ROUMANIAN STRATEGY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1630, 28 October 1916, Page 4

ROUMANIAN STRATEGY.

SITUATION IX DOBRUDJA

FUNCTION OF TUTRAKAN,

The peculiar geographical situation of Koumania has the effect of placing that country in contact with its enemies along a particularaly extensive front, approximately 500 miles on the side of Austria-Hun-gary and 450 miles on the side of Bulgaria, writes a resident in Bucharest in an article published iu Bourdon. For this reason a suitable offensive can only he based on natural debacles, such a* the Carpathians on the Transylvanian border and the Danube on the side of the Bulgarians. Pn the Austrian front the Roumaniarf General Staff has built fortifications 1 all along the passes of the Carpathian mountains. On the •southern front the Roumanian General Staff has organised different bridgeheads in the interior of the

country on tho left hank of the Dannhe at accessible points, where it may he deemed advisable to build bridges for the passage of troops. With regard to the Dobrndjn, that province having no natural obstacle on the south, lines of fortification of a semi-permanent character have been constructed in the interior of (he province. In addition, bridgeheads have been constructed at Tntrakan, Silistria, etc., at a distance from each other of some 20 miles or so. The different bridgeheads on the loft bunk of the Danube have a defensive* character and enable a small number of troops to prevent the passage of (he Danube by enemy forces. The bridgeheads on the fight bank of the Danube are designed to facilitate mobilisation and concentration in the sector on the Dobrudja of a great mass of troops for the invasion of Bulgaria. In conjunction with the Hues of fort ideation between the Danube and tin* Black Sea, (hey allow time for the arrival in the Dobrudja of Russian troops from Bessarabia and their concentration on a base of operations.

The Roumanians, being engaged in a rigorous offensive on (lie* northwest against the Austrians, can only, for tile time* being, assume a defensive altitude in the south pending' the arrival of the Russian forces. The resistance of these bridgeheads cannot he of long duration. We have seen by the German communiques that Tntrakan held out for live days, and has thus fully answered the purpose for which it was intended. Consequently, counting the same length of resistance for the other points, the Russian General Stall is in a position to send to the Dobrudja snltieient troops to carry out a vigorous offensive against the Gcrmano-Bul-garians. The Roumanians will fake the offensive when the Russian troops arrive and when the allies begin a forward move from Salonika.