The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-17
Austrans Launch Their Long Delayed OfensUe Against
Italian French British Troops On lOOziJe 'FRONT.'
Italy, But Gains Of First 7tpo DqysAre Very Slight
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SUMMARY OF The WAR

Although the situation along the
great crescent shaped battle line.
in Northern Italy remains somewhat
obscure, il seems that the Austrians
have accomplished little at thu in
ception of their drive against the
Italian and allied armies. From the
lower PiaVe river and northward
along that stream, reports tell of the
enemy being checked and at sbme
points being hurled back across the
etream. From the Piave to the
srenta, whore the Teutons advanced
through mountain ravines in their
attempts to break through the al
lied lines the situation seems to be
hwetll in hand.
It now appears that !he Austl ;ans
made three successful attempts to
cross the Piave. One was south of
Montello where the battle line
leaves the Piave river end mounts
westward into the Alps. One was
between Candelu and Zenson loop,
where the Austrians effected a
crossing last November and held a
bridgehead for some time. The 9TH
er was at Dona Di Piave, about
eleven miles from the mouth of the
river. At least sorle of these forces
have been driven back across the
river, where the others have not
been able to develop any advantage
from their early success.
GERMAN TACTICS.
Reports of the battle show that
the tactics followed by the Austrians
were similar to those which brought
success to the Germans in the
Somme, and Aisne offensives. The
enemy advanced under cover of. a
smoke barrase, from bombs and
smoke apparatus in comparatively
small parties. These were directed
against portions of the line believed
to be lightly held. In France the
Germans succeeded by this method
in gaining the rear of strongly held
portions of the line which had TO be
evacuated quickly by the allies.
Along the Italian front, however, the
emmy was not able to penetrate far
into their positions. The result is as
yet in the balance. So far German
troops are reported only in one SEQ
tor on the mountain front but il is
not improbable that they will be
despatched to aid the Auetrians if
they can be spared along the French
front. Furious fighting is said to be
continuing and it is probable that
the harder blows will be launehc 4
by the enemy. The fact, however,
that the attack did not result In an
actual debaele such as ensued when
the Germans and Austrians attaeked
along the lsonzo, last October,
morale and late reports give reason
for belief that the blow at Italy is
not being launched with the force
that has characterized the offensiVes
of the Germans in France during
the last three months.
IN MOUNTAIN REGION.
The full force of the Austrian
blow in the mountain region drove
the defenders back to their third
line, but there the Italians held and
by successive counter attacks have
reoeoupied important positions on
the Asiago plateau, and mountain
heights along the Brenta.
Around MonteIIo height, where the
battle line turns toward the Adria-
tic, the British have completely es-
tabIished their line and maintain II
against vicious enemy assaults.
Between the Brenta and the
=
have gained a strong foothoId on the
western slopes of Monte Grappa,
one of the key positions protecting
the plains around Rassano. East
and west of Monte Grappa, how
ever, the Italians and allied troops
hold the enemy In check.
CLAIMS OF PRISONERS.
In two days of fighting Vienna
claims the capture of 10000 prison
ers on the Piave and 5000 thousand
in the mountain region. Fifty guns
were taken along the river front. In
their counter attacks begun Satur-
day night, the Italians already have
captured 5000 Of the enemy.
The Austrian plan apparently was
TO attack heavily on the north end
and on the east at the Same moment
fronts large forces could be thrown
on the Venetian plains between
sassano and Trsviso.
On the front in France the fight
ing activity has been limited to To-
cal German attacks at isolated
points. Against the French along
&hs Matz river the eeneny failed.
The sams result attended a a/strona
effort to penetrate the American
lines at Xivray, east of 81. Mihiel.
The American artillery fire broke
up the enemy attack with heavy
losses and only small force
reached Xivray where IL was wiped
out by the Americans. An attempt
10 raid the new American sector in
Afsace Sunday was broken up by
machine gun and rifle fire.
The Lys salient In Flanders 10
being subjected to a heavy German
artillery fire. The enemy is paying
special attention TO the front south
west OF Yprss, east OF Diekebusch
lake and 60 the western part Of the
southern lea of the salient where
the British recently carried out
local advance.
Two more ships both Norwegian,
have been sunk off the Virginia
eapes by German raiders. The lat
set vessels lost were the sailing ship
krinusjaa and The Bark Samoa.
These bring che total Of victims 60
twenty.
Buy w. S. s..
AUTO GOES OVER GRADE.
s-as----~-