South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-05-17
TTENT|OM NOW
ON ITALIAN FRONT
Correspondent Gives COmpre-
henSiVe Survey of What
May be Ground.


being centered on the mountain
front. for indications are that this
is to be the scene OF coming opera
tions instead of the fat river coun-
try 10 the east. With these opera
tiOns perhaps not far off. il is we'll
10 take 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 is 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 "a natu-
raj fertilization between the two op-
posing lines. and it is in the lower
sectio of these ranges that the mill
itary operations are now unfolding
While IL Is a front Of several hum
dred miles from the Adriatic up TO
the Swiss frontier, yet part of this
stretch is impenetra BILE mountain
peaks covered with eternal snow.
and there are practically only five
lines of approach where breaks in
the mountain heights permit mill
tary operations TO be carried on.
These five lines of approach or
communication through the Tri-
dentine Alps are the valley regions
known as the Valtellina. meaning
see-saw from it's winding character.
which leads down to Lake Como and
toward Milan: second, the Val
CamOnica, leading southwark to-
ward Brescia; third. the Val Giud-
icaria. which comes down Just east
of the Adamello region with its line
Of peaks and skirts along the west
shore of Lake Garda; fourth. Val
Lagarina, which follows the course
Of the Adige 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 region down past
Eassano.
These five main highways through
the mountains become more import
ant from a military standpoint. as
they come eastward toward the Ash
ago and Brenta region. All the chief
pressure has been in the easterly
region in the past, and the indica-
tons at present are that it will be
in this region.
The great fighting ground. then 1
would be along the two valleys on /
the east. Val Lagarina and Val ]
Sugana. and chief attention should !
be centered on them and their /,
heights Of Asiago the |
Grappa and Mount Tomba. Both /
of them come down from Trent the /
Austrian storm center which sends /
forward troops and supplies through /
both these valleys to the mountain /.
fronts beyond. From Trent the en-
envy has railroads down both these |
The Lagarina valley comes 7
straight south 10 Verona and the |
open plain. II was down here that /
the enemy made his first rush two /
years ago. pushing from Reverto /
west toward Mount PasublO He 7
was driven back then. and all the /
indications are that he will be held /
again if he comes that way.
The most important approach is |
by way of the Val Sugana. or I
Brenta river From its headwaters /
near Trent the Brenta makes a wide /
ciruit before il comes down to the
open plain at Bassano. and il is
within this circuit that the Asiago /
plateau and the hardest fighting
ground lies. The Austrian railway
from Trent comes down the valley
to PrimOlanO about 20 miles above
Bassano, thus keeping up & steady
flow Of men and supplies. That is
why the Italian airplanes have cen
tered attention on Primolana. which
IS often mentioned in the COM
as having its railway sta
tons bombed.
The bOmb-swept and deserted
town Of Asiago is the center of this
battle region enclosed 10y 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. all
he scene Of desperate lighting when
he enemy tried to come down the
vest bank of the Brenta. The river
tself comes through a rocky defile.
so part of the approach is over
hese intervening mountains which
each down TO the river valley.
This AsiagO region is cut by two
lther local valleys. which are
most important part of the noun
air operations though they are not
main highways through the Alps.
These are the Nalarsa and the As
leo valleys which wind irregularly
Town toward Vicenza. Much is like
L. l. :. IL