THE VERDUN BATTLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1916, Page 6

THE VERDUN BATTLE.

- .q>„ , ,- ; \ PROGRESS OF TITANIC STRUGGLE. London, April 7. The world is watching in the fighting at Verdun the greatest battle in its history. That is no more than a simple statement of the truth. It is more than probable that the struggle at Verdun may be the decisive turning point of the war. On the power of the Germans to fulfill their self-appointed task, and to carry Verdun, depend Germany's hopes of extricating herself without seath from this war. It is a tremendous struggle, this battle of Verdun. Never before in military annals has there been anything approaching such conditions. Concentrated here on a comparatively narrow front are well over two million men, and a far greater mass of guns than any soldier of the past ever dreamt of. At Verdun the Germans are putting to the test/the very latest military theories of modern war developed during the grim experience of the last twenty months. The new German theory is that what von Hindenburg was able to do against the Russians in the great drive at Warsaw can be done anywhere under adequate conditions. The German commanders believe that given a sufficient weight of heavy artillery and a prodigal' expenditure of ammunition, the most strongly fortified entrenchments can be demolished, and a way opened for the victorious advance' of infantry in massed formation. Such was the concentration of the German heavy batteries that if each gun fired only once an hour the French positions were deluged with shells bursting at the rate of one a second. At the beginning of the war the official boast in Berlin was that they would take Paris if it cost them a million' men. The fighting round Verdun has now gone on fiercely and without intermission for six weeks, precisely the period of the whole war which made Prussia, the mistress of Germany, and already Berlin has sacrificed well over a quarter of a million men without capturing Verdun. It is .well, to emphasise these facts, not only because of their importance in the whole scheme of the war but because the public generally is perhaps scarcely able to realise the magnitude of the events now being desperately enacted before its eyes. The battle of Verdun will become an epic of humanity. The tale of its heroism and tho record of its slaughter will make mankind thrill and shudder while memory lasts. THE 'GERMAN DISPOSITIONS. So far the terribly formidable German attack has been repulsed by the sheer efficiency and incomparable valor of the French. Our splendid Allies know well that the fate of France to some extent hangs in the balance at Verdun. Any they have gloriously responded to the supreme call of duty. The German guns have ground to pieces their front lines. But the French still hold on to their main positions. Their second line is absolutely intact at all vital points. . Whenever the Germans succeed in grinding 'their way into some vital point a furious French counterattack swiftly drives them back again. And the ground in front of the French lines is now literally carpeted with German dead. The position to-day is that the Germans have paid more for their failure to take Verdun than it was worth from any military point of view to throw away on its successful assault. At tlie outset of the battle the German artillery had a manifest advantage in heavy guns. It is said on good authority that the French equipment in heavy guns at Verdun had been weakened, against the advice and the wishes of the military chiefs, by the interference of the late French Minister for War. But this weakness was gradually overcome. Tho French used their wonderful transport arrangements to bring up more and more heavy guns, and to-day the Germans get shell for shell. Moreover, on the author- \ ity of so competent and critical a sol--1 dier as Colonel Repington, the Military Correspondent of The Times, the science j and practice of the French artillery arc [ superior to those of the Germans. The \ French are showing themselves able to j teach tho Germans something even in ' the latest development of what the 1 Gerrnans call artillery drumming. This 1 is a term that explains itself signifie- ' antly. Heavy guns are so massed and ' fired that the shells bursting over the ' enemy's trenches resemble a thunderous " roll on the drum. Shell follows shell, • and explosion mingles with explosion, so r rapidly that the infernal orchestra be- • comes a blurred, throbbing sound, in ° which it is impossible to distinguish any

particular individual concussion. The marvel is that flesh and blood and human brains are able to stand up against it. Without adequate artillery support no troops in the world could withstand it. All honor to the French who still hold Verdun. They are brave men, and the heroic lustre of their laurels will never fade. This is a war, and Verdun is a battle, in whicli men give their lives cheerfully, with the knowledge that it is costing the enemy still more lives. COMING EVENTS. Colonel Repington gleaned some very useful information on his recent visit to Verdun on the invitation of General Jofl're. In the first place, he was informed that the Germans have effected two main concentrations in the west. Engaged round Verdun in the superbattle of the war (hey have thirty divisions, or about 000,000 men. Over against the British Army, not spread out along the lines but concentrated around Lille, they have another thirtyfour divisions, or about OSO.OOO men. The rest of their lines are thinly held, with plenty of machine guns, of course, but with practically no available reserves. The object of the German concentration against the British is neeessaily in some doubt. It may be that the Germans intended, or still intend, if all went well with them at Verdun, to make a drive at Ypres again. Or it may be that they massed their troops'as a precaution in case the British launched a strong offensive as a counter-stroke to the German assault on Verdun. And here it is well to make one point quite clear. There has been some murmuring in London, and very likely among civilians in Paris too, at tho comparative inaction that reigns along the extended British front. And it is known that some of our divisional commanders have been almost biting their nails with vexation in the knowledge that they were doing practically nothing while the French were being so hard pressed at Verdun. Colonel Repington's authority is good enough for the statement that General Jofl're, who is. of course, in supreme control over all the troops in the West, is well satisfied with the position. We may iake 1 it that General Joll're desires to do no--1 thing that would upset the carefully laid ' plans for the coining spring offensive • It is General Jofl're's special genius that " he has the courage of patience and tin • patience of complete self-confidence ' These are great military gifts. He has i displayed them from Ae. very outset o! t the war, and never more markedly thai l when he refused to weaken his fronf '•>t>t yerdun, which he ha.s always* recog

nised as the vital apex of his two flanks, when von Kluck was swinging down on Paris in September, 1914. He displays ; th(» same calm judgment now in refusing to precipitate matters elsewhere, or to weaken his positions elsewhere, when Verdun is hard pressed. He has steadily . pursued his original policy of allowing i the Germans to waste their .strength j against his lines, He has never lacked i the courage to abandon unessential posi- i tions, after exacting from the enemy , the highest, possible price for t>hcm, nor has lie lacked the courage to retake at , all costs, but at the least possible cost ! at which it could be managed, those positions which were. essential to his ' plans. There is complete and enthusiastic confidence in General Jofl're, who ( knows better than anybody how delicate ' is the operation of choosing just the right moment, the moment when the enemy's strength has been just sufii- ' cicntly sapped, toVisk his real counterstroke. THE GREAT MOVE. IF the Allies in the West, launched their counter-stroke too soon, before the enemy's strength had been sufficiently reduced, or without adequate preparation, • the whole position might be reversed. It would be terribly easy to shatter the great weapon with whicli all these ' months the French commander, like a practised swordsman, has been feeling the strength of his opponent's blade and wearing down the'vital strength of his arm, And we may take it that the recent military conference of the. Allies in 'Paris was not a mere empty formality. General Jofl're awaits the time, which is sure to come if events are well handled and no gross blunders are committed, when the Germans and their Allies can be kept busy in all theatres of • the war. When the Russians are really 'up and doing in the East, as they wiil he with a good heart' so soon as ever they can, when the Italians are striking hard with all their forces at Austria, when the Austro-Bulgarians find their hands full at Salonika, we may expect to hear great and perhaps decisive news from the West There has been much talk and speculation' about the rather feverish activity on the Dutch frontiers, and the big precautions the Hollanders are taking Many explanations have been advanced for this, and all have been officially denied, but so far the very obvious explanation seem-,.t0 have occurred to nobody that the Dutch are preparing to hold their territory against any possible developments that .might follow on a heavy and forced German retreat in the West. The Dutch were anxious when the German legions were pouring through Belgium to the We.st. They may be still more anxious when the inevitable day comes that : those same legions, or all that is left of them, are pouring back again east.