Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-12
INTEREST CENTER|NG
ON ITALIAN FRONT
Mountain Region Where Great
Forces of Men, Guns and
Horses Are Moving.
FIVE LINES OF APPROACH
Of the Associated Press.

HEADQUARTERS ITALIAN ARMY.
April 15.-Attention 10 now being CEN
tered on the mountain front. for all the
indications are that this is to be the
main scene of coming operations in
stead of the nat river country to the
east. With these operations perhaps
net far off, 1t is well to take q survey
Of this mountain section. for its main
points are likely to be heard Of very
often in the coming months. Already
along these mountain roads there 10
the stir of great forces Of men. guns
and horses moving into position. and
one almost feels that a great battle is
already on.
The Tridentine Alps which stretch
across northern Italy form natural
fertilization between the two opposing
lines. and 1t Is in the lower section OF
these ranges that the military opera
front of several hundred miles from
the Adriatic up to the Swiss frontier.
yet part of this stretch is impenetrable
mountain peaks covered with eternal
Ave lines Of approach where bresks in
the mountain heights permit military
operations to be carried on.
munication through the Tridentine
Alps are the valley regions known as
Its winding character, which leads
down to Lake Como and toward Milan;
second. the Val Camonica, leading
southward toward Brescia; third. the
east of the Adamello region with its
line Of peaks and skirts along the west
shore of Lake Garda: fourth. Val La
garina. which follows the course Of the
Adise river on the east Of Lake Garda.
and comes down from Trent toward
Verona: and fifth. the Val Sugana.
which follows the course of the Brenta
river and winds around the Asiago re-
sien down past Bassano.
Two Valleys Strategic Ground.
These i've main highways through
the mountains become more important
from q military standpoint As they
come eastward toward the Asiago and
1renta region. All the chief pressure
has been in the easterly region in the
past, and the Indications at present are
that it will be in this region.
The great fighting ground, then
would be along the two valleys on the
east, Val Lagarina and Val Sugana,
ana chief attention should be centered
on them and their neighboring heights
ba. Both Of them come down from
Trent, the Austrian storm center which
sends forward troops and supplies
through both these valleys. to the
the enemy has railroads down both
these valleys.
The Lagarina valley comes straight
south to Verona and the open plain. It
Va down here that the enemy made his
arst rush two years ago. pushing from
Geverto. west toward Mount Pasubio,
He was driven back then, ana ali the
Indications are that he will be held
again II he comes that way.
Most Important Approach.
The most important approach i. BY
Tay OF the val sugana. or Brenta river.
Hrenta makes . wide circuit before it
comes down to the open plain at Bas-
sano. and 1t Is within this circuit that
the Asiago plateau and tho hardest
hshting ground lies. The Austrian rail-
way from Trent comes down the val
ley to Primolano. about twenty miles
STEADY now Of men and supplies. That
10 Why the Italian airplanes have cen
tered attention on Primalano. which il
having its railway stations bombed.
the bomb-swept and deserted town
OF Asiago IL the center of this battle
region inclosed by the Val Sugana and
the Brenta river. The enemy lines run
Just below the town. Near by are Mount
Val Bella. Sasso Rosso and Melago, ali
the scene Of desperate fighting when
the enemy tried to come down the west
bank Of the Brenta. The river itself
comes through rocky defle. SO part OF
the approach is over these intervening
mountains. which reach down to the
river valley.
This Asiago region is cut by two othe.
local valleys. which are a most impor-
tant part of the mountain operations
though they are not main highways
through the Alps. These are the Valar-
81 and the Astico valleys, which wind
irrsgularly down toward Vincenza
Much 10 likely to be heard Of this sec
tion in the coming operations.
Desperate Fighting Ground.
East Of the Brenta river is anothe,
part Of this same Val Sugana, which j.
also desperate fighting ground, where
the enemy has made his main push e