PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 29, 29 October 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

To-day's reports bear witness to tho tremendous power of the Gor-man-Austrian counter-offensive on the Isonzo front. On information available at time of writing it is impossible to set out tho situation in detail. Tho essential facts are summed up in an Italian semi-otti-ciftl message, which states that tho bitter struggle in progress is as yet undecided. Tho immediate issue at stake concerns the ability of_ the Italians to hold tho positions, won by long-continued elforts, in which " they vitally threaten tho enemy's defensive organisation in tho Julian Alps and on the Oavso Plateau. Apart from tho fact that the Italians have yet to bring thenfull weight to hear, an invasion of Italy on a serious scab is much less likely than if the enemy had launched his attack from the Trotitino. But as it stands the situation is sufficiently critical. * * * *

■The enemy developed his offensive in tho area north of the' Bainsizza Plateau, where the Isonzo forms a brjjd eastward-facing triangle, with Tolmino near its apex. Here, with a tremendous mass of men and guns engaged, including it is said, 300,000 Germans, the enemy is endeavouring to force his way through the western skirts of the Julian Alps into the plain beyond. At the same time he is thrusting south against tho flank of tho Italian forces on the Bainsizza Plateau. As yet the Italians hold strong positions _ on eithor flank of the not very wide front on which tho enemy is advancing, but their resisting powers are weakened to some extent by„ the fact that their

heavy guns have been removed from the Bainsizza- Plateau to tho western side of the Isonzo. Tho statement in an Italian official message: "Wo bavo provided for the evacuatiim of Bainsizza is a more disturbing indication of possibilities than tho large and very possibly exaggerated claims advancod'by tho euemy. Splendidly as the Italians are organised thoy aro evidently faced by a difficult problem. AVifch a very considerable part of their available artillery massed on tho front extending south to tho Adriatic, grave transport difficulties will no doubt have to be overcome in stemming tho enemy's attempt to drive across the frontier to the north.

It is obvious that tho Italians aro in a position to profit largoly by the assistance of the Western Allies, but in spite of the fact that a Washington message to-day cites tho Italian Embassy as stating that French and British' reinforcements, and also large quantities of guns and munitions, aro arriving on the Italian front, it seems hardly likely that Italy will need infantry reinforcements. Fronoh and English batteries of medium and large calibre guns took part in the summer offensive, and no doubt they are now being largely added to, but Italy has great reserves of first-class infantry at disposal, and her troops have given ample proofß of their quality. The Second Army which is now giving ground before the enemy s terrific onset played a brilliant part in tho summer offensive, and drove the Austrians in headlong retreat from tho Bainsizza Plateau. * * * * The fact that in development of their flank movement tho AustroGermans have at some points crossed the Italian frontier, does not imply a particularly extended advance. At Tolmino the Isonzo runs only about four miles distant from the frontier, and the intervening distance is only a little greater in the area m which the enemy is advancing further south. ' '

According to Me. Ward Price, the whole of the troops massed by the Germans against Italy wore drawn from the Russian front, lhis is extremely bad news if it is true, for it would mean that Germany is able, for tho.time at least, to disregard Russia as a combatant. The Germans Had certainly thinned and weakonod their Eastern lino before the present developments arose, and if whole armies have, been 'withdrawn, as Mr. Ward Price declares, it must be supposed that Gormany is holding a great part of the JLast front in only nominal strength, ine near approach of winter may of course, have 'had something to do with making such a policy possible.

That the ' enemy has launched his offensive on the Isonzo front and not from the Trontino in itself commands attention. It is in tho last-mentioned area that Italy is most dangerously open to attack, and though an elaborate defensive organisation has been created to 'minimise the danger the enemy has to cope with tho same organisation in his present attack. The circumstances suggest that his supreme anxiety is to derange tho Italian offensive plans, and that his own stroke is essentially an effort to restore and revive a drooping ally.

Wherever the enemy obtained the forces he is using against Italy it is plain that ho would havo no difficulty in finding useful employment for -them in the Western theatre. The French have rounded off _ a splendidly successful offensive drive south-west of Laon, and in spite of bad weather tbo Allies have made important headway in the latest development of their attack, in Flanders. At time of writing there is no mention of the New Zealanders, though ground has been gained on Bellevue Spur, which was tho objective of their last big attack. Tho facts suggest that the New Zealand Division may have been relieved.