The Washington herald., 1918-07-28


Germany. taking advantage OF the
disorsanization In the Russian army
and the chaos precipitated In Russia
by the Bolshevik regime, concluded
'speace treatiesn with the Bolsheyih
and the independent government OF
IJkrainia, and then forced Rumanla
into a similar humiliating agreement
Following this. Germany began an
organized campaign to get control OF
all Western Russia from the Arctic 70
the Black Sea. A treacherous pact
was formed with the pro-GermAn eie-
ment IN Finland and an Austro-Ger-
man army Of invasion was sent into
Ukrainia-
There is a strong loyal faction In
Russia that has not yet given up nope
of rescuing Russia from beneath the
iron heel of Prussian military dom-
nation and an allied army has been
landed In Northern Russia to help II
out.
In the military field there have been
numerous changes in the battle, fronts
during the past twelve months, and
the first half of the present year has
been marked by some Of the most
savage lighting OF the entire connfct:
Roughly. the changes may be grouped
as follows:
Western Front.
Western front-In Picardy the
British gained q brilliant success In
a surprise tank attack in front OF
Cambria late in November last. ana
almost drove into Cambria itself,
but this and previous gains were
wiped out by the big German "nen-
siye which began on March 81, when
the Germans lunged forward about
thirty miles in an effort to take
Amiens. They were held in front OF
Amiens. A similar situation exist
ed in Flanders. The British had
made a splendid advance in front Of
Arras and around Ypres. but in the
second German offensive this year.
which began on April ., the British
had to yield considerable ground.
The Germans took Armentieres.
BaiIIeuil and many villages. gain
ing approximately ten miles at some
points, but their effort to break
through to the Channel was COM
pletely frustrated. On the Aisne
River front the French had launch
ed a successful drive that compelled
the Germans to fall back from the
rocky road known as the Chemin-
des-Dames, during the last few days
Of October, 1917.
On May q Of this year the Ger
mans delivered their third big blow
on the Western front, striking in the
sector Of the Aisne. The French and
British were compelled to retire across
the Aisne and eventually to fall back
to the southern bank OF the Marine.
The Germans gained from twenty to
twenty-five miles. but this offensive
proved another costly failure, as they
had evidently hoped to break through
toward Paris. The Germans delivered
their fourth 1913 offensive between
Montdidier and the Aisne River.
where they gained a few miles, ex-
tending their lines toward Compiegne.
which they tried in vain to capture.
Scissors fell to the Boches, however.
On July Is the Germans again struck
for Paris, launching a great offensive
on q 5o-mile front, from Chateau
Thierry to the Argonne Forest Ameri-
cans bore the brunt of heavy fight
ing in the drive and distinguished
themselves for their gallantry. In the
sector where the all-American force
faced the Germans the latter got across
the Marne, but were quickly driven
to the northern bank.
Further east the Germans main
tained their hold on the southern bank
and in four days had advanced about
seven miles In the direction of Eper-
nay, one Of their chief local obtec-
tives. Americans reinforced the French
in the Champagne and helped to re-
pulse the enemy in that zone. At
the time this was written the allied
lines were holding everywhere, but
the Germans were making desperate
efforts to pocket" Rheims and COM
pei the French to retire from the high
ground south Of thst city. Such a
retirement by the allies would enable
the Germans to straighten and shorten
their lines. This was the fifth big
German offensive Of the year on the
Western front, but the first few days
Of lighting seemed to doom II as q
failure. On July IS French and Amer
lean forces between the Aisne and
Marne began q strong counter offen.
Scissors sector and Belleau Wood
northwest Of Chateau Thierry) max
ing a gain of more than seven miles
in the initial fighting and capturing
villages. This offensive. which was
CNAoChbiy NdhCh " lChCNC AhC PlCccdIC Q
against Rheims and Epernay, ex-
tended along the entire western flank
Of the Aisne- -Marne salient
italian Front. -
Italian front-Ths latter half Of
1917 was marked by a series Of bril-
liant offensive operations by the Ital-
ians on the southwestern front and
they had extended their lines east
ward of Gorizia and through the
Bainsizza and Carseau plateaux. On
December "a last the Austrians, sup
ported by heavy forces of Germans
began an offensive which changed
this front completely. The Italians
were thrown back across the Isonzo
River, then across the Tagliamento.
and finally were forced to the west
ern bank Of the Piave River, nearly
eighty miles at one point, to the west
ward Of where the old battle positions
stood.
Balkan Front.
Balkan front-It was not until q
few weeks ago that there was any
material change on this front. Early
this month the Italians and French.
supported on the Adriatic coast by
British warships. began q surprise Of
fensive which rolled the Austro-
Hungarians back from twenty-five to
thirty-five or more miles. The Aus
tro-Hungarian hold on the coast was
badly shaken and they lost their base
at Berat.
Eastern Front.
Eastern front-This front collapsed
shortly after the Russian revolution,
The Germans entered Riga, captured
the Oesel Island group and proceeded
to occupy large stretches Of Esthonia,
Lvonia and Lthuania.
In Turkey the British have main