was finally checked by the Teu.
tonic allies; the superhuman efforts of
the Germans to capture Verdun.
.whlch were tiwarted by the equally
superhumnn defense offered by the
French; the long-awaited grand often
;siVe OF the British and the French on
the western front. resulting In the re.
coVery of considerable area In the
Somme region, but not definitely break
ing the deadlock in northern France;
the checking Of an Austrian offensive
%! the Italians and the launching of
Il c"uhter-0ffensive by which the Itnl-
1ahS made big strides in their cam
1'nigh against Trieste; the conquest of
N"'ln'anla by the Teutonic allies; the
Drive OF the Serbs. aided by French.
Italian and British troops. In an effort
TO regain their lost kingdom. and the
hnal abandonment by the entente al.
Hes of their disastrous Callipoli cam
puign.
Tie Russians launched their Of
fenSive In Galicia on the first day of
the year. On January 8. the effort of
fl'e entente allies to force the Darda-
nelles was definitely abandoned, and
the forces of the allies entirely evacu.
ated the GalllpoIi peninsula.
Verdun Attack Launched.
Early In February. the Russians. aft
er n .ull In the lighting. resumed their
offensive in GaIicln and on February 10
they crossed the Dniester and threat
ened CZernnwitZ. The Russians. un.
der Grand Duke Nicholas. also con-
t!nned their drive In the Caucasus and
on February II they captured the
important town Of Erzerum. Febru-
ary II. The Germans. led by the crown
prince. launched their attack on Yer.
dun. and during the next few days
they smashed their way through the
outer defenses until they came within
big.Etin range of the French strong
hold. The French. taken by surprise,
were forced to give ground but by
the last Of the month they had
strengthened their shattered lines and
had checked the German drive In the
Verdun sector. for the next few
months. occurred some Of the most
sangLnury fighting of the entire war.
The Austrinns had considerable sue
cess on the Italian front during the
month. entering Dnrazzo on February
26 and driving the Italians before
them. Portugal signalized It's entry
into the great conflict February 20 by
selling 81 German steamers interned
In Portuguese ports. Germany demand
as'.y.he release of the ships and on
March 81 declared war on Portugal. the
thirteenth nation to enter the con-
fiict.
The month of March was marked
chiefly by the continued determined at
tackS Of the Germans upon Verdun.
The assault entered its third stage in
this month with repeated attacks on
Vaux. Douh,mont and other outlying
towns. most of which were repused
with terrific losses. During the montl,
the italians finally checked the Aus
trlan drive and launched big often
SiVe along the entire Austrian front.
!fhe Russians continued their victori-
GUS drive against the Turks IN Ar
mont. Capturing Btlis on March 3.
and other important towns later In the
month.
The early days Of April saw n slow
Ing up of the Russian offensive in Ga
iicia. The Germans launched n coun.
ter offensive all along the Russian
front but gained little headway. The
following months saw terrific fighting
along this front. April 23. the British
admitted defeat at the hands of the
Turks In MesOpOtamin and on AprlI
20. General Townshend and 10000 Brit.
ish soldiers. who had been besiegea by
the Turks at Kut-el-Amara. were