The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-11-18

weight of three times its numbers, UNI
til the French sent aid and again the
Hun rush was stopped
The year 1915, may be described as
the year of TOO late for the allies,
and especially for England, so far as
land operations were concerned. The
Gallipoli adventure is an illustration.
During the winter great naval attack
upon the Dardanelles was planned
and begun. 1t failed with the loss of
several vessels.
Then, on April 26, British, Austria
liam and New Zealand forces landed
for an attack on the land side. The
campaign, which ran through the year,
is a tale of heroism and blunders too
long to tell here. Had the landing
been few weeks or even few days
earlier it might have succeeded, but it
was again too late" Victory is now
believed to have been in sight at one
time, but the opportunity was missed.
On Jan. 9, 1916, the attempt was f.
nally given up.
After the fall of Warsaw the Grand
Duke Nicholas was displaced from
command in Poland and sent off to the
Caucasus, whence he was to accom-
plish something against the Turks the
next year But with the retreat be-
yond the Dwina, the Russian armies,
though this was not realized at the
time, ceased to be possible decisive
factor
On May "a, 1915, Italy had entered
the war on the side of the allies. The
timid statesmen who had been in pow
er had to chose between fighting the
Hun and revolution at home. Not for
lack of zeal and courage, but because
of typographical conditions Italy was
able to accomplish little this year.
On May T.. 1916, occurred an event
which filled the world with horror, out
side of Germany. where it was the SUBJ
ject of public rejoicing. This was the
sinking by Hun submarine of the
great Cunard liner Lusitania. without
the slightest warning or giving the
least opportunity for her people to es-
cape. The result was the murder of
1,134 noncombatants, about half of
them women and children, and more
than 200 of them Americans. In moral
effect this success" was greater
loss to Germany than the Battle of
the Marine for from it the world began
to understand that there could be no
safety for any nation until the German
empire was destroyed.
The Disaster OF Serbia.
Little Serbia had beaten off the Aus
trian attack the year before, and for
nine months had kept her soil clear of
the invader But now came her turn
to join Belgium in martyrdom.
The western front battles of 1916
opened on Feb 81, with the great Ger
man drive against the Verdun posi-
ton. For weeks the issue was doubt
full, with the French tenaciously hold
ing, but slowly pushed back by the
constant hammering of the Hun. The
spirit of France was voiced in the mot
motto: They shall not pass" And they
did not pass, though before the Hun
wave reached its crest in July it had
penetrated the inner Notifications of
Verdun.
Then at the critical moment on July
1, the British and Wrench struck back
on the Somme, driving wedge twenty
miles wide and ten miles deep into
the German lines. and inflicting loss
es estimated at 100000 men, including
$4,000 prisoners. over 800 cannon. and
nearly $500 machine guns. In this al
lied drive the tank first made its
appearance, huge armored tractor
devised by the British and built in
America, whose Caterpillar wheels
enabled it to waddle over seemingly
impossible distractions.
On the Asiatic front the Russian
armies under Grand Duke Nicholas
made substantial progress into Ar
menia, where the year before the
Turks, with German sanction, had
massacred probably $4,000 of that
helpless race. The Russian fleets
dominated the Black sea, despite the
addition to the Turkish navy OF Ger
man vessels and men, but the capture
OF Trebizond on April Is marked the
limit of the Russian advance
This was offset by the loss two
weeks later of 10000 Anglo-Indian
troops at KutelAmara, in Mesopo-
tanlia. These forces for about a year
had been slowly working up the Tig-
ris and had almost reached Bagdad
when they were caught by floods, sur
rounded and forced into surrender.
The Betrayal Of Rumania.
Up to August of this year it also be.
gan to look as If the Italians would
finally be able to carry the war into
Austria. They had taken Gorilla after
overcoming the most enormous diff
ficulties of terrain. Then on August
%, Rumania declared for the allies.
q