The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1917-01-04
REVIEW OF EUROPEAN WAR AND OTHER
IMPORTANT EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1915
Great Conflict RACES With Increased acknowledgements Fiji
teenh Nation to Enter Struggle 0vern by Central Pow
ers-TeutoniC Allies Make First Peace Proposals
United States Faces Several Crises.
THE EUROPEAN WAR

can with di11culty appreciate tne
magnitude of the events which have
transpired during the past II months.
Generations to come, however, looking
back upon this period with clearer
vision. will recognize the year 1916
as one of the most tremendous, from
a history-making standpoint, since the
world began.
Europe continued its blood-letting
throughout the year with even greater
ferocity than marked the first IL
months following the breaking Of the
storm. The great war rounded out
its second and entered upon its third
year, with little promise Of an early
conclusion of peace. During the year
new nations entered into the war; one
of them, Roumania, to become the
scene of some of the most feroGOus
fighting of the year, one new nation
was created, another tOttcred to its
fall, while on a dozen fronts millions
of men were fed as human sacrifices
to the insatiate war monster.
There were seven outstanding
phases of the great war during the
year 1916. These comprised the great
offensive of the Russians in Galicia,
which was finally checked by the leu
tonic allies; the superhuman efforts of
the Germans to capture Yerdun.
which were thwarted by the equally
superhuman defense offered by the
French; the long-awaited grand often
sive of the British and the French on
fha NVnCtarn front yasuItipoy In tho 20
covery of considerable area in the
Somme region, but not definitely break
ing the deadlock in northern France;
the checking of an Austrian offensive
by the Italians and the launching of
a counter-Offensive by which the ItaI-
ians made big strides in their CAM
paign against Trieste; the conquest of
Roumania 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
final abandonment by the entente al
lies of their disastrous Gallipoli cam
paign.
The Russians launched their of
fensive in Galicia on the first day of
the year. On January 9, the effort of
the entente allies to force the Darda-
nelles was definitely abandoned, and
the forces of the allies entirely evacu-
ated the Gallipoli peninsula.
Verdun Attack Launched.
Early in February, the Russians, aft
er a lull in the fighting, resumed their
offensive in Galicia and on February 10 !
they crossed the Dniester and threat |
ened CzernOwitz. The Russians, I'M
der Grand Duke Nicholas, also con-
tinued their drive in the Caucasus and |
on February Il they captured the |
important town of Erzerum. Febru- |
airy q, 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-gun range of the French strong I
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
sanguinary fighting of the entire war.
The Austrians had considerable sue
cess on the Italian front during the
month. entering Durazzo on February
% and driving the Italians before
them. Portugal signalized its entry
into the great conflict February % by
Selling 81 German steamers interned
in Portuguese ports. Germany demand
ed the release of the ships and on
March 9 declared war on Portugal, the
thirteenth nation to enter the con-
hict.
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, Douaumont and other outlying
towns, most of which were repulsed !
with terrific losses. During the month
the Italians finally checked the Aus
trian drive and launched a big often
sive along the entire Austrian front. s
The Russians continued their victori- {
Gus drive against the Turks in Ar
MONT, capturing Bitlis on March 8, 5
and other important towns later in the {
month. I
The early days of April saw slow |
ing up of the Russian offensive in Ga
Iicia. The Germans launched a coun- l
ter offensive all along the Russian /, {
front but gained little Roadway. The
following months saw terrific fighting {
along this front. April %, the British
defeat at the hands of the 5
Turks in MesOpotamia and on April l
%, General TOwnshend and 10000 Brit q
sh soldiers, who had been beSieged by b
The Turks at Kut-el-Amara, were t
forced to surrender after repeated eff L
forts to relieve them had failed. 6
Great Sea Battle Fought. O
The first great naval battle of the v
var was fought by the German and Il
British high seas fleets off the coast of $
Denmark, May 81. The Brit p
sh admit the loss of six large cruisers il
md eight destroyers, the Germans one 1
,attleship. one battle cruiser and f
lumber of light cruisers and destroyers. n
lore than 1000 lives were lost. Both ii
ides claim the victory. Five days later d
treat Britain received d staggering
low when the British cruiser Hamp- r.
hire was blown up in the North sea a
" a mine and Earl Kitchener British
ecretary of war, and his entire staff p
we're lost. During the early part of Il
une the Russians broadened their of G
aDSivp In EoIipio oDI olpDV the lines ] l.