WORLD WAR 421 WORLD WAR Cracow who threatened their southern flank. But the Russians, gathering troops from Warsaw, East Prussia and fortress garrisons, struck the enemy's northern flank and the Germans with difficulty fought their way out. A Ger- man attempt to capture Warsaw failed in January, Other important events during the closing months of 1914 were Turkey's declaration of war against the Allies in October and the proclamation of a Holy War against England, France, and Russia. In December the short-lived South African rebellion led by De Wet was crushed by the capture of the leader and the most of his army. On the sea the defeat of Admiral Craddock and the loss of three British ships off the coast of Chili, November 1, Craddock was avenged December 8 when Vice-Admiral Sturdee sank four German battleships in the South Atlantic near the Falkland Is- lands, only one ship, the "Dresden," escap- ing. On December 18 the British de- posed the Khedive of Egypt, Abbas Milmi Pasha and appointed his uncle, Hussein Kemal Pasha with the title of Sultan to the throne of Egypt. 1915 Western Front, Etc. — In northern France the Germans took the offensive in January, 1915, northeast of Soissons, forcing back the French line to the southern bank of the Aisne. In Febru- ary the French started a great offensive in the Champagne, between Rheims and the Argonne, which raged for weeks and yet brought the French victors only meager gains. But the Germans, forced to strip their front to repel this attack, afforded the British early in March a chance to strike and win Neuve Chapelle. In April the French again assumed the offensive, driving at the Germans be- tween the Meuse and the Moselle. The German position known as the St. Mihiel "wedge" had been gained by them the previous September, when a German army reduced the Fort des Romains, ocupied St. Mihiel and fortified the terri- tory around. The struggle won some ground for the French, but the Germans still held their main positions from the Meuse to the Moselle. In the last days of April the Germans made a powerful drive at the Allied front between the Lys and the North Sea. This broke for a time the French lines between the Belgians and British and forced them back on Ypres. The Germans made gains, but the Allies reorganized and eventually the offensive quieted down. In the second week in May, General Joffre attacked between Arras and La Basse on a twenty-five mile front, the objective being the coal city of Lens. The French won line after line of trenches, captured Loos, and north of Arras pushed east, making gains of between three and four miles. This was the most important French victory since the Marne, but it was only a brilliant operation. The Germans could still claim that they were fighting a suc- cessful war in France. Attacks con- tinued to be made in France and Bel- gium without important results. The ground lost by the Allies around Ypres was not regained. Not until September did the French attempt another impor- tant offensive in the Champagne. After three weeks of terrific bombardment the whole German front line was taken and 20,000 prisoners. On October 7 another French attack was launched, gaining three miles but failing to pierce the Ger- man third line. The British and French operation in the Artois region known as the "Battle of Lens" gave the French Souchez and some miles of territory, the British took ♦ THOUROUT gjVy DIXMUOE /S R0UUER5J ,<« BAIU-Eult-lr / LILUERS t /la BASSEE A* AODENARDE
^ENS Doy4^^T'^^ AMAND ^~V "1 O 5 lO 15 20 SOMME BATTLE ZONE 5,000 prisoners and advanced three miles at some points when they were halted by the Germans, who still held possession of Lens.
