PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2712, 6 March 1916, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

There is the authority of a French semi-official report for the statement that the Germans have again' set their battering-ram in motion, at Verdun. The battle, it is intimated, was renewed on Thursday, and the second phase of the most violent effort the Germans have ever mado against the Western Allies is now running its course. The general accuracy of this statement is presumably not open to quostion, but at the moment either news is lagging behind events or the Germans are putting less weight and_ power into the second phase of their offensive than into the nine days' assault which terminated early last week. Detailed reports in hand, official and otherwise, speak of a tremendous bombardment on the Verdun lines and elsewhere, but as yet infantry fighting on a big scale would seem to be confined to a very narrow front north-east of Verdun, at Fort Douaumont and east and west of that place. In this area the Germans have gained some additional ground after a conflict which appears to have been to the full as desperate as any phase of the great battle lately ended.'

How deeply the Germans have penetrated into the French lino at Douaumont is not clear. Available reports show that- there was some give-and-take in the course of the battle, and leave the latest position reached to some extent in doubt. The French, however, report that the Germans have gained a footing iu Douaumont village, which they had at least once previously captured and lost, and speak also of 'attacks on the village of Vaux. From this it is likely that tho claim made by the Germans that they have advanced tlicir lines west and south of the village and fort of Douaumont is substantially true. Fort Douaumont is on high ground overlooking the village of. the same name, which is situated on tho northern slope of a knoll immediately, to the west. The village of Vaux lies about three-quarters of a mile ijouth-east of Fort Douaumont. Before the present stage of the battle began the French apparently occupied part of Fort Douaumont, and closely approached its remaining area on three sides, besides commanding the approach from tho north. Capturing the village of Douaumont, tho Germans have widened their foothold to the' west of the _ fort, and that they _ were in position to attack the village of Vaux indicates that they havo gained some ground also on the east. The alternative is to suppose that the French were not holding the ground immediately east of Fort Douaumont when the present battle but had previously been driven or had fallen back.

Since information in hand is somewhat incomplete, and relates in any case to a battle which is still in progress, it would be useless at present to go any further into these details, but as reports stand, the Germans have improved their_ local position. The greater question ■■«- mains to be resolved, whether the Germans have drivon into tlio French line a wedge which they will be able to so widen and extend as to compel a further retreat. This is threatened, but as yet only threatened. .Apart from the possibility that the French may-bo ablo to hold their ground immediately south of t)ouaumont Fort and village, it is to' be remembered that to-day's news relates to a battle still in full progress, Da.uaumont village,, which seems to be the Germans' -principal gain thus far, was recaptured once, and may be recaptured again.

The arresting fact as matters stand in the Western theatre is n-jt that the Germans have renewed their assault on Verdun, but that the Allies have awaited this renewed assault without attempting to divert it by a counter-stroke-elsewhere. It is true that the Allies are reported to have attacked the enemy at so-,-eral points, and with some success, but as far as they havo gono tho British operations against the Hohenzollern redoubt and tho French operations in Lorraine and in Southern Alsace, resulting' in the capture of trenches in each of these localities, seem all to havo been on a much loss important scale than the general battle at Verdun, There does not seem to be any need to hutjr, around for an explanation _ of the fact that no powerful diversion has been attempted by the Alliei. A number of correspondents, comment* ing recently upon the trend of tho war. and particularly upon develop, mcnts in the Western theatre, have emphasised the danger of a premature offensive by France and Britain. That the Allies have permitted the Germans to renew their assault on Verdun without seriously attempting to divert it is the best proof that could be desired that in this matter _ General Jokfre is of tho same opinion as the correspondents mentioned—that he desirca rather to see the Germans extended in attack than to see them concentrated in defence. It cannot for a moment be supposed that the Allies arc incapable of launching such a counter-stroke as would quickly have brought the German assault on Verdun to a standstill. They resorted to the policy of diversion nearly a voar ago, when they were far from having attaiued their _ present strength. Their offensive in Northcm France in May, 1015, undoubtedly drew the sting from tho second groat effort made by the Germans to pjerca the Yscr front, and, besides

achieving local success, relieved a desperately critical situation in Flanders. * * * » What lias been made known about the way in which the Allies arc building up their strength makes it all the easier to believe that they are well able to deliver a smashing retort to the German stroke at Verdun if they deemed it wise to do so. Considering also that the safety of the fortress area would be much better assured by such a counterstroke than by a purely defensive policy, the conclusion becomes irresistible that the Allies, so far from being alarmed by the German assault, are anxious that it should lie developed to the fullest possible extent. Many factors are visible which tend to justify such a policy. That France and Britain i would take needless' risks by striking on the Western'front before their Allies are_ ready to take simultaneous action in other theatres has been often emphasised, and this is no doubt the most important factor of all. But it is very possible that if tho war were being fought out in the Western theatre alone, the policy of the Allies would not. bo materially different. The position at Verdun is that by yielding some miles of ground they have been able to inflict enormously greater losses on the enemy than tney have suffered. According to the London Daily Telef/raph, the German losses so far have been three times those of the French. Under these conditions the French oould well afford to continue the battle at Verdun even if & time were not approaching when Germany and her Allies will have to face assault, in .one, but in several theatres. The danger, possibly exists that some further portion, or even the whole of tho Verdun area, may be mastered by tho Germans, if they continue the sault with the reckless indifference ,to sacrifice they have thus far displayed. But possession of Verdun would not give the Germans victory, while the toll of German lives that is being levied at Verdun brings the French and their Allies perceptibly nearer to victory. 1

, * * * # The nature of the German effort at Verdun is perhaps best realised by observing the tone taken by German commentators. Evidently the hope is being dangled before the German people, as well as before the armies in the field, that the last great blow of the war is being struck. We have been told recently of a chorus of jubilation in the German newspapers, and to-day a correspondent of the Lokal Anzeir/er, writing from the battle-front, is quoted as speaking of returning wounded men, who looked confident and pleased that tho French war was finally at an end, and that the grand days of August and September, 1914, were apparently returning, "when our masses were crushing everything before them and flooding France." Talk of this kind so obviously opens up tho danger of a disastrous collapse _ when the high hopes raised have failed to fructify that its currency in Germany may be taken as definite evidleniji that the present offensive represents a policy of desperation. » * * »

A somewhat different- note ia sounded by Major Mokaht, tho military critic of the Berliner Tayeblatt. He finds it a sad part of this sanguinary war that "two nations which could rule the world together and promote kultur should be destroying each other." This is no doubt intended to inculcate the idea in France that the French Army is being saddled with more than a fair share of the burdens of the war, but it contains also an implied confession of doubt as to the outcome of the enterprise to which Germany has set her hand. When any German critic of standing expresses concern for an enemy country, it is a fairly sure' sign that things are not going well with Germany. *•* * *

The Hohcnzollern redoubt, into which the British have made considerable headway by mining, is n. powerful field fortification situated on the southern side of the La Basseo salient, where it joins the main front. The redoubt was stormed by British troops in the September offensive, but a great part of its area was subsequently recaptured by

the enemy. *»■ * * . Practically the only detail news of the Armenian campaign which is in band relates to the capture by the Russians of the town of Bitlis, opposite the south-western corner of Lake Van. This is an important step forward, since it means that the Russians have now separated the Turks on the southern section of the Armenian front from those operating in Northern Persia. It is also mentioned, however, that at some placo unnamed in Armenia the Turks attempted an attack, an indication that the enemy is recovering' from the disorganisation into which ho was cast by the Russian capture of Erzeru'm and the subsequent pursuit. There has been no mention hitherto of any save the Russian advanced troops coining- into contact with the enemy's main forces, but the brief reference quoted would imply that at some points the Turks sire beginning to make head against further invasion of their territory. It has all along been evident that the Russian advance in Armenia is not likely to develop into _an extended invasion of Asia Minor, at all events until action in other theatres has reduced the difficulties of the enterprise.