Bisbee daily review., 1918-07-28
MOMENTOUS HAPPENINGS OF FOURTH YEAR OF WORLD WAR, AS REVIEWED BY THE
 ASSOCIATED PRESS
HAS BEEN EVENTS BIG LIVES OF MA INVOLVED; TWELVE MONTHS ALTERNATE HOPE AND CONCERN FOR THE POWERS ENTENTE ALLIANCE

on as merely another attack against the western front and not as a distinct military operation.
 But these offensives perhaps never would 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 help swell the masses of men hurled against the Allies in the western thea tre 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 a fundamental influence on the course of it's development.
 Situation a Year Ago
 The year opened with the fortunes of war apparently favoring the Entente The British had forced back the Ger mans to the famous Hindenburg line The French had established them selves firmly along the Chemin des Danes. north of the Aisne. The echoes of Verdun were still ringing the knell of German hopes in that sector of the battle area. The Italians were hold ing their lines along the Isonzo. The rejuvenated Russian regiment of July First" had carried the war far into the Austrian defenses in Bukowina and Galicia.
 Through August and September, 1917. there came rumors that Russia was exhausted by the war, and quiet settled down along the lines from the
 ..-- .f .l,o Cov1o 4liapc fo tha Baltic Stories were heard of fraternization of German and Russian troops but as- surances came from Petrograd that Russia would stand true to her allies.
 Fall Offensive in Italy
 The German and Austrian high con- mands had no illusions as to further Russian beIligerency. There came to the allies reports that the Central Elm pires were taking the pick of their force from the Russian front and con centrating them for a drive against some part of the line in the western theatre. Then came intimations that the blow was aimed against Italy.
 The storm broke at Caporetto on Oct. 26 and almost immediately the whole Italian line was thrown into dis order. 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 By wise generalship, the Italian line was withdrawn from the IsOnzo. It paused at the Tagliamento and then retired further until it rested on the Piave, almost within sight of the domes of Venice. Here the Italian army reform ed its columns, consolidated it's posi- tions by withdrawing from the Rhae- tian mountains to the Asiago plateau and, assisted by the French reinforce ments brought to that battle front, stood at bay.
 Russian Collapse
 Events in the meanwhile had been moving swiftly in Russia. On Novem- Der 1. while the offensive against Italy was under way, Alexander F.. Kerensky, then the Russian premier. announced that Russia was worn out by the war and that the allies must shoulder the burden thenceforward.
 Seven days later Kerensky was de posed by the Bolsheviki. The fall and flight of Kerensky was the signal for Germany and Austria to enter into peace negotiations with Russia. On November 30 the Folsheviki announc ed that Russia was cut of the war and proposed that all the allies join in ne gctiations for an armistice.
 Russian and German representa- tives met at Brest Litovsk on Decem- ber p, and terms of peace were ex- changed No progress was made with the negotiations, and the conference was broken up on January Il. In the meantime, a new republic had sprung