The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1918-07-06
Progress of The War


uom Dy u Oulteu OLapeS.
If Austria alone we're to be rcckoned with, little fear would be
felt that Italy would meet with reverses. but Germany must be taken
into account If we ask ourselves whether Germany can afford to
let Austria accept defeat and suspend offensive operations. the an
|swer at once suggests ITSELF Germany can i'll afford to permit Aus
rian quiescence while German success or failure hangs in the bal
ance. To do so would be to imperil the Teutonic position lin France
1t would be better. perhaps, from the German viewpoint to SEND
reinforcements to aid the Aushians in Italy rather than allow Aus
tria- Hungary's military resources to lie idle. Only by utilizing
their maximum power can the central empires hope for complete
victory.
The German Kaiser is said to have telegraphed to Emperor
Charles last month: "Our duty is to attack in all theaters OF war.
This succinctly expressed the view Of the general staff at Berlin
Inasmucb as the entire plan of campaign depended npon offensive
action, it would not do to be on the offensive in France and on the
defensive in Italy.
The Austrian general staff probably shared the opinion of their
brethren in Berlin, but the word "drty" sounded somewhat differ
emily to them. 1t was easy for the Germans to talk of "duty, for
they had no revolution on their hands, the morale of their army
was not seriously impaired, and they had all the men and guns nee
Iessary to perform what they conceived to be their duty. The Aus
TRANS, on the contrary, we're confronted by q growing insurgency
which had already eliminated in riots; the troops we're somewhat
disafected aud their morale "a not high. There was something
of mockery. therefore, in the sound of the word "duty' to the gen.
eral staff in Vienna. They would do the best they could, and SO
they gave the order for an offensive. There can be no question that
most of the Austro- Hungarian troops fought with great courage for
had they not been promised plenty of food if they should conquer,
and then the peace Sc much desired by everybody in the dual mon
archy?
Despite all their efforts the Austrians failed. AT no time did
they have sufficient driving power behind any of their blows to
cause a serious breach in the Allied lines in Italy, and, as the battle
developed, Field Marshal Borcevic. instead of concentrating at one
point, dissipated his energies by feeling for a weak place in the enc
my's lines in the mountains and all along the Piave river.
Thrown back with frightful slaughter, the Austrians are back
across the Pave and on the defensive. The German general staff
must decide whether the Austrians shall remain on the defensive
throughout the Summer, or whether Germany shall try to galvanize
them into offensive action.
An alternative to an Austro-German offensive in Italy would
be an Austro-German offensive in France. We heard
much of Austrian artillery in France during the battles in Pr
cardy and Flanders, but nothing of Austrian infantry. Having de-
termined upon Al offensive in Italy, the general staff at Vienna felt
that no infantry could be spared for fighting in France. But now
that Austria has met with defeat and is in no condition to resume
the offensive, it may be that a sufficient number of troops will be
left to hold the line of the Pave and that Austrian reserves will be
sent into France for the most powerful stroke of the year.
1t was about Wednesday, June 19, that the Austrian command
realized the futihty of their efforts At the very zenith of the
toon bridges we're washed away and the problem of supplying the
troops which had crossed the river in the Montello region and near the
Adriatic had become too gigantic for successful solution. On We'd
nesday or Thursday Emperor Charles and his generals decided to
suspend the offensive and to withdraw their troops across the river
at the first favorable opportunity.
The Italians saw n signs of the attempted retreat until Sunday
morning, for the Austians continued to make demonstrations and
to ward off heavy Italian attacks. After dark on Saturday a rapid
retreat began. Guns and impediments of all kinds we're abandoned
and the remaining bridges were utilized solely for the purpose of
getting the troops across the river in safety. But SO few were the
bridges that the recrossing had not been completely effected when
the brilliant morning sun disclosed to the Roman airmen what was
in progress. Immediately the Roman artillery opened on the
bridges. destroying some of them and throwing the soldiers into the
torrent. where hundreds of them were drowned. The airmen aided
by attacking the fugitives with bombs and machine guns. The clos
ing hours of the retreat were marked by a massacre of the fleeing
Austrians, but during the night most Of the armies had made their
way in safety to their old positions
Vienna made exorbitant claims during the battle to impress the
limagiuations and lift up the dropping spirits of the people The
official communique declared that 10000 Italians had been captured.
A semi-oAicial. Italian communication insisted that this figure repse