Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-07-27
WAR
OLD; us. AID
SHUNS
American Help Greatest
Of Many Big Events in
Last II Months.

Events big with the fate of na-
ions have marked the fourth year
AZ the war, which now comes 10 a
tlose L has heen q i months OF
Alternating hope and concern Tor
Il he powers OF the entente alliance.
It was on July 2S, 1918, that Aus
TIA declared war on Serbia. begin
ring the great struggle. During
/ The past l. months there have been
/ occurrences that in some aspects
have been Of even greater import
n their influence upon the world
than those IN the preceding period.
Russia's collapse. the Italian defeat
last autumn. tile stupendOus drives
q the Germans against the allied
armies. and the wonderful defen-
give operations that have again AMI
again checked the enemy when sue
cess for him seemed near at hand
lave held the world breaJhless.
[. =. Aid Big Factor.
But. transcending the significance
any event in the actual theatres of
the war. America 5 full paTucipa-
ION in the conflict. involving the
transportation overseas Of more
than d million men TO engage in it,
must remain for all time the great
outstanding feature OF the fourth
year Of the struggle. L is upon
America that the entente is relying
t0r the men and resources to turn
the tide.
4 year ago the number Of Amerr
can troops going TO Europe had not
begun to assume large proportions.
4 few regulars and some national
guardsmen had been sent to France,
but most Of the big military train
ing camps were still being built
and the men selected as the first
contingent 10 he called to the cor
ors we're still in citizens clothes.
Until the first day Of August Of
1917 the total number OF American
soldiers taken overseas was 26.967.
Foes Drive Speeds L. $.
Soon after that date the move
ment OF troops was accelerated.
Thousands were despatched across
the Atlantic during the winter
nOnths. but II was not until the
great German offensive was started
late in March OF 1918 that the move
ment began to assume really note
worthy proportions. The figures for
the months from Aug. /, 1917, TO
July /, 1918, follow:
August. 1928. September. So
525; October, &S,259; November, %
0l5; December. 4S.S4O. January,
1915; February. 48,O27, March,
S,811; April, l17,212; May, 244,-
345. June. 216.3S2.
On July ]. 1918, there were IA
a4 American marines in France,
bringing the total number Of Amer
can troops in that country and italy
Up 10 I019.l15.
Americans Fight Wei.
During the recent fighting in
France the work of the American
soldiers has compared favOTably
with that Of other fighting men in
he world They have held sectors
here and there along the front.
They are in AIsace and northward
IN the Lorraine sector. The famous
s., Nihici sector Is held by AmeTi-
cans, who are posted also on the
Inc along the heights Of the Neuse.
last OF Reims they took part in the
hgating during the last phase Of
ne German offensive. while in the
ChateaU Tlierry sector they held
thelr line in a vital region against
ne utmost fury Of the Teutonic on
tlaught North Of Chateau Thierry
americans helped 10 stop the drive
o. the Germans in the early days OF
June. and in the Somme sector. at
Oa1ugny and Griyesnes they have
ties.
The allies have been called upon
% face two great odensives during
ne past year The first of these
eane last October in Italy and the
second, in France. began on March
= The German drives in France,
while separated ny periods Of from
iew DAYS 10 several weeks. have
eeen considered as different phases
u The same offensive The abortive
CONTINUED on Page FourJ