The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1919-01-16
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 an open secret that the German
high command was planning to make
a 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 centered
in events that were transpiring in
Russia and in long-range peace discus
SionS in which President Wilson and
Chancellor Won Hestling 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 dissolving the
constituent assembly which met at Pc
trograd January Is. On January 21
an all-RuSsian congress of soviets was
convened to replace the constituent as
Sembly. There was little activity on
any front during the month. but on
January 80 it was announced officially
that American troops were. holding
front-line trenches in France, occupy
ing a sector northwest of TOul.
The Americans holding this sector
received their baptism of fire when
/. they repulsed a vigorous German raid.
The Americans lost two killed, four
wounded and one missing. On Febru-
airy the steamer Tuscania, carrying
2,179 American soldiers, was torre-
doed and sunk, with a loss of 159
lives. On February 9 the Ukraine
signed separate treaty of peace with
the central powers.
Conditions in Russia continued to
be chaotic. The bOlsheviki declared
the war with Germany over but re-
fused to sign the peace treaty demand
ed by Germany. The Germans there
upon renewed hostiIities against Rus
STA, capturing Reyal. Russian naval
base. and advancing on Petrograd. Lee
nine aG3 Tretzky then announced that
Russia was forced ito accept the Ger
man peace terms. On March the
Russian delegates at Brest-Litoysk
signed the peace treaty with Germany,
providing for the cessiOn of a vast
area of Russian territory, the payment
of q big indemnity and the disbanding
of the Russian army and navy. On
March II an all-Russian soviet con-
gross assembled at Moscow and two
days later ratified the peace with the
central powers.
Germans Begin Great Drive.
On March 81 the l0ng-heralded Of
fensive of the Germans was launched.
A terrific blow was delivered against
the British lines on front of more
than 30 miles, extending from the Riv-
er Disc, near La Fere, to the Sensee
river, about CroiselIes. Wave after
wave of the finest German troops were
hurled at the British lines, and in a
few days had advanced 10 miles. The
British Fifth army at the point where
II SOuSAfSu the ICuCu llHcS WIS sIOuL-
ed. and for time the allies faced dis
aster. The Germans continued to push
southwark, and at the end of Is days
had advanced AZ miles from La Fere
and were within six miles of Amiens.
Here the advance was halted. In the
meantime, on March 20, the allies, fac
ing catastrophe, at last agreed upon
a unifcation of command, and General
FOch, the brilliant French leader, was
placed in supreme command OF all the
allied armies
4 fsv days after the launching of