The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1917-07-28
END OF Third YEAR
FINDS THE ENTENTE
HOLDING MASTER HAND
Continued from Page -


British and five against the French
| It was estimated that 38 Germs
divisions, or, based on the strength
of those German units at that per-
iod. about 100000 men. opposed The
British and French on this twenty
mile front. In this battle the Brit.
ish air supremacy became domin-
ant. By November the British AM
| French had taken st. Pierre-Divion
Beaumont Hamel and Beaucourt
and had penetrated German posi-
tions 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 "Hindenberg victori-
Gus retreat" to newly-established
German lines. In this second battle
Peronne, Nesle. Fayette. Gricourt
Vaux, Roye. Tergnier. Ham and
hundreds of other positions were
lost by the Germans. In an evacua-
ton which French critics regard as
memorial, the Germans left a track
of widespread devastation which
aroused worldwide indignation. The
British claimed capture of nearly
5000 prisoners in the three months
of this German retirement for q
depth of from to Is miles along
a front of about IS miles.
Transfer British Offensive.
In April the British transferred
their offensive northeast of Arras,
forcing Won Hindenberg to redistri-
butte his forces along a fifteen-mile
front. Canadians played a historic
part in this fighting. Monchy-le-
Preux was taken: and Vimy Ridge
was captured after one Of the
worlds bloodiest battles. Canadians
held the ridge against desperate
counter-attacks. This success east
of Arras turned Hindenberg's north
ern pivot, and British critics re-
garded it as the greatest in the his
tory of British arms in the present
war. The offensive, continued
placed the British astride the Hin
denberg line, and the Germans re-
tired to positions mile or two
west of the Drocourt- Queant line.
These they held as the third year
closed.
Meanwhile the battles of Cham
payne and the Aisne had been car
ried on by the French, who in April
captured Auberive. In the first
days of Champagne offensive, one
of the greatest struggles Of the war.
the Germans sustained an esti-
mated loss of 100. 900 killed. wound
ed and taken prisoners through
their desperate defensive operations.
Fighting in these regions continues
after three months. during which
the French have advanced from one
to five miles along a flfty-mile front.
The present French line runs from
northwest of scissors. through
Rheims to Auberive.
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 entire year mining the
earth for this offensive. which was
begun with an explosion so terrinc
that 1t was heard in London. Be-
yond Messines. for two miles east
and northeast. the British won and
consolidated ground, captured more
than 7.4O0 prisoners and great stores
of artillery. Gaining every ob1ec-
tive. they placed themselves astride
the Ypres- Confines canal. having
advanced 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 is estimated that during April,
Nav and June the Germans suf-
fered $50. 900 casualties on the west
ern front.
Russians Start Offensive.
The Russians, having IN June of
1915 begun an offensive from the
Pripet Marshes to the Rumanian
speedily captured Czerno-
witt and the rest of Bukovina. to-
eether with Brody in Galicia. and in
August they entered Stanislau for
the third time In the war. These
operations forced the Austro-Ger-
mans to relinquish lines they had
held throughout the winter Of 1915
1916.
The HaIicz brideghead fell in
but the subsequent ad-
vance on Lemberg was not prose-
cuted because the plight Of Rumania |
demanded the transfer of Russian /
troops to aid their Balkan ally.
After the Russian revolution, the /
Russians made a feint to advance on
Pinsk, 70 cover the actual opera
tions resumed in July against Lem
burg. This latter front extended
1874 miles. Known as Regiments
July First" these troops, reinvigor-
ated by the consciousness Of polttt-
al liberty. confounded German mil
tary prophets by the magnitude ana
sxtent of their offensive.
Led by Alexander Kerenslsy, min
ster Of war, and observed by Ameri-
an army officers, the Regiments
Tulv First forced the Teutons 70
,vacuate Brzezany, and they cap
ured many important positions, tn-
L. Aiv,o. 4nrrair, rnEaaH and annth Of