Dispatches from the Front – June 25, 1916

25. June 2016 · Write a comment · Categories: Geopolitics · Tags: , , ,

<– Part 100 – June 18, 1916  | Part 101 – June 25, 1916 |  Part 102 – July 2, 1916 –>

German Fifth Army gains at Verdun through end of June.

It has been a relatively quite week, as fighting continues around the world. The Arab Revolt in Mecca has captured the Deputy Governor, who ordered the Turkish soldiers to surrender. They have refused, and a siege and stalemate as set in.

To the East, the offensive under Brusilov continues, with the recently-launched flank attack continuing, although a lack of concentration is resulting in limited gains by the Russians.

 

At Verdun, an offensive launched by the Germans June 22 has ground to a halt, as the salient thereby formed is vulnerable to artillery fire, and the German infantry are exhausted and under-supplied. The French, likewise, are exhausted from the fighting, and a lull has descended over the field today.

Dispatches from the Front – June 18, 1916

18. June 2016 · Write a comment · Categories: Geopolitics · Tags: , , ,

<– Part 99 – June 11, 1916  | Part 100 – June 18, 1916 |  Part 101 – June 25, 1916 –>

German trenches destroyed in the shelling.

The fighting at Mont Sorrel ended June 14. After 1.5 days of intense shelling of their trenches, the Germans were taken by surprise and forced rearwards. Several counter-attacks failed, and the Germans have settled into new defensive lines.

Brusilov’s offensive against the Austro-Hungarians and Germans is slowing, as his supporting offensives are not being executed. A minor one began earlier today, led by Alexei Evert, commander of the Russian West Army Group.

 

Dispatches from the Front – June 11, 1916

11. June 2016 · Write a comment · Categories: Geopolitics · Tags: , , ,

<– Part 98 – June 4, 1916  | Part 99 – June 11, 1916 |  Part 100 – June 18, 1916 –>

HMS Hampshire

Dire news from England June 5, as the Secretary of State for War, Field Marshall Lord Kitchener, was lost at sea when his ship, HMS Hampshire, was sunk off the Orkney Islands, presumably by a German mine.

Horatio Herbert Kitchener

An enormous revolt has erupted June 5 in the heart of the Ottoman Empire as Arab nationalists seek to establish an Arab nation. Both sides are claiming religious motives while seeming to have secular purposes. On June 10, the Sharif of Mecca fired a shot from his window, signaling 5,000 Arabs to attack the 1,000 man Turkish garrison (who was ordered to surrender by the Sharif). An Arab force was also dispatched to take Medina.

The French defenders (underground) at Fort Vaux near Verdun surrendered June 7. In the 5-day assault on the fort, the Germans lost 2,700 men to the 20 French defenders, and gained only 70 yards.

German propaganda metal commemorating the losses at Verdun – “Verdun the Worldpump”

Further East, the Russian advance took Lutsk June 8, nearly capturing the Austrian commander. Indeed, the Austrian army is in full retreat, having already had 200,000 men captured by the rushin’ Russians. In the Mediterranean, an Italian troop transport was sunk the the Austro-Hungarian sub U-5.

On June 10, with half of all Austrian divisions moving east to counter the Russian assault, and coupled with Italian reinforcements arriving, the battle of Asiago has come to an end. Despite halting the advance, public sentiment against the Italian government has forced the Prime Minister and his cabinet to resign.

Exhausted French defenders at Fort Vaux

 

Dispatches from the Front – June 4, 1916

04. June 2016 · Write a comment · Categories: Geopolitics · Tags: , ,

<– Part 97 – May 28, 1916  | Part 98 – June 4, 1916 |  Part 99 – June 11, 1916 –>

The heavily-damaged SMS Seydlitz, following the Battle of Jutland.

The Battle of Jutland, May 31-June 1, 1916

A clash of steel titans took place May 31, as the first combat of battleships in the war took place at Jutland, in the North Sea (and indeed only the third in history, following two twelve years ago during the Russo-Japanese War). The German High Seas fleet sailed against the British, and the German scouts successfully lured the British scouts into combat. After losing two battlecruisers, the British scouts in turned sailed to their own main fleet, and the two hour combat, from 6:30-8:30pm, saw a colossal loss of life before night fell. During the night, the British fleet sought to prevent the Germans from reaching port, and sunk several German vessels in the dark hours of the morning, but the Germans slipped the noose. Of the 151 British warships, 28 of them battleships, 6,100 sailors were killed, 700 wounded, and 200 captured, with 14 ships sunk. The Germans loss 2,600 sailors, and 500 wounded, with 11 ships sunk.

Battle of Mont Sorrel, June 6

To the south, on June 1, a German assault at Verdun with 10,000 men has taken a ridge and the French forts atop it, including Fort Vaux, which was captured June 2. French defenders continue fighting underground. Later that day, German forces, in an attempt to draw forces away from a buildup at the Somme, launched an attack against an exposed Canadian position on Mont Sorrel, following an artillery barrage. The Canadian trenches were swiftly overrun (in part due to German practice against trenches dug behind their lines in exact replication of the Canadian trench system. The Canadians launched a counterattack the following morning, but only had minimal success due to forces starting at different times and advancing in broad daylight. The Germans also detonated bombs underneath the advancing Canadians, wiping out an entire company. Allied artillery has been brought to bear to prevent further German entrenching.

Across the Atlantic, the National Defense Act has authorized a five-year increase in size and funding for the United States Army.

A Russian assault against Khanaqin, in Persia, was repulsed by reinforced Turks, who then have launched a counter-attack.

Earlier today, Russian forces under General Brusilov have launched an enormous offensive against German and Austro-Hungarian forces. The assault has achieved surprising success, due in part to an intense and accurate artillery barrage which was much shorter than normal, leaving the defenders expecting more time before the assault. Nearly half of Austrian forces in Italy, at the Asiago, have been ordered East.