see this, she bent all her great energies to try to keep Italy out of the struggle. All Italy, however, was pro-ally and it was in answer to the ceaseless and strong demand of the Italian people that the Italian nation entered the war on the side of the Allies.

At first Italy was only at war with Austria. It was some time later that she also declared war against Germany.

Italy's share in the war is a glorious one. The work of Italian engineers, the difficulties they overcame in bringing the war home to the Austrians, is one of the superb wonders of the war. High on the mountains, almost impossible of access, where the enemy held all the commanding positions, the heroic Italian army made slow but continued progress until the spring of 1916, when the Austrians concentrated in a great offensive which drove the Italians almost to the plains. Slowly, patiently, the Latins returned to their attack, slowly they advanced again until once again they were almost in possession of the territory occupied before the big offensive of the

enemy.

In the fall of 1916, the Italians captured Goritz and under General Cadorna, they captured the whole of the Carso plateau. Trieste was menaced by them.

Then, suddenly, the Germans and Austrians, realizing the danger that victory at this point presented and following a season of fraternization with the enemy which corrupted the morale of many of the Italians, struck with large forces. It was a complete route for the Latins who retreated with a loss of over 250,000 men and enormous quantities of guns and ammunitions. The enemy crossed the Piave at many points. Venice was threatened.

In the summer of 1918, the Italians began their last offensive which resulted in Austria sueing for

peace. General Diaz' drastic terms meant unconditional surrender.

Serbia, the heroic little nation that was almost wiped out fought heroically throughout the war. In the summer of 1918, when the Allies began the attack on the Macedonian front, the Serbs had a glorious share in recovering all of Serbia including Belgrade, its capital. Serbia's army was on Austrian soil when the war ceased.

Roumania's share in the world struggle was brief, disastrous. As we have said before this was due to the impotency of Russia, on whom it counted for support. It was made to sue for peace under humiliating conditions.

In the near East, British and French forces met disaster in the early stages of the war in that glorious naval attack on the Dardanelles. Gallipoli, too, will be a sad page of the history of the war because of the suffering and lives lost, although no other event showed better the fine heroism of the British and the French.

Britain's army had occupied Kut-El-Amora on the Tigris. General Townshend, on his way to attack and occupy Bagdad, an important center for the enemy, was in turn attacked when only eighteen miles from that city by overwhelming Turkish forces and was forced to retire to Kut-El-Amora. Here he was besieged. Attempts to reach the city with reenforcements failed and at the end of April 1916, after 117 days siege, General Townshend surrendered to the Turks.

In December of the same year General Maude marched on Bagdad and entered that city in March 11, 1917. There began at the same time that wonderful campaign of General Allenby to obtain possession of Palestine. Something of the conception of

this struggle may be conceived when it is known that the very roads had to be built and communication maintained across the deserts and the very water brought across.

The Turks were defeated near Gaza in March and in the Fall, Beersheba and Jaffa were occupied. Jerusalem fell soon after.

During 1918, Aleppo was occupied and the Turkish army in Northern Mesopotamia was cut off from Constantinople. October found Turkey surrendering to the Allies.

When

Greece did not come into the war until late. Constantine, its king fled, Greece joined the Allies. That country was of great help in driving Bulgaria from Macedonia.

Two phases of the world struggle must receive mention the war on sea and in the air.

THE WAR ON SEA

On sea-the big sea battle of the war-was fought on May 31, 1916, Vice Admiral Beatty, commanding a battle cruiser squadron, found the enemy's high sea fleet steaming northwest off the Jutland coast. It was hazy weather and the day was already late. Although largely outnumbered he engaged the enemy hoping to hold him until the main British dreadnaught fleet under Admiral Jellicoe could come to his support. The enemy, however, slipped away, when night came. The British lost three cruisers, the Invincible, the Queen Mary and the Indefatigable. Germany admitted losing four cruisers, five destroyers, one battleship and one battle cruiser. Her losses were found to be much heavier at the conclusion of the war.

The big, outstanding naval deeds ranking high in the wonderful annals of Britain's naval glory, were

the raids on the Submarine bases at Ostend and Zeebrugge. On April 22nd, 1918, Vice Admiral Keyes in command of some of the oldest British cruisers, the Iphigenia, the Intrepid, the Sirius, the Thetis, and the Vindictive successfully attempted to destroy the fortified mole of Zeebrugge and so block the channel through which access was had to the canal. The Vindictive had a specially glorious share in this daring raid. She afterward returned to the harbor of Ostend and was sunk at its entrance.

America's navy had its share in the big work of transporting the men of America to the battlefield. The record of transporting 2,000,000 men to French soil with no losses is an account of eternal vigilance, careful attention to all details, wonderful co-operation, in which America's navy played a big part. Its work was tremendously effective.

Germany's surrender of its great fleet in the last part of 1918 was a wonderful spectacle on the one hand, a humiliating one on the other. It had a small share in the biggest war the world has known because England maintained its mastery of the sea. It was to this fact and interwoven in this fact, the fortunate circumstance that the fleet was assembled on home waters at the time war was declared that Germany was not able to make an immediate attack on England at that time.

AERIAL WARFARE

More and more aviation became important in the conduct of the war. Better, faster and more powerful machines were being built and their uses became more varied. At the beginning of the war they were used mainly for observation but they began to be used as scouts, for the hunting of submarines, the directing of artillery fire, the bombing of hostile

centers, the photographing of enemy positions and for attacking infantry with machine gun fire. Not until 1918, did the Allies obtain full mastery of the air.

At the time hostilities were suspended American aviators had destroyed 661 more German planes and 35 more German balloons than they had lost. The total number of German planes destroyed was 926, balloons 73.

Seven hundred and forty American planes, 744 pilots, 457 observers and 23 aerial gunners were actually engaged just before November 11, 1918.

The Lafayette Squadron contained many of the famous American flyers. This was a part of the French aerial service. Many of the American flyers received medals and crosses from both the French and English Governments in recognition of their valor. Many too, gave up their lives when the need

came.

The Germans made many air raids on London, Paris and other allied points. Not until late in the war did England and France allow reprisals. Then they began to send airplanes to attack German points and cities.

Secretary of War Baker's record of America's air service is quoted in part.

SECRETARY BAKER ON AIR SERVICE

In his annual report for 1918, covering the period of America's participation in the world war, the secretary of war, Newton D. Baker, dealt in detail with the American air service concerning the production branch.

ORGANIZATION.

In April, 1918, the aviation section of the signal corps was separated into two distinct departments,