The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-06
Entire Russian Line Would Be
Forced to Fall back Should
Pivotal Point Yield
ALL RUMANIA EAST
OF DANUBE TAKEN
Three Armies Now Steadily
Driving Onward Toward
Focsani. Right Pillar of For
tilted Sereth Line
CBy International News service.)

CBy International News Service.)
Braila. a fortified bridgehead and
important Danube port, Rumania's
last source Of supply from Bessarabia,
fell TO Field Marshal Won Mackensen's
Dobrud1a army of Teutons and Bull
gars yesterday Every yard of Ru-
manian soil east of the Danube is now
IN the invaders hands
Far more important than the fall
of Braila, long since regarded as in
evitable, is the resulting menace to
Galatz, the left pivotal point of the
fortified Sereth line The Berlin war
office stated that the invaders are ad-
vancing toward this city, which lies
ten miles north of Braila
Galatz Fall Would Be Fatal.
The fall of Galatz would spell In.
calculable disaster to the whole SOUTH
ern line of the Russians. since 1t would
outfiank the entire Sereth positions,
with their formidable Trajan walls
and the more modern Notifications.
1t would open the way to Bessarab ia
and Odessa. $50 miles away. Four
teen hundred prisoners were "bagged"
in the Rraila area
Meanwhile, the Teutons smashed
their way forward. also in the center
and on the left.
Four important towns were captur-
ed during the last thirty-six hours in
addition TO Braila, in the mountain
Gus region between the Transylvanian
Alpine ridges and the Carpathian
series Of heights.
Focsani. the right pillar of the forti-
fed Sereth line. is the object of three
armies steadily driving ahead. Won
Geroks from the northeast. Kraft Won
Delmensingen from the southwest,
and the Ninth army under Faiken-
hayn from the south. The capture OF
a number of strategical heights by
Gerok northwest of Odobesti brought
the attackers close enough to Focsani
to train their heavy guns upon it.
Teuton infantry has at its disposal a
trunk railway from Odobesti. ten
miles away to advance for a storm
ing attack when the Qualifications have
sufficiently crumbled Gerok's army
in it's advance against the middle
Sereth took several hundred prison-
ers. Berlin reports. In the center,
half way between Fosani and Galatz.
two cities were captured, Slobozia and
Rotesti Slobozia lies fifteen and a
half miles southeast of Focsani and
only six miles south of the Sereth.
In the Braila area the towns OF
Gigurti and Romanui were captured.
Thus abandoning for the moment
his famous "pincer tactics" not from
choice, but because the strategical
position of the foe prevents 1t.
Mackensen IS engaged in an attack Of
the traditional, old-fashioned sort:
Against both TANKS and in the cen-
ter
Success in this grand attack, how
ever, which would mean the collapse
of the Russo Rumanian center holds
possibilities for his pet "nut-crackcr"
strategy. such as have not offered
themselves anywhere in this We.
Lines Like Big Shovel.
The Teuton line now resembles a
huge shovel. It's handle reaches from
the Rukowina front down to the APP
proaChes of Focsani. The shovel
proper comprises the fortified Sereth
line of Focsani-Ga1atz The uproot-
ing of this line would mean an auto
matte northeastward swing OF the
| handle.
The Teuton army is free at any mo-
ment to cross the Danube at Tulcea
into Bessarabia to outflank both the
Pruth and Sereth positions.
The next few weeks are expected to
develop the most spectacular military
| operations of the war.