The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-07-28


Arras turned Hintienburg's northern
pivot. and British critics regarded il as
the greatest in the history Of British
arms in the present war This often
sive. continued. placed the British
astride the Hindenburg line. and the
Germans retired TO positions a mile or
two west Of the Drocourt-Q -Queant line.
These they held as the third year
closed
Meanwhile the battles Of Champagne
and the Aisne had been carried on by
the French, who in April captured Au
berive. In the first days OF Champagne
offensive. one Of the greatest struggles
OF the war, the Germans sustained an
estimated loss Of 100 900 killed. wounded
and taken prisoners through their des-
perate defensive operations. Fighting
in these regions continues after three
months. during which the French have
advanced from one 10 five miles along
fifty-mile front. The present French
line runs from northwest Of scissors,
through Rheims to Auberive.
Greatest Of Explosions.
In June, 1917. the British began an
attack on Messines and Wyschaete in
an effort to straighten out the Ypres
salient. Again British flyers dominated
the air The British had spent an en-
tire year mining the earth for this Of.
fensive, which was begun with an ex-
plosion so terrific that II was heard in
London. Beyond Messines for two
miles east and northeast. the British
more than 1900 prisoners and great
stores Of artillery. Gaining every OBJ
jectiye. they placed themselves astride
the Ypres-Comines canal. having ad-
vanced three miles on an eight-mile
front Portuguese and Belgian troops
aided in this offensive. In recent days
the fighting there had been confined TO
raiding operations.
II IL estimated that during April.
May and June the Germans suffered
$50 900 casualties on the western front.
The Russians. having in June Of 1916
begun an offensive from the Pripet
Marshes 70 the Rumanian frontier,
speedily captured Czernowitz and the
rest Of Bukovina, together with Brody
In Galicia, and in August they entered
stanislau for the third time in the war.
These operations forced the Austro-
Germans TO relinquLsh lines they had
held throughout the winter Of lsl5-isl6.
The Halics bridgehead fell in septem'
Der. but the subsequent advance on
Lemberg was not prosecuted because
the plight Of Rumania demanded the
transfer OF Russian troops to aid their
Balkan ally.
3 After the Russian revolution the Rus
SLAMS made a feint 10 advance on Pinsk
20 cover the actual operations resumed
in July against Lemberg This latter
front extended Is l-2 miles. Known as
Regiments July First" these troops. re
invigorated by the consciousness Of 20
lltical liberty. confounded German mill
tary prophets by the magnitude and ex
tent OF their offensive.
Russians Act Swiftly.
Led by Alexander kerensky. minis
ter Of war, and observed by American
army officers. the Regiments July
First" forced the Teutons 10 evacuats
Brzezany. and they captured many i'm
pOrtant positions. including terrain
west and south Of Halicz town anC
strongly defended positions northwes
Of Stanislau. on July II Halicz wai
taken. thus smashing the Austro-Ger
man front between Brzezany and tbs
Carpathians.
This Russian operation bruadened by
mid.July. 80 that II extended from th'
Gulf OF Riga to the Rumanian front
a distance Of 500 miles. The German,
were reported 20 be rushing troops
from thg Italian and French fronts
Wldespr A. enthusiasm was create,
throughout Russia. and the moral ef
feet on the other entente powers wa,
tremendous.
Russian Offensive COllapses.
Before the third year closed. how
ever Russia's offensive suffered col
lapse German spies, anarchists. peace
fanatics and other agitators succeeded
In destroying the morale of some Of tn,
Russian troops I'm Galicia, where a re
treat became necessary when unit aftei
unit refused TO obey orders.
Brzezany. Halicz. Tarnopol. Stanislat
and Kolomea We're lost, together will
all the remaining ground gained durinl
the offensive The Russians surren
dered many prisoners. heavy guns an,
an abundance Of supplies and ammuni
tion.
The death penalty was invoked as
check 20 further iusubordinations ant
the provisional government introduces
a policy Of blood and from in an ei
fort 20 avert disaster.
South Of the Carpathians and in IN
Wilma region, there was little disare,
tion among the Russian troops
, Italy. declaring war against German
. on August 2s. began a more vigorou
prosecution OF her earlier offensiv
against Austria
With dramatic swiftness the Thir
, army. under the Duke OF Aosta, storm
ed and captured Gorizia. hitherto col
sidered impregnable. By Jan. N
r Italians had captured 200 square mile
p After a winter Of artillery duels. Ital
4 resumed lsr offensive on the Cars
- front in the campaign toward Triest
, Within "A NINTH fhe Auatrian lines Wel