Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 10.djvu/515

LEFT WORLD WAR 445 WORLD WAR 1918. At the beginning of 1918, the penul- timate month of which was to see the war end in a crushing victory for the forces of the Allies, the long intrenched battle-line running through France and Belgium from Switzerland to the sea had been moved but little from what it had become in October, 1914, following the general digging-in on both sides that succeeded the first battle of the Marne and the German retreat to selected posi- tions. By that time all the Powers who were to play any considerable part in the war had already become engaged, those that were to follow during 1918 — Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Honduras — took action more as evidence of their solidarity with the United States than on any understand- ing that their support would weigh heavily in the balance. By the opening of the year the United States had al- ready been nearly nine months in the war and at the end of that time her re- sources had not yet shown all the poten- tialities that lay in them, though her preparations had been on an extensive scale. As a result prodigious efforts were being put forth by the Germans in the effort to obtain a decision before the great strength of the United States was flung in full measure into the scales. Meanwhile in the east demoralization had already set in in the Russian ranks, and the causes which were to result in the Russian revolution had already brought operations on the front to what amounted to a standstill. The downfall of Russia had its effect likewise on the Balkan front. After the Allied army operating from Saloniki had wrested the Serbian town of Monastir from the Bul- garians little progress was further made till the important events in the summer of 1918 had their effect on all fronts. Rumania meanwhile had, as a result of her rashness in fixing her attention too intently on the freeing of Transylvania, opened the Dobrudja to the German forces under General Mackensen, who at the beginning of 1918 showed himself in a position to advance over most of Rumania. Meanwhile in the Near East the initial successes of the Turks had come to an end, and the Turkish armies had come to suifer during 1917 a num- ber of serious reverses. Jerusalem had gone the way of Kut-ei-Amara and Bag- dad into the hands of the Allies, and by the beginning of 1918 the Turkish line on all fronts had shown signs of crack- ing. At the beginning of 1918 the Ital- ian fronts stood where they had taken up their positions following the serious reverses when the Austro-German forces Cyc 29 drove back the Italians to the Piave river. At the beginning of 1918 all the German colonies had been taken by the Allies with the exception of German East Africa. This last colony was to hold out to the end and was to surrender only at the period when the armistice called for a suspension of hostilities oa all fronts. Diplomacy. — At the beginning of 1918 while the winter held the fighting in check, the subject of war aims was being energetically discussed in all the belligerent countries. At the beginning of January the war aims of the British Labor party were made known, and on January 5 Mr. Lloyd George set forth the British Government's aims in an address before the trade unions. Three days later President Wilson in a mes- sage to Congress laid down the famous "fourteen points," with which the British and French Governments a little later expressed their agreement. On Janu- ary 24 the German and Austro-Hunga' rian Governments replied to President Wilson's presentation of the fourteen points. Von Hertling, the German chancellor, argued against the points in so far as they touched on Poland, Al- sace-Lorraine and the German colonies, and held that Belgium could only be dis- cussed in union with the inviolability of German territory. The attitude taken by the Government of Austria-Hungary was less unbending and agreement was expressed with the principles underlying most of the pointSj while objection was made to those bearmg on what was con- sidered the internal interests of Austria- Hungary. Neither reply met the re- quirements of the Allies, and on Febru- ary 11, President Wilson, after an Inter-Allied Council at Verdun had ex- pressed its dissatisfaction, laid before the joint session of Congress a message in which he outlined the points essential to any basis for the discussion of peace, including regard for the interests of peoples concerned in any settlement and for their national aspirations, having regard also for the essential justice of each case. The upshot was the decision taken at the third session of the Supreme War Council, held at Versailles during the four days ending February 2, that force should continue to be em- ployed till a more amenable temper ap- peared on the side of the Central Powers. In the latter part of February a meet- ing called by the Inter-Allied Labor and Socialist Conference indorsed Pres- ident Wilson's declaration of principles, and negotiations continued in a hap- hazard way till President Wilson early Vol. X