The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-08
BREAK THROUGH PASSES


BREAK THROUGH PASSES
On November 10 General Kuhne had
completed his preparations, and the
opening if operations was fixed for the
11th. This group, with four infantry
and two cavalry divisions (about 3d.
600 mem under the command of Cen
eral Count Won Schmettow, were to con-
centrate here and push forward vigir-
ously through Craiova to the river
Altua (115 miles west of Bucharest).
This wiuld mean that they would take
the defences of Orsova tat the western
end of Rumania) on the east and the
Red Tower pass in the rear.
At Orsova a weak brigade, including
German cyclist troops under the Aus
trian Szivo, was to attack simultane-
ously. General Won Kraft, who was re-
J inforced, and the troops south of kron-
stadt were to continue their attacks
November Il brought complete sue
cess to General Kuhne. He crossed the
mountains, defeated the opposing Ru-
rtanian divisions in the battle of Targu
,Iu. on November IT, and had occupied
Craiova by the 2lst On the 23rd Gen
eral Count Won Schmettow, with his
cavalry divisions. had reached the Aluta
east of Caracal; the Aluta bridge at
this point was III his possession Fur
ther north our infantry had reached the
Aluta opposite Slatina. Here as fur
Their up steam the bridges had been
completely destroyed.
MACKENSEN GETS ACROSS
On the same day, in thick fog,
Field Marshal Won Mackensen had
gained d footing on the north bank
.of the Danube, near Symn1tZa. Here
again the operation had been very well
prepared. This is the day we had fixed
on to get the armies working in CO.
nj al IL
bilities of the situation. Apparently we
had been successful, but we were not
yet at the end of our difficulties.
In the rear of General Kuhne's forces
the Rumanians, fighting bravely, had
withdrawn frim Orsoya, down the
Danube, and were still retreating, keep
ing close to the river. Though sur
rounded on all sides, they did not lay
down their arms until they had reached
the confluence of the Aluta at the be-
ginning of December. Their hope that
an attack on the Danube army by parts
of the Rumanian army from Bucharest
would save them was not fulfilled
In the operation east of the Aluta
the orders were to press forward re-
en0lessly and effect a junction of the
two armies with their inner wings in
the direction of Bucharest | attached
special Importance to rapid crossing
of the Aluta by General Kuhnes group,
in order to secure the left tlank OIL the
Danube army
ADVANCE ON BUCHAREST
The Danube army started its forward
march November 25 On the Goth they
crossed the Veda (65 miles from Bucha-
rest) and on the seth their left wing
after heavy fighting, forced it's way
acvross the Mellow plain southwest of
Bucharest. while the right wing, keep
ing level with them, advanced down the
Danube.
On the 9th the Alpine corps had
fought it's way out of the Red Tower
pass into the plain, had entered Pitesti
on the 10Th and in the following day,
by exerting their main pressure north
of the Argos. gained ground to the
southeast. This made it possible for
the right wing of the Krinstadt group
which was involved in heavy fighting
north of Campulung (north of PitestD,
to debouch from the mountains
Further back stood General Kuhne.
His infantry divisions had made terri
fic efforts to force a crossing at Sla-
tina, instead of Immediately crossing
farther south near Caracal, as the
cavalry corps had done. and thus gain
ing time. in spite of having to make
detour They only crossed the Aluta
in the course of the 9th, and on the
Both were still about 80 miles from the