South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-28
1Gen.J ,J.Rersllin8F.
y &zLkea Sizes III

The line was so Fixed along the Carnit
Nlps as 20 be easily defended by Austris
md difficult OF attack By Italy. To get al
Austria the Italians had 10 fight uphill
through a very rough mountain region
whose natural defenses had been careful
~ improved by military art. The slow
progress Of the Italian armies FOR more
han a year was mainly due TO the dini-
.ulties OF the country over which they bad
10 fight their way
On May Z. 1915 occurred an event which
filed the world with horror. outside oil
Germany. where II was the subject OF pub
lie rejoicing This was the sinking by q
Hun submarine OF the great Cunard lineI
Lusitania without the slightest warning
or giving the least opportunity for heI
people to escape. The result was the muir
der OF 1874 uoncombatants. about half Of
them women and children, and more than
200 OF them Americans. In moral effect
this success" was a greater loss 20 Ger
many than the battle OF the Marine, for
from II the world began 70 understand that
there could be no safety for any nation IN
al the German empire was destroyed.
The Disaster of Serbia =
little Serbia had beaten Of the AUS
trian attack the year before, and Tor nine
months had kept her soil clear OF the
invader But now came her turn TO Join
BELGIUM I'm martyrdOm-
Having really disposed OF Russia, as the
event proved even more by corruption or
its administration. including some OF the
chief ministers OF the car. than by vic
tories in the field the Huns we're now
able 10 bring Bulgaria 10 their side and
thus turn Irresistible forces upon hapless
Serbia An Austro-German army swept
over the Danube: the Bulgsrs ATTACHED
from the east; the pro-German king OF
Greece whose wife was the kaiser's sis
ter. repudiated his solemn engagement 10
aid Serbia II attacked by Bulgaria
The allies attempted 20 come to Ser
has cid by landing troops at Ssloniki.
but again they were TOO late The Ser
bian army was simply overwhelmed and
its retreat with most OF the civilian pop
ulation through the mountains OF Al
5ania 20 tie Adriatic was one Of the most
tragic events In history. The Serbian
spirit, however remained unbroken, and
Serbian soldiers did their part in winning
he triumphs OF 1918.
Thus in the main theaters OF the war
he year was a bad one for the allies In
its outer fields they made substantial
progress Early IN the war Australian,
New Zealand and Japanese forces had
seized the German colonies in the Pa
sifc. and the Japanese had taken Kaio-
Chao the Hun stronghold on the Chinese
coast
Berlin had counted confidently on
BOer revolt In South Africa but the Beers
themselves quickly suppressed some at
tempts and on May - 1915, the forces OF
the Union OF South Africa captured the
German military colony OF southwest AZ
RIGA. Meanwhile, British and French CO.
ionial forces had been cleaning up Togo
land. and By the end OF the year East
Africa was the only colony still held by
German forces.
canal had also been rspulsed and the
British had made alliances with the Arab
tribes seated about the Mohammedan holy
stiles y Mecca and Medinah, which were
10 nave important effects upon the po-
sition Of the Turkish sultan IN the eyet
Df Moslems throughout the world.
This year was also marked by the go
pearance o. q new weapon. poison gas
hrst used by the Huns In tie second bat
lie OF fprss In April against French col
onial troops. The break In the line Va
closed by the valor OF the Canadians. Wb
suffered horribly, but still held FAST
"They Shall Not Pass"
The western front battles OF 1915 opens
on Feb. II With the great German driy
against the Verdun position. For week
the issue was doubtful with the Fre1c
tenaciously holding but slowly pushs
back By the constant hammering OF ID
Huns. The spirit Of France vas voiced Il
the motto. ION ne passe pas'-"They shall
not pass" And they did not pass, though
before the Hun wave reached its crest Il
July II had penetrated the inner fortihca
items Of Verdun.
Then at the critical moment, on July
the British and French struck back on tn
somme. driving a wedge twenty miles wild
and ten miles deep into the German lines
and iraicting losses estimated at TOO 90
men, including $4,000 prisoners, over 30
cannon and nearly 1900 machine guns.
this allied drive the tank" 6rst madt
is appearance. huge armored tractor je,
Fised By the British and built 10 Americs
whose caterpillar" wheels enabled 10 q
Taddle over seemingly impossible obstruc-
lions.
This battle, Il vas hoped, would be the
beginning OF the big push" that would
end In the expulsion OF the Huns from
France. hut II was halCgd 90 November By
he rainy season when fits threat seemed
most dangerous 10 the enemy. II is also
reported that certain French politicians,
ainted with the "defeatist" propaganda for
which Bolo Pasha later paid with his life,
intrigued against Gen. Nivelle. command
n OF the region Of tie famous Ladies'
DAD and procured bis suppression at the
ritical moment
on the Asiatic front the Russian armies
nder Grand Duke Nicholas made subs
stantial progress into Armenia. where It's
year before the Turks, with German sane
ton. had .massacred probably 2S0000 OF
that hapless race. The Russian fleets
dominated the Black sea. despite the adii-
sells and men, but the capture Of Trebizond
Anrn * marLad limit of the pua