Catoctin clarion., 1918-11-14
The Old Germany Has Gone.
After -Four Years Of War With Most Nations OF the
World She Utterly CoIlapSes

day the progress of the Allies have been
maintained.
Various causes have contributed to this
reversal. The entrance of America into
the struggle is conceded by the Allies to
have turned the scale. One of the most
important effects of this country's act
was the hcartening to an enormous eX-
tent of the wearied Allied nations and
corresponding deterioration of German
morale. Exhaustion of German raw ma
terial and years of em-starvation assist
ed in the process of beating down the en-
emy to a submissive frame of mind 1t
is also significant that the establishment
of unquestioned Allied supremacy in the
field almost synchronized with the unfit
cation of military control ard the appoint
ment of General, now Marshal, Foch to
the post of supreme commander. Mill
tary commentators without exception lay
stress upon the Importance of single lead
ership and the genius of Foch in stem"
ming and finally turning the tide.
1t was in June, 1914, that tie world
was stirred by the murder in SaraJevo,
Bosnia, of Archduke Francis ferdinand
the Austrian heir-apparent, and his wife.
Austria backed by Germany, accusedSer-
bia 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 Pet
rogr&d failed to swerve Austria from her
course
Austria-Hurgary began hostities on
June ~, 1914. by attacking Serbia and
within week Germany had joined her,
while France, Great Britain and Russia
had thrown their forces against Germany
and Austria As the war went on the
number Of nations involved increased un-
til the conflict became the greatest in the
history of the world.
Declaring war on France, Germany on
Aug. |, 1914. threw her armies toward
France by way of Belgium. Fighting
for the maintenance of their neutrality
the Bclgians checked the oncoming horde
for time, but within two months the
Prussan armies were within few miles
from Paris, from which the French Gov
ernment had fled
One of the vital moments of the war
had arrived In battle of dramatic
changes the enemy hordeS were hurled
back to north OF the Marne.
Turkey soon entered the war on the
side of Germany and Italy joined the
Allies. Bulgaria came in with Germany
and Serbia ard Montenegro were over
run. On April 6, 1917 the United States
unable to force Germany by peaceful
means toconduct ruthless submarine war
fare in keeping with international law,
threw her forces into the struggle
At that time the Imperial Government
of Russia had been oyerthroWn and Il
provisional democratic government instl-
tuted In Italy the armies of King Vic
ter Emmanuel were driving back the
AustrianS in the Trentino and on the
lsonzo. In France the French and Brit
ish were hammering at the German lines
with little apparent results.
The autumn of 1917 witnessed the de-
feat of the Italian armies and their re-
treat to the Piave line. Almost simult-
aneouslY American troops appeared on
the western front for the first time,
while the French and British armies Were
positions of strategic Importance from
the North Sea to Switzerland. During
the winter of l9l7lS American aid be-
came more effective and Russia dropped
out because Of the Bolsheviki coup.
Germany, at the beginning of 1913,
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 fight
ing came on July lS, when Marshal Foch
launched the Americans and French i'll
an attack Since that fateful day for
have met with continued success.
Germany's ultimate defeat became
more certain as the summer advanced,
The first break in the ranks of the Cen
tral Powers came with the detection OF
Bulgaria late in September, Turkey
signed armistice terms the last of Octo'
Der and Austria-Hungary rendered the
white flag to Italy on Nov. 4, when hos
tilities ceased on all the Austrian fronts
Germany attempted to bring about
negotiated peace, but how great was hel
failure is shown by the fact that her
emssares are now at Marshal Foch
headquarters for the last scene of the
great world tragedy. Sun.