The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-07-31
The Third Year OF
The U)dr ReUieWed
Summary OF Fighting Shows Fortunes On Battle Are Rest
ing With The Auies-A Sketch OF Political And
International Developments During The Past TtOelue
Months.

sions against the British and five
against the French. 1t was estimated
that 80 German divisions, or, based
on the strength of those German units
at that period, about 100000 men, op.
posed the British and French on this
twcnty-mile front. In this battle the
British air supremacy became domi-
nant. BY November the British and
French had taken St. Pierre-Divion,
Beaumont Hamel and Bcaucourt and
had penetrated German positions for
a depth of six miles.
In the Spring, the Germans, antici-
pating a resumption of the Somme OPP
erations, began what has become
known as "Hindenberg victorious re-
treat" to newly. German
lines. In this second battle of the
Somme, Bapaume Irles, Peronne,
Nosle, Fayette, Gricourt, Vaux, Roye,
In the Trentino the Italians took
Tergnier, Ham and hundreds of other
positions were lost by the Germans.
In an evacuation which French crit
les regard as memorial the Germans
left track of widespread devasta-
tion which aroused worldwide indig-
nation. The British claimed capture
of nearly 5000 prisoners in the three
months of this German retirement for
depth of from to Is miles along
a front of about 46 miles.
In April the British transferred
their offensive northeast of Arras,
forcing Won Hindenberg to redistrib
ute his fsrces along a fifteen-mile
front. Canadians played a historic
part in this fighting. Monchy-le-Preux
was taken; and Vimy Ridge was cap
tured after one of the worlds bloodi-
est battles. Canadians held the ridge
against desperate counter-attacks
/ This success east of Arras turned Hin
| denberg's northern pivot, and British
critics regarded it as the greatest in
the history of British arms in the pres
/ ent war. This 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 Champaign
and the Aisne had been carried on
by the French, who in April captured
Auberive. In the first days of Cham
paign offensive, one of the greatest
struggles of the war, the Germans sus-
killed, wounded and taken prisoners
through their desperate defensive op.
cratiOns. Fighting in these regions
continues after three months, dur
ing which the French have advanced
from one to five miles along a fifty
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 domin
ated the air. The British had spent
an entire year mining the earth fol
this offensive, which was begun with
an explosion so terrific that it was
heard in London. Beyond Messines
t1En ,,ilnc Dct nd h.
British won and consolidated ground
captured more than 7,400 prisoners
and great stores of artillery. Gaining
every objective, they placed them
selves astride the Ypres. Confines Can
al, having advanced three miles or
an eight-mile front. Portuguese and
Belgian troops aided in this offensive
In recent days the fighting there hat
been confined to raiding operations
, 1t is estimated that during April
} May and June the Germans suffered
100000 casualties on the Western
: front.
The Russians, having in June o
. 1916 begun an offensive from the Pri
/ pet Marshes to the Rumanian from
: tier, speedily captured Czernowit!
and the rest of Bukovina, together
; with Brody in Galicia, and in Angus
: they entered Stanislau for the thirc
| time in the war. These operations
forced the Austro,Germans to relin
, quish lines they had held Throughout
= the winter Of 1915-1916.
= The Halicz bridgehead fell in Sep
tember but the subsequent advanc,
on Lemberg was not prosecuted be
, cause the plight of Rumania demand
: ed the transfer of Russian troops t.
= aid their Balkan ally.
: After the Russian Revolution, tht
3 Russians made feint to advance OF
Pinsk, to cover the actual operations
: resumed in July against Lemburg
l This latter front extended 1917 miles