The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-07-28
tingents of troops landed in France
on June rs and 81.

on June 26 and q.
Nearly 100000 900 Americans OF mil
itary age registered on June I'M
der the selective draft law, and from
these are being selected the men who
will comprise the great army cOntln-
gents which America is planning TO
send to Europe.
In cementing Americas association
with the nations now her allies, nu-
merous exchanges of missions were
arranged. France, Great Britain,
Italy, Belgium, Russian and other En-
tente belligerents sent delegations to
the United States as step toward
unification, military, financial and 9th
erwise. The United States sent mis-
sions to Russian and other countries.
Fighting on the western front dur
ing the third year of the war may
roughly be divideded into six phases
two in the latter part of 1916 be-
fore winter called hal; and four af-
ter the Entente offensive was re-
sumed in the early spring.
At the close of the second year
the Germans were still unwilling to
concede failure in the operations
against Verdun. After August 3, 1916,
the French gained the ascendancy,
eliminating in the retaking OF Douau,
Thiamont and Fort Vaux, with
thousands of prisoners and mNny
guns. By November the French had
once more come into possession or
the complete circle of the Verdun de-
lenses.
Second Phase
The second phase dates back to the
commencement of the Franco-British
offensive-the first Battle of the
Somme-in July Of 1916. BY mid-Sep-
| TENDER this had reached such proper
tons that the Germans were credit
ed with bringing up seven new d.
visions against the British and five
against the French. 1t was estimated
that SO German divisions, or, based on
the strength of those German units
! at that period, about 100000 men, OPP
posed the British and French on this
twenty-mile front. In this battle the
British air supremacy became domin-
Iant By November the British and
French had taken st. Pierre-Diyion,
Beaumont-Hamel and BEAUFORT, and
had penetrated the German positions
for a depth of six miles.
In the spring, the Germans, anti
cipating a resumption Of the Somme
operations, began what has become
known as the "Hindenburg victorious
retreat" to newly established eGr-
man lines. In this second battle OF
the Somme, Bapaume, Irles, Peronne,
Nesle, Fayette, Gricourt Vaux, Roye,
Tergnier, Ham and hundreds of other
positions were lost by the Germans.
In an evacuation which French crit
les regard as memorial the Germans
left track of widespread devasta-
ton which aroused worldwide in
dignation. The British claipded cap
ture of nearly 5000 prisoners in the
three months of this German retire
ment for a depth Of from 5 to Is
miles along a front Of about 46 miles.
Northeast Of Arras
In April the British transferred
their offensive northeast of Arras,
forcing Won Hindenberg to redistri-
butte his forces along fifteen-mile
front. Canadians played historic
part in this fighting. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
was taken; and Vimy Ridge was cap
tured after one of the worlds blood
lest battles Canadians held the ridge
against desperate counter attacks,
This success east of Arras turned
Hindenburg's northern pivot, and
British critics regarded it as the
greatest in the history of british arms
in the present war. This offensive,
continued, placed the British astride
the Hindeburg line, and the Germans
retired to positions mile or two west
Of the Drocourt Queant line. These
they held as the third year closed. N