The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-01-02
HOW THE WAR WAS WON

The year opened with the opinion
generally prevailing that the world
war could not be brought to conclu-
sion IN less than eighteen months. 1t
WAS nm open secret that the German
high command was planning to make
n supreme effort on the western front,
and during the early days Of 1918 IT
was known that many divisions Of
German troops, released from the Rus
sian front, were being transferred to
the west front IN preparation for the
grand offensive
Interest during these days ccntered
In events that were transplring In
Russia and ia long-range peace discus
sions In which President Wilson and
Chancellor Won Hc.tlng figured. On
January President Wilson, In an adj
dress to congress, promulgated the
famous IA points" which he declared
should form the basis Of world peace
In Russia Premier Lenine and For
eign Minister TrOtzky intrenched
themselves in power by dlssolyng the
constituent assembly which met at Pc
trograd January IS. On January u
an all-Russian congress of sovlets was
convened 10 replace the constituent as
scmbly There was little activity on
any front during the month, but on
January 30 II was announced officially
that American troops were holding
front-llne trenches in France. occupy
Ing sector northwest OF foul.
The Americans holding this sector
received their baptism Of fire when
they repused q vigorous German raid.
The Americans lost two killed, four
wounded and one missing. ON Febru-
AIRY . the steamer Tuscanin, carrying
2,l79 American soldiers, was torra-
decd and sunk. with loss of l5O
lives On February 9 the Ukraine
signed separate treaty of peace with
the central powers
Conditions in Russia continued TO
be chaotic. The bolsheyikl declared
the war with Germany over but re-
fused TO sign the peace treaty demand
cd by Germany. The Germans there
upon renewed hogtillties against Rus.
STA, capturing Reval, Russian naval
base, and advancing on Petrograd Le-
nine and TrOtZky then announced that
Russia WAS forced 10 accept the Ger
man peace terms. On March 3 the
Russian delegates AT Brest. Lltoysk
signed the peace treaty with Germany.
providing for the cessiOn of yast
area Of Russian territory, the payment
Of big indemnity and the disbandlng
Of the Russian army and navy. On
March II an all-Russan soviet con
Eress assembled az Moscow aud two
days later ratified the peace with the
central powers
Germans Begin Great Drive.
On March n the l0ng.heralded Of
fensive Of thu Germans was launched
A terrific blow was delivered against
the British lines on front OF more
than 30 miles, extending from the Rly.
er Disc, near La Fere, to the Sensee
river, about CrOiselles. Wave after
wave Of the finest German troops were
hurled at the British lines, aud I'm a
few days had advanced 10 miles. The
British Fifth army az the point where
II touched the French lines was rout-
ed, and for time the allies faced dis
Sster. The Germans continued t. push
southwark, and AT the end Of IS days
had advanced AZ miles from In Fere
and were within six miles Of Amiens.
Here the advance was halted. In the
meantime. On March ~, the allies, fac
Ing catastrophe, ~ last agreed upon
D unIfcation 81 command and General
Foch, the brilliant French leader. was
placed Ia supreme command Of all the
allied armies.
4 few days after the launching Of