Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-07-29

| Events big with the fate Of nations
| have marked the fourth year of the
war which now comes to a close. 1t
has been a II months of alternate
hope and concern for the Powers CT
| the Entente Alliance.
| 1t was on July IS. 1914. that Aus
tria declared war on Serbia. begin
/ ming the great struggle. During the
! past - months there haze been oc-
| currences that in some aspects have
been of even greater import in their
| influence upon the world than those
! in the preceding period. Russia's
| collapse. the Italian defeat last au-
turnn. the stupendous drives of the
Germans against the Allied armies
and the wonderful defensive opera
tons that have again and again
| checked the enemy when success for
| him seemed near at hand have held
| the world breathless But, trans
cending the significance any event
| in the actual theatres Of the war.
Americas full participation in the
! conflict. involving the transportation
overseas of more than a million men
!
time the great outstanding feature
of the fourth year of the struggle.
1t is upon America that the Entente
is relying for the men and resources
to turn the tide.
A year ago the number of Ameri
can troops going to Europe had not
begun to assume large proportions.
nd
Guardsmen had been sent to France.
but most of the Zig military training
camps we're still being built and the
| men selected as the first contingent
| to be called to the colors were still in
| citizens clothes. Until the first day
of August of 1917 the total number
Of American soldiers taken overseas
was 26,967
soon after that date the movement
of troops was accelerated. Ihou-
sands were despatched across the A.
lantic. during the winter months. ON
if was not until the great German
offensive was started late IN March
of 1915 that the movement hesan 20
assume really noteworthy proper
lions The figures for the months
from, Aug. !, 1917, to July !, 1919
follow:
August. 1888; September. 1898
october. $3.50: November, 23,olo;
December $3.50; January, 4e,77s;
February. 4S.027; March. S3,Sll:
Aprn. ,l7,2l2, May. 244,s4a; June
27G,3S2.
On July !. 1918. there wer4 14,'+i
American marines in France orins-
inc the total number of American
troops in that country and Italy up
to 1.Ola.t15.
During the recent fighting N
France the work Of the American
soldiers has compared favorabiy WIN
that of other fighting men IN the
world They have held sectors mere
and there along the front. They are
IN Alsace and northward in the Lor-
rainn sector. The famous St Mlh!-l
sector IS held by Americans, who are
posted also on the line along me
heights Of the Meuse. East OF
Rheims they took part in the hghF-
ing during the last phase Of the Ger
man offensive while in the Chateau
i Thjerrv sector they held their lines
in a vital region against the utmost
fury Of the Teutonic onslaught.
North Of Chateau Thierry. Americans
helped t. stop tho drive Of the Ger
mans in the early days of June; and
in the Somme sector. AT CanusnV
and Grivesnes they have given PROOF
Of their soldierly qualities.
The Allies have been called upon
70 face two great offensives during
the past year. The first Of these
came last October in Italy ana the
second in France, began on Marcn
q. The German drives in France,
while separated ", periods of from
few DAYS to several weeks. have bean
considered as different phases OF the
/ same offensive. The ahorflVe Aus
! TRAN attack against Italy IN june
! also is looked upon as merely anotnar
, attack against the western front ana
nor as distinct military operation.
! Rut these offensives perhaps never
would have begun had it not been f>T
the collapse of Russia during ~"
mast winter German and Austrian
! troops. released from the Russian
front. were taken to France and
I To italy to swell the masses Of men
! hurIed against the Allies in he
Western theatre Of operations. As
J long as Russia remained n he fight
she held great numbers OF Teutoni9
| 4roons in the East, and her With
d-awal from the war exercised
fundamental influence on the course
of its development
Situation a Year Ago
| The wear opened with the fortunes
of war apparently favoring the En-
tente. The British had forced back
the Germans TO the famous linden
burg line The French had estah-
Iisloed themselves firmly along the
Chemin des Danes, north of the
Aisne The echoes of Verdun We're
still ringing the knell of German
homes in that section of the battle
area. The Italians were holding their
lines along the Isonzo. The re1n-
venated Russian regiment of July
First" had carried the war far into
the Austrian defenses in Bukowjna
and Galicia.
Through August and September, ,
1917. there came rumors that Russia
was exhausted by the war and quiet /
settled down along the lines from the
gates Of the Carpathians to the Bal |
tic Stories were beard of fraterni- |