The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-31

The second year of the world war closes with the Battle of Europe" concerted effort of the allies on three fronts to crush the central powers, which has de- veloped into titanic struggle before which superlatives. already exhausted, are completely beggared.
 France and Great Britain in the west, Russia in the east, Italy in the south are hurling wave after wave of armed men on the Teutonic lines, together with an avalance of shells and bombs such as the world has not known up to the present time. For the first time the Teutons are, temporarily at least, on the defensive on the thousands of miles of the existisg battle fronts.
 The change in the situation which the year has brought is striking, although the results so far have been more poten- tial and spectacular than radical A year ago the Germans, continuing their great drive against the Russians. hurled the Slavs back along the entire eastern front, captured Warsaw, the great f rt- resses of Kovno, Novo Georgievsl and Brest-Litcvsk and established lines far jn- side Russian territory which they main tained virtually unbrolxen until within the last three months. They seized all Poland, d great slice of Russia to the south of that country and expelled the invaders from Galicia and BukoWina. Field Marshals Won Hindenburg and Won MackenSen were the heroes of these great successes.
 On the western front the changes ir position during the year were compara' lively small, but the 12 months were marked by three events of interest. The battles of Champagne and Verdun, anc the opening of the great Franco British offensive on the Somme took place in this period.
 The battle of Champagne opened on Sep tember 25, after weeks terrific bom- bardment of the German lines by the French, British and Belgians. In week of the bloodiest fighting that had been known up to that time the allies an- nounced that they had taken 20 miles of trenches, six towns and 23,00O prisoners Eut there they halted They could not break through the mighty German wall and the grim deadlock which marked the western front for so many months was resumed The battle of Champagne marked the removal of Sir John French the British commander-in-chief from the beginning of the war up to that time In December, 1915, it was announced that he had resigned to take a home com mand and Sih Douglas Haig was appoint. ed his successor.
 VERDUN SURPRISES ALL
 In sheer human interest the battle ot Verdun probably surpassed all other in dividual events of the war. On February a the German crown prince began his assault of the historic French fortress known throughout many centuries as the gateway to France. For five months the defenders withstood storm at the fury of which the world stood aghast. Foot by foot, almost inch by inch. the Ger mans forged forward. with a reckless dis regard of their lives, a tenacity and cool courage which was only equaled by the heroic determination of the French. On June an unofficial estimate of the Ger man losses at Verdun placed the total al the appalling figure of 45O.oN. The as sailants fought their way to within about three and a half miles of the fortress but for several weeks have reported nc further progress and the force or then atta cks appears to have lessened
 The Franco-British offensive on thu Somme opened on July 1, 1916. It was pre- ceded by bombardment of unparalleled duration and intensity, featured by tn appearance of new and gigantic British howitzers Under this awful hurricane O. big gun fire the German first line de lenses crumbled. When the British am French troops advanced they reported that they found trenches in which there was not a single survivor; only the deat guarded the silent rifles and machin guns German first lines were carried over an extent of 25 miles and the sec .l Y,i n but up to the present the fighting ha. been indecsive in so far as the forcins of the Germans to withdraw their maiI lines is concerned. The fighting has beer of the bitterest possible description ant the reports of press correspondents a the front teem with accounts of the mos amazing heroisn and devotion on boti sides. Instances have been recorded o the sole survivor of a company wounded and without hope, who manned a ma chine gun and fought to the last anlt the bodies of his comrades; of isolated attachments who stood off their foes fol days until succor reached them or death of captured surgeons who bound up the wounds of their captors: of heroic res cues of wounded comrades under fire ant of countless similar deeds that thrilled the watching world
 The first move in the great allied often sive was not made by the Franco British however, but by the Russians. On June the troops of the Emperor Nicholas opened a tremendous assault on the Aus tro- German lines on 300-mile front, ex tending from the Pripet marshes to Rou mania The Teuton lines held firm in tn, north but to the south General Brussilof swept with irresistible force through tn, Austrian defenses. tearing great gal about 100 miles in extent. Through thi the Russians poured. capturing Szerno witz. the capital of Bukowina. and over running. the crownland. The Austrian losses are declared to have been enor nous, month after the offensive began the Russians making an official announce ment that over 200, 900 prisoners had beer taken and at least an equal number killed or wounded
 As the offensive developed the Russianl won new successes further north and a the close of the war year are engaged in a mighty struggle for Lemberg. tn, capital of Galicia. The fighting has als< extended to the extreme north. In tn