The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING. THURSDAY. JUNE 17, 1915. THE CAMPAIGNS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144708, 17 June 1915, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING. THURSDAY. JUNE 17, 1915. THE CAMPAIGNS.

When Lord Kitchener so id some months ago'that “the war would begin in May’’ he probably did not foresee that the Allies’ offensive would be hindered by a shortage of big gun ammunition. The expenditure of shells lias been so enormous that it was difficult for anyone to imagine that, with the British output increased so immensely as it was, it would he necessary to ho sparing of its use just at the time that a general offensive movement in the early summer months along the whole front was contemplated. Yet so it has turned out, and consequently there has been some impatience and disappointment that the expected movement was not more pronounced in May. There are signs, however, of the early advent of very important operations on the western front. II must la* remembered further that the western campaign has to co-ordi-nate with those in other regions. Each has an important, bearing on nit others,, and to form an idea of what is likely to occur on the western front one in.ust take into consideration what is happening on the eastern front, at the Dardanelles, and on (he AustroItalian frontier. The forcing - of the Dardanelles has proved a more difficult task than was anticipated, and wo are given little information of what is going on there. It is clear, however, that the Allies are firmly established on the Gallipoli Peninsula and that the least weakening of the Turkish defence will bo followed by an advance, of the Allies; in other words that the encifiy cannot afford to withdraw any considerable force from that region to strengthen- his defence anywhere else. The Itnssians, although forced lately to give up, temporarily only we believe, a great part of Galicia, are now in a position to hold all the forces opposing them and to again advance if those forces are weakened by the withdrawal of any considerable number of troops. Further north, in Poland and Eastern Prussia, they are quite able to hold their ground, and probably also to assume the offensive at any moment. Italy has made substantial progress and up to the present has not met with very serious opposition, except at certain points, but her pressure Ims not yet begun to be felt at its full by (lie enemy. Very soon, however, the Italian armies will constitute a serious menace to A iennn, necessitating the detachment of enemy troops from other fronts do ward them off. If the Italians can capture the Tyx - ol they will then be in a position to play a very important part indeed in the general plan of the Allies, for it will become necessary for the Germans at once to draw' in their western front. This will become moi^iß^enkd£JljEeeo6

mania join tho Allies, as seems to ho daily becoming- more likely, for tho Italians, holding their frontier on tho Trcniino and the Gnmic: Alps safe, will ho able to land forces on the eastern shore of tho Adriatic and join the Balkan States in an advance upon Vienna without waiting to force (lie Julian Alps, which would ho taken in (he rear. Every advance made in that direction will relieve the pressure- on the Bussians and on the western front. There is not likely to he any great effort to force the game by the Allies on the latter front until the operations in the other regions are sufficiently advanced to make it impossible, or at least very dangerous, for Germany to transfer a great force from, the east to the west. What is occurring now, however, in Eranee and Flanders, lends colour to the belief that we are on the eve of a more vigorous pushing of (he <ilfensive in that quarter. Lately several positions of great importance have been captured and General Joffre is said to have been conducting-operations to test the strength of the German defence in certain directions. There are points at which it has been possible for some time to penetrate the enemy's front, but this has been delayed until abundance of big gun ammunition is ready and until the operations in other regions are sufficiently advanced. Both these conditions are in the way of being fulfilled in the immediate future and an important; move may be looked for verv soon. To-morrow will be the hundredth anniversary of Waterloo and it will not. be 'surprising if General Joft’re seizes tho occasion, which will certainly bo immensely inspiring to the French armies, to deal a smashing blow at the enemv.