The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-07-27
FOUR LONG YEARS
OF BLOOD AND FIRE
SUNDAY THE ANNIVERSARY Of THE BEGINNING OF
THE WORLDS GREATEST STRIFE

tAssociated Press)

Events big with the fate of nations
have marked the fourth year of the
war which now comes to a close.
1t was on July %. 1914, that Aus
tria declared war on Serbia, begin
ming the great struggle. During the
past twelve months there have been
occurrences that in some respects
have been of even greater import in
their influence upon the world than
those in the preceding period. Trans
cending the significance any event in
the actual theatres of war, America 5
full participation in the conflict, in
volving the transportation overseas
Of more than million men to engage
in it must remain for all time the
great outstanding feature of the
fourth year of the struggle. 1t is
upon America that the Entente is
relying for the men and resources to
turn the tide.
A year ago the number of .Ameri-
can troops going to Europe bad not
begun to assume large proportions.
A few regulars and some national
guardsmen had been sent to France,
but most of the big military training
camps were still being built and the
men selected as the first contingent
in citizens clothes. Until the first day
of August of 1917 the total number
of American soldiers taken overseas
was 26,967.
Soon after that date the movemen<
of troops was accelerated. Thousands
were despatched across the Atlantic,
during the winter months, but it was
not until the great German offensive
was started late in March of 1913
that the movement began to assume
really noteworthy proportions. The
figures for the months from August
1, 1917 to July /, 1918, follow:
August, 1928; September, 32, ,523;
October, 38,259; November, 23,016;
December, 48,840; January, 46,776;
February, 48,027; March, 1881;
April, 117,212; May. 244,345; Jhne,
276,382: July, 100000.
On July /. 1918, there were 1854
American marines in France, bring
ing the total number of American
troops in that country and Italy up
to 1,019,115.
The Allies have been called upon
to face two great offensives during
the past year. The first of these came
last October in Italy and the second,
in France, began on March p. The
German drives in France, while sep
arated by periods of from few days
to several weeks, have been consider
ed as different phases of the same
offensive. The abortive Austrian at
tack against Italy in June also is
looked upon as merely another attack
against the western front and not as
a distinct military operation.
But these offensives perhaps would
not have been begun had it not been
for the collapse of Russia during the
past winter. German and Austrian
troops, released from the Russian
front, were taken to France and Italy
to swell the masses of men hurled
against the Allies in the western
theater of operations. As long as
Russia remained in the fight she held
great numbers of Teutonic troops in
the east, and her withdrawal from
the war exercised fundamental in
fuence on the course of its develop
ment.
FALL OFFENSIVE IN ITALY
The storm broke at Caporetto on
Oct. 26 and almost Immediately the
| whole Italian line was thrown into
| disorder. Pouring through the passes,
where in some instances disaffected
Italian troops held positions, the Ger
mans and Austrians made progress
which from the first was alarming.
By wise generalship, the Italian line
was withdrawn from the Isonzo. 1t
paused at the Tagiamento and then
| retired further until it rested on the