Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-08-06
THE FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF WORLD WAR
FOUND OVER 20 NATIONS FIGHTING
THE KAISER'S "RULEALL" DREAM
By FRANK CHARLTON,
International News Service Cable Editor.


of this month.
Nearly thirty nations have been en-
broiled by the Kaiser's ambition for
world domination. Not all of them
have armies in the field for some
have severed diplomatic relations with
the Central Powers only, without ac-
tually declaring war But the fight
ing countries and their dominions
encircles the whole globe, and the
sun never sets on the nations that
are trying by force of arms to rescue
humanity from Prussian militarism.
Although there have been recent
political developments which indicate
that Germany has begun to back
down" in the matter of annexations,
it cannot be said that peace is in
sight in the immediate future.
Germany has not yet felt the. mill.
tary might of the United States, but
there is every ~ cation that the
higher .statesme Berlin and the
more conserve. Of tie militarist
leaders in the German army COM
rand have begun 20 take serious
alarm at the vast war preparations
which America is making.
Political and military events of
tremendous importance have marked
the past year of warfare.
Germany taking advantage of the
Misrepresentation in the Russian army
and the chaos PIE eipitated in Russia
by the B7lsheviki regime, concluded
'ipeace tie 4 Is" with the Bolshevikl
and the independent government of
Ukrania, and then forced Rumania
into similar humilating agreement.
Following this. Germany began an
organized campaign to get control OF
all western Russia from the Arctic to
the Black Sea. A treacberous past
wa fermed with the pro.German ele-
met 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 hape
of rescuing Russia from beneath the
iron heel Of Prlssian military domi
nation and an Allied army has been
landed in northern Russia to help it
out -e.sca,
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 fighting of the entire conflict.
Roughly, the changes may be group
ed as follows:
Western front-In Picardy the Brit
ish gained brilliant success in a
surprise tank attack in front of Cam
brai late in November last and al
most drove into Cambria itself, but
this and previous gains we're wiped
out by the big German offensive
which began on March q, when the
Germans lunged forward about thirty
miles in an effort to take Amienst
They were held in front of Amiens.
A similar situation existed in Elan
ders The British had made a splen-
did advance in front of Arras and
around Ypres, but in the second Ger
man offensive this year. which began
on April 9. the Briti.h had T.. yield
considerable ground. The c armans
took Armentieres, Bailleuil and a
number of villages. gaining approx
mately ten miles at some points. but
their effort to break through to the
Channel was COMPLETELY frustrated.
On the Asne River front the French
had launched successful drive that
compelled the Germans TO fall back
from the rocky road known as the
Chemindes-Dames, during the last
few days of October, 1917 On May
n OF this year the Germans deliver
ed their third big blow on the west
ern front, striking in the sector of
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 deliver
ed their fourth 1918 offensive be-
tween Montdidier and the Aisne riv.
er, where they gained few miles,
extending their lines toward Com
piegne, 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 fifty mile front,
from Chateau-Thierry to the Argonne
Forest Americans bore the brunt of
heavy fighting in the drive and distin-
guished themselves for their gallan-