Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-25
EFFORT TO CRUSH
ARMIES Of |TALY
ENDS IN failure. \: .
tttfS &
Italians Press Back Invaders
All Along Piaye 49,
River.
ENEMY LOSES $4,000
MEN TAKEN PRISONER
Compelled to Surrender or At
tempt to Swim Flooded
Stream.
ABANDONs STORES AND AsiNs.
No Sign Yet Of Intention to ReneW>
Offensive in Mountain
Sector.
STORES AND NsiNs
No Sign Yet of Intention to Renew
Offensive in Mountain
Sector.

The defeat of the Austrian armies
on the western bank Of the Piave River
is complete. Admission is made by tho
Austrian War Office that the troops. of
Emperor Charles have been forced to
cvacuate the Montello over which they
had hoped to press their way and gain
the Venetian plains and "some sectors"
| of the positions they attained last week
on the bank of the river between the
! plateau and the point where tho stream
cmpties into the Adriatic Bad weather
and the rising of the Piave under the
heavy rainfalls are assigned as the rea-
! sons for the withdrawal of the Aus
serts that it ~ the mpetuous attaik
of the Italian, j's hat brought about the
| failure of an Operation which was
started with ylshe intention of crushing
the arifiies otGeneral Diaz and forcing
the Italians, like the Russians, to ac-
cept n Teutonic allied peace.
| All along the river the Italians have
pressed back the invaders of their ter
ritory until only small units remain
on the western bank. and across the
stream KirR Victor Emmanuers men
are keeping. wei on the heels of the
retreating enemy, who is fleeing in dis
order. Again the cavalry has been
thrown into the lighting. and is sorely
harassing the enemy. while machine
guns from the ground and from air
craft. some OF the latter operated by
american aviatcrs. are working havoc
among the fleeing Austrian columns.
The losses to the army are described
as enormous, both n men killed.
wounded or made prisoner An official
| statement from Rome to the Italian
embassy in Washington asserts that
the Austrians have lost $1,000 men IN
prisoners alone. The Italian War OfS
flee communication mentions only 1000
Austrians as having been captured, but
1t is probable that this communica-
tion antedated that sent to the en-
bassy, and that the captives in the
hands of the Italians greatly exceed
this figure.
! MOST OF REMAINING
BRIDGES ARE DESTROYED
The probability that this is true is
enhanced by the fact that the river
was swollen out of bounds, and most
or the bridges that had not been car
ried away by the freshet had been
shot to pieces by the Italian guns, com
pellinS the enemy either to surrender
or take his chances OF being able to
swim the turbulent stream.
So hurried was the retrograde moye-j
ment of the Austrians at some points
that they did not take time even to
attempt to save their guns and stores,
great quantities of which now are In
Italian hands.
AS yet there has been no sign that
'he enemy purposes again to renew at
an early date another offensive i'm the
mountain region, notwithstanding the
fact that reports emanating from
Switzerland have said that he was
bringing up large re-enforcements and
great Quantities of supplies along the
front behind the lines from the Swiss
border to the upper reaches OF the,
Piave.
LLOYD GEORGE EXPECTS
ANOTHER OFFENSIVE
That another offensive is expected
and at any moment--has been made
known by David Lloyd George. the
british Premier to the House of Com.
mons Where it is to come was not
stated but 1t was asserted that on the
blow the issue OF the campaign might
depend Hopefulness was expressed I'm
the statement that the entente allies
nevert felt better prepared to meet 1t.
Enough Americans have arrived To
satisfy the allies and TO disappoint and
ultimately defeat our foes" the Pre-
mier said
On the front in France and Flan-
ders the operations continue OF a minor
character The italians again have
doteated the Germans near Blteny. in
the Marne sector !nflicting heavy casu-
alties on them, and taking number
of prisoners.
In the same region the Americans
at last have succeeded in clearing the
Beileau wood, northwest of Chateau
Thierry, OF the Germans. who had been
clingins stubbornly to positions which 4
we're regarded as almost impregnabI-.
Prisoners were taken and hve machine
guns were captured by the Americans
The German official communication as-{
serts that trenches near Badonyiliey
occupied by French and American
troops. have been invaded by the Ger