The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-07-31
lENFf 9E 1aE Ilk.
WHAT THE UNrED STATES MAS
t.s. DONE.


Washington. July 27.---Events bi,
with the fate OF nations have marked
the fourth year OF the war which now
comes to close. IL has been .
twelve months Of alternate hope ant
concern for the powers Of the entente
tsit was on, July 2S. 1914, that Aus.
MIA dociared war on Serbia, begin.
ming the great struggle. During the
past twelve months there have beer
occurrences that In some aspects hav,
been of even greater import In their
innuence upon the world than those
In the preceding period Russia's col
lapse. the Italian defeat last autumn
the stupendous. drives of the Germans
sgotnst the allied. armies. and the
vonderful defensive operations that
have again and again checked the en-
cmy when success for him. seemed
near at hand have held the world
lKeathles> But. transcending the
~gnihcance any event In the actual
theatres OF the war. Americas full
anticipation In the conflict, involving
the transportation. overseas of more
than million men to, engage In II
must remain for all time the great
outstanding, feature OF, the fourth year
os..the struggle. 1t Is upon America
that the entente Is relying for the
fnen and resources to turn the tide.
tAyeax ago the number of American
trcope going TO. Europe had not begun
TO assume large proportions. 4 few
Regulars and some National Guards
M krsA
nAost, OF the big military training
cAnps were still being built and the
men selected as the first contingent to
DO called TO the colors were still In
citizens, clothes. Until the first day
Of August or 1917 the total number of
American soldiers taken overseas was
zs.es7. ai. &C.. S... ...
Soon after that date the movement
OF troops was accelerated. Thousands
were despatched across the Atlantic
during the winter months, but Il was
not until the great German offensive
wns. started late I'm March OF 1918 that
the movement began to assume really
noteworthy proportions. The figures
for the months from August 1. 1917
20 July 4, 1913, follow:
fLAugusf. is.323; Sept. 32,528; Oc-
tober. $3.50; November. 23.O16; De-
cember. 4s.Slo: January. 46.77s: Feb
ruary. 4s.e27: March. s3.s11: April.
117.2i2; May. 244.345; June 276.-
asa .ail '.r ,l ~.
ON. July 1. 1913. there were 1864
Amcrtcan marines I'm France. bringing
tho total number of American troops
In that. country and Italy up to L.
o1&1i5. lat br,
sDr ing the recent aghting In
France the work OF the American SOL
disrs has compared favorably with
that Of other fighting men In the world
They~have held sectors here and there
along the front. They are I'm Alsace
and northward in the Lorraine sector.
The famous ST. Mihiel sector is held
By Americans. who are posted also on
the line along the heights OF the
Meuse. East OF Rheims they took
part In the fighting during the last
phase OF the German offensive while
IN the Chateau -Thierry sector they
hald their line In a vital region
against the utmost fury OF the Tcuton-
10 onslaught North OF Chateau
Thierry, Americans helped to stop the
drive Of the Germans In the early
days OF June; and i'm the Somme sec
tor at Cantigny and Grivenes they
have given proof OF their soldierly
qualities.
The allies have been called upon
TO face two great offensives during the
past year. The first OF these came
last October In Italy. and the second.
In France. began on March IL. The
ri In.
arated by periods OF from few days
TO several weeks. have been consider
cd as different phases OF the same Of
fsnsive. The .abortive Austrian at
tack against Italy I'm June also is look
cd upon as merely another attack
against the western front and not as
n distinct military operation.
But these ofrenslves perhaps never
would have been begun had II not
been for the collapse OF Russia dur
Ing the past winter. German and Aus
tian troops. released from the Rus
sian front. were taken TO France and
itaiy to swell the masses OF men
hurled against the allies I'm the wcs-
tern theatre OF operations. AS long as
ftussia remained In the fight she held
great numbers OF Teutonic troops I'm
the East. and her Withdrawal from
theswar exercised "A fundamental In
huence on the course OF it's develop
ment.
situation u Year Ago.
The year opened with the fortunes
of war apparently favoring the en-
tente. The British had forced back
tho Germans TO the famous Hinden-
burg line. The French had estab-
lished themselves firmly along the
Chemin des Danes. north OF the Aisne.
The echoes OF vcrdun were still ring
Ing the kneil OF German hopes In tina,
sector Of the battle area. The Itai-
inns were holding their lines along
the Isonzo. The rejuvenated Russian
regiment OF July First" had carried
the war far into the Austrian defenses
In Bukowina and Galicia.
Through August and Sentemhe