HOW WARS FINISH

Evening Star, Issue 16166, 14 July 1916, Page 5

HOW WARS FINISH

ABRUPT A XT) SURPKISIXG EXDIXGS. Perhaps no war of modern or any times has been the subject of such a state of prophecy regarding its duration as the present one. Most of the predictions have already been proved wrong, and the struggle still proceeds apparently as virile as ever. But tins confusing of the prophets is 10 mw thing. There has hardly ever been a -meat v,ar which did not at some time, ions "prior to tue actual finish, exhibit signs of collapse. The sharpest of all nineteenth century conflicts, the Franco-German War of 1870, was only six .weeks old when the staggering tragedy of Sedan happened, removing in one blow from the scene of two finest marshals in France, her Emperor, and tnc enhie .iimy of ihe -sorth. Many experts committed themselves at the time to the view that this disaster must prove quickly ratal. It did not, as wc know; but when the great French Army of the Rhine tell into German hands eight weeks I in, or it seemed the certain herald of an impending end to hostilities. Yet the war dragged on more or less fiercely for three mouths°mnger. Its demise was duo to no lack of fighting will and courage, but to a sheer attrition of French fighting men. The same might be said of tne terrible four years’ struggle between the Confederate and FederaPfTatcs of America, only there Ihe vanquished side had defeat forced down its throat bv a fatal paralysis produced by a complete" Federal predomination on the seas. Many notable wars, however, have collapsed dramatically iu ihe heyday of their youth. The Serbo-Bulgarian ' struggle of 1885 had just reached an exceedingly interesting stage, though the Bulgars looked certain winners, when it was abruptly snuffed out by whot seemed uneommonlv like diplomatic interference. The I-,u,-iso-Turkish Surprise. A war which saw armchair experts badly at sea was that between Russians and Turks hj < years ago. The first shot was tired in the spring of 1877, and right away tho Russians won victory after victory, and if ever an opponent seemed absolutely squashed it was the Turks just (hen. But. neither the military experts nor the Russians had reckoned with the magnificent defence fated to be set up at Plevna, For nine months tho latter tried every means in their power to lower its flag, and onlv succeeded after sustaining 80,000 casualties: and even then Osman Pasha nearly cheated them of the main prise by making a promising attempt to cut his way out. When war 'broke out between Japan and China m the, year 1894 most people anticipated a, long, ding-dong struggle, but one sledge-hammer blow from the former removed all semblance of a contest, and the war fizzled out. ingloriously. Then, 10 years later, when the victorious side uiccrl the thy general feeling in this country seemed to be that '.Russia would either quickly confound her pi?my rival or the war would be very protracted. Ifc proved to be ouo which amply fulfilled all the hor--I.ols expected of it, but, tho end came soon end it came abruptly. The unrest of Kus* sum people at honie, allied to the growiuy desperate position of ihe main "Russian army* : which only the craft of a Kuropatkiu kept from being surrounded, proved irresistible factors towards accepting'-peace and swallowing defeat. Tha Japs were reasonable, even generous, victors, and exacted no indemnity. —Short ami Sharp.— What promised to he a mighty duel and on>;. tho,,. might easily endure for a> year or t l ult . betwse “ Austria and Prussia in 1860. Armies totalling a million strong and faultlessly equipped, "as German armies Usually aie, took the field. But within six weeks from tho declaration of war 450 000 fighting men met face to face one dav and decided not merely a battle, but the "whole campaign—one of the fiercest tights of the century, resulting iu nu overwhelming Prussian victory. ° Another European war which belled irt promise was when Serbia, aided hv Ru-sia' threw down the gauntlet to Turkey in isle’ and a great surprise was in storo for the prophets. The struggle opened on tho fust day of duly, and on tho last day of the following October tho Turks, heavily reinforced, stormed the Russo-Serhiau camp and the campaign came to a graphic cud. ’ Tne ability ot a country to sustain war for an indefinite period was given signal exemplification by Franco at the begimiinn- of last century. From 1802 to 1815 her ° armies practically unaided, wrestled almost incessantly with as many as six foos at a. time. Yet their last essay in this amazing vista of sanguinary fighting seemed more thaji once likely to end iu victory.