Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-01-05
REVIEW OF EUROPEAN WAR AND Other
IMPORTANT EVENTS. OF THE YEAR 1916
Great Conflict Rages With Increased lntenSity-Roumana F
teenth Nation Enter Struggle 0verrun by Central Pow
ers-Teutonic Allies Make First Peace Proposals .
United States Faces Several Crises -Et

launched their great drive on the west
front. A concerted attack was made
on 25-mile front north and south of
the Somme river. July IL, after ten
days and nights of continuous fight
ing, the British claimed the capture
of the whole of the enemy's first lines
of defense on a front of 1900 yards.
During the remainder of the month the
British and French continued their ad-
vance, the British occupying the entire
village Of POzieres July 20 and the
French advancing close to Peronne, an
important railroad center.
During the month of August the
Russians, after terrific fighting. pierced
the Teuton lines on the Lemberg and
Kovel fronts and advanced in the Car
pathians. The Italians continued their
drive on Trieste. August 9, after days
of terrific fighting. they captured Go
ritz and pushed forward, pursuing the
retreating Austrians.
Rounnania Enters War.
Roumania, after molfths of wavering,
entered the war on the side of the en-
tente allies with a declaration of war
on Austria Hungary. Roumania was
the fifteenth nation to enter the war.
On the same day Italy declared war on
Germany and the following day Ger
many declared war on Roumania. With
the declaration Of war fighting began
between the Roumanians and Aus
trians on the Transylvanian frontier.
August 30, the Roumanians occupied
Kronstadt and Hermannstadt, the two
chief cities of Pennsylvania. Field
Marshal Won Hindenburg, whose sue
cesses had made him the idol of the
German. people, succeeded General Won
Fnlkenhayn as chief of the general
staff of the German army August 20.
During the month Of September. the
Roumanians, cooperating with the
Russians, advanced In northern Tran-
sylyania and Bukowina. but suffered
severe reverses, at the hands of the
Bnigarians and Austrians In Dobrudja.
The allied troops made decided gains
in the Somme sector, occupying
Combles and other important towns
on September 20.
Early in October the tide turned
against the Roumanians and Russians
In Transylvania and the latter were
forced to retire before strong Austro-
German force under command of Gen
eral Won Fnlkenhayn. On October IL,
the Teutons began an invasion of Rou-
mania. On the Verdun front, the
French smashed the German lines Oc-
tober "a, retaking Douadmont fort and
village.
The struggle between the Roumanian
and Russian forces on the one side and
the Teuton and Bulgarian armies on
the other held the center of attention
in November. Taking advantage of
the plight in which the Roumanians
on the Transylvanian front found
themselves Won Mackensen held his
lines in Dobrudja and, attacking the
Danube line, forced the river barrier
at several points. Effecting juncture
of their forces, the Teuton command.
ers drove the Roumanians back upon
Bucharest. The Roumanians retreat
ed rapidly toward the capital, burning
| villages and all stores of grain an6
munitions in the district through which
they passed. November IS, the seat
Of the Roumanian government was
moved from Bucharest to Jassy, neal
the Russian frontier. The Roumanian.
evacuated Bucharest December 6 in or
der to save their army.
The Serbians, aided by French ant
Italian troops, made a start toward
winning back their country during No
vember. Their big drive resulted il
the capture of Monastir on Novembel
10. On the Somme front the battle O.
the Ancre opened November 13 witt
the capture by the British of five mile
of the German positions, together witt
three strong towns.
An announcement of far-reachin
Significance was made in the Russian
duma December 2 by Premier Trepoh
who read a proclamation announcin
ofiicially that an agreement conclude
by Russia, France and Great Britai
In 1915, and later approved by Italy
! establishes in definite manner tn
rights of Russia to the straits an
Constantinople."
The fall of the British cabinet earl
in December furnished one Of the mos
. sensational features of the years wa
: developments. Demands of Davi
: Lloyd-George for the formation of
, smaller war council to obtain create
} efficiency forced the resignation of Pr,
mier Asquith. Lloyd-George was mad
: premier and selected n new cablne
: the prosecution of the war bein
: placed in the hands of five men, il
! !cluding the premier. 9.l
e The first direct overtures for pea,
g came on December 13, when German
4 Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turk,
e sent Identical notes to the entente q
! lies through the United States, Spa
: and Switzerland, proposing that f.
Y belligerents arrange a conference f
e the discussion of peace terms. IT
: notes were transmitted to the allit
governments by President Wilson wit
out comment. The peace propose
e were received coldly. Premier Brian
d In the French house of deputies,
# sued warning against a prematu
+ peace, and the Russian duma, accor
s Ing to announcement made Decemb
e 49, passed resolution favoring a
a fusal on the part of the allied Cover
S. ments to enter into any peace nee
h tiatioEs whatever under present &C
IT ditions.
g December 10, Premier LIoyd-Geor
D. replied to Germany's proposals, virt
"A ally refusing to consider them.
n AS If in answer to the peace pl
I, posals, the French in the Verdun s,
)f tor delivered a crushing attack on t
f. German forces December IS, winni
IS II square miles of territory north
n Verdun and driving the Germans ba
IS close to the line from which they sta
lg ed their great offensive against v
al dun in February. General Nivol
who directed this attack, had been
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E. 1t is looking out now for the plo0
harrows, drills. etc., to be hauled