Evening star., 1918-07-07
Enemy Resistance Is
Broken After Hard
Fighting.
COUNTER ASSAULTS
ALL PROVE FUTILE
Diaz's Men Reach Right Bank Of
New River-400 Prisoners
Are Captured.
By the Associated Press.

The Italians have succeeded in
clearing the Austrians out of a
very considerable part of the
terrain the enemy had been
clinging to near the mouth OF
the Piave, between the new and
old beds of the river.
In hard fighting the Austrian
resistance was broken in the
area close to the Adriatic, Gen.
Diaz's troops driving the in
vaders completely out of the
contested district and across the
new bed of the river from
Grisolera to the sea, a distance
of approximately FIVE miles.
Four hundred of the enemy were
taken prisoner in this fighting.
Vienna Admits Losses.
Vienna admits a loss Of ground
here, conceding that the Austrian ad-
vanced forces were driven back on
their main body.
In the northern part of this low
lying sector, northeast of Capo Sile,
where the Austrians, although driven
back, are still west Of the new stream.
they rallied their forces and counter
attacked in the hope of regaining
some of their lost terrain. Gen. Diaz's
troops stood their ground. however.
and repulsed the enemy thruSts with
Take 400 Prisoners.
ROME. July 6.--After shattering
the Austro-Hungarfan resistance IN
the area where the River Piave en-
ters the Adriatic the Italians yester-
day pushed forward and reached the
right hank of the new Piave from
Grisolera to the mouth OF the river.
The Italians took 400 prisoners.
Text of Statement.
The italian statement reads:
aOn the lower Piave our pressure
is continuing firmly. In the course
of Yesterday, having broken up most
of the stubborn enemy de1ense At
every yard, we gained more ground,
reaching the right bank \. OF ,ba .ne riyer hem
mouth. More than 400 prioners, IN
Guiding six officers, remained.
"a violent counter offensive at
tempted by the enemy more TO the
north. in the direction OF Cmesanoyas
was arrested after a lively struggle.
"Renewed violent attacks on our
positions on Porte di Salton and at
tempts to assault our patrols on
Monte Corone failed.
"Our aviators were very ac.ive IN
bombarding- enemy troop centers De-
yond the lower Piave. Two enemy air.
planes were brought down.
23,e11 Prisoners Claimed.
"The recapture of all the coastal
lines between Capo Sile and she Piave.
which the enemy had occupied and held
since November, brilliantly crowns the
victory gained by us In the nrst great
hattie of our recovery and snlarges the
zone of protection for VeIice.
Altogether. since the 18th OF June.
b23 officers and 23,911 other ranks
have been made prisoner we also cap.
tured 63 guns. IS trench mortars, l.2s4
machine guns, 3,700 rifles, airplanes,
5000, 900 rifle cartridges. many thou
sands of shells of all kinds and large
quantity of telephone instruments. ana
recovered our artillerieS and material.
which in the advanced zone had to be
abandoned during the first phase OF the
struggle"
Vienna oficia1 Statement.
VIENNA, July 6.-The battle at the
mouth of the Piave river on the
Italian front continued yesterday, the
Austrian war Office announced today.
The Austrian advance forces were
pressed back to their main body by
the Italians.
The statement reads:
"At the mouth of the Piave the
hghting continued yesterday On the
southern wing of our positions the
enemy succeeded in pressing US back
towards our main body.
ION the Venetian mountain front
yesterday the fighting activity was
limited to the artillery fire of both
sides.
Early today the Italians launched
renewed violent thrusts in the Solaro
region and near Asiago. The attempts
were repulsed."