New-York tribune., 1918-07-04
Military Comment
BY William l.. Mcpherson

- defeat in Northern Italy in
various unmistakable ways. The
Hungarian Premier recently spoke
guardedly in the Parliament at
Budapest of the retreat from the
west bank of the Piave and Of the
losses incurred in the operations on
the other side of the river. 1t may
be presumed that Hungary bore
more than her share of those losses.
1t is now reported through Munich
and Zurich that changes have been
made in the Austrian command in
Italy. Field Marshal Conrad Won
Hoetzendorff, chief of the Austrc-
Hungarian General Staff in the
earlier years of the war, has been
recalled. He led the armies operat-
ing on the mountain front and his
offensive petered out in two days.
He has been replaced by Field Mar
shall Won Koevess, who distinguished
himself on the Isonzo The supreme
command is said to have been taken
from Field Marshal Boroevic and
given to Otto Won Below, the Ger
man general who contributed 50 ma
terially to the victory Of Caporetto.
Won Below is a competent soldier
But his appointment puts Austria
Hungary more completely than ever
in German leading strings.
Meanwhile, the Italian defensive
offensive is being vigorously pushed.
One successful local blow follows on
the heels Of another. On Tuesday
General Diaz turned his attention
away from the mountains and tow
ard the lower Piave. His troops at
tackled the Austro- Hungarians in the
delta region between the old river
and the new river. They advanced
from mile and a quarter to two
miles on an eight-mile front, taking
1900 prisoners.
This movement cleared up some OBJ
scurities in earlier reports about the
situation on the lower Piave Imme
diately after the Austro- Hungarian
retreat the Italians announced that
they had established a bridgehead on
the east bank of the Piave. 1t is
apparent now that the stream which
they crossed was the old stream. The
old bed separates from the new one.
in the neighborhood of Musile and
runs for eighteen miles or more
nearly south to the Adriatic. The
old bed runs little southeast, leav-
ing triangle of low, marshy ground
between the two branches which is
about eight or ten miles wide at the
base.
Tuesdays fighting occurred in this
triangle. The Italian line, before the
recent offensive, ran north and south
through the triangle and yesterday s
action practically reestablished the
old Italian positions. The advancing
forces were aided by light war ves-
sels There is a broad lagoon just
southwest of Capo Sile, some miles
up from the mouth Of the old Piave.
The coast all along here is open and
swampy, offering easy approaches
from the sea, which the Italians con-
j troll. A turning movement across
the new Piave in this section would
be facilitated by the protection and
aid Of sea forces. Probably some
such experiment will be tried if the
new Austro-Hungarian command
i does not resort to fresh offensive in
the hope Of reestablishing Austria's
shattered military prestige. Vienna
reports that an italian attempt oil
Tuesday to get across the Piavc at
Zenson, above Musle, was repulsed.
The French made another gain on
Tuesday night OF the west side of
the Aisne-Marne salient. They ad-
vanced, in the region north of
Moulin-sous-Touvent, nearly half q
mile on two-mile front. About 500
prisoners we're taken. This attacl.
was made near the apex of the big
Allied reentrant angle east of the
Oise River. The Allied line runs
east from the Disc, opposite Ribe-
court, through Bailly to Tracy-le- Val,
and then turns south toward the
Aisne, near Fontenoy. East and
west it passes through the break be-
tween the Forest of Laigue, to the
south, and the Forest of Ourscamps.
to the north. The latter forest had
to be evacuated in June because if
was outhanked when the Germans.
in their last offensive, pushed down
the west side Of the Disc as far as
Ribecourt.
This reentrant angle is one of the
great bulwarks against German
advance toward Paris. For the last
week the Allies have been busy
strengthening their positions on it's
eastern side, all the way down to
Chateau Thierry. Tuesday nights
operation therefore fitted into the