Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-11-11

chronized with the unifcation of
military control and appointment of
General now Marshal Foch, to the
post OF supreme command. Mill
tary commentators, without excep-
ton, lay stress upon the Importance
ef single leadership and the genius
of Foch is stemming and finally
turning the tide.
Among the individual leaders,
aside from Foch, whose names
stand out most prominently, are
Marshal Joffre, who saved France
in her darkest days of the summer
of 1914; Field Marshal Haig, the
British commander; General Petain,
at the head of the French forces;
General Diaz, who, on the Italian
front, beat back last summers Aus
trian offensive and later tore the
Austrian armies to pieces in a few
weeks, and General Pershing.
On the German side are Field
Marshal Won Hindenburg, compar-
lively obscure officer who leaped
into worldwide fame by his defeat
of the Russians in 1914, and subse-
quently became the idol Of Germany,
and General Ludendorff, who, al
though frequently credited with be-
ing the ADLER of the two, never
touched popular imagination as did
his colleague. When Won linden
berg was at the height of his fame,
agreat wooden image of the German
hero was set up, asmonument to the
power which now is broken. 1t
stands today in Berlin, unless the
new masters of Germany have torn
it down. y
Origin Of Conflict.
1t was late in June, 1914, that the
world was stirred by the murder in
Sarajevo, Bosnia, OF the Aruchduke
Francis Ferdinand, the Austrian
heir-apparent, and his wife, Austria,
backed by Germany, accused Serbia.
of instigating the crime and made
demands which Serbia accepted in
part. Austria would not agree to
arbitrate the demands not accepted
by Serbia and the foreign Offices in
London, Paris and Petrograd failed
to swerve Austria from her course.
Austria Hungary began hostilities
on July u, 1914, by attacking Ser
bis, and within a week Germany had
Joined her, while France, Great
Britain and Prussia had thrown
their forces against Germany and
Austria. As the war went on the
number of nations involved in
creased until the conflict became the
greatest in the history Of the world.
Declaring war on France, Ger
many on August |, 1914, threw her
armies toward France by way OF
Belgium. Fighting for the main
tenance of their neutrality. the Bel
gians checked the on-coming horde
for a time, but within two months
the Prussian armies were within a
few miles of Paris from which the
French government had fed: One
of the vital moments Of the war had
arrived. In a battle of dramatic
changes, the enemy hordes were
hurled back at the 'Marne.
us. Entered War April s. 1917.
Turkey soon entered the war on
the side Of Germany and Italy
Joined, the allies. Bulgaria came ip
with Germany, and Serbia and Mon
tenegro. were overrrun. On April 6,
1877, the United States, unable to
force Germany by peaceful means
to conduct her ruthless submarine
warfare in keeping with interna-
tional law. threw her forces into
the struggle. 81.
At that time the imperial govern
ment of Russia had been overthrown
and a provisional democratic gov
eminent instituted. In Italy, the
armies Of King Victor Emmanuel
were driving back the Austrians in
the Trentino and on the lsonzo. In
France, the French and British
were hammering at the German lines
with little apparent results.
The autumn of 1917 witnessed the
defeat ofSthe Italian armies and
their retreat to the Pave line. Al
most simultaneously American
troops appeared on the western
front for the first time, while the
French and British, armies were
holding positions Of strategic i'm
protanee from the North Sea to-
Switzerland. During the winter Of
1918, American aid became more
effective and Russia dropped out be-
cause of the bolsheviki coup.
Germany. at the bengining {. 'olS,
, announced her purpose to end the
war by an offensive in France. 1t
was her last mighty effort, and for
weeks the world wondered when the
enemy hordes would be stopped. The
turn in the fighting came on July 10
when Marshal Foch launched the
Americans and French in an attack.
Since that fateful day for Germany,
the allied armies on all {. hts have
met with continued success.
CcrmHny's ultimate defeat became
more certain as the sitnottef al