1916
1916 Both fronts in Europe continue to be vast killing grounds during the year. Literally millions uf casualties result from a series ufhuge, prolonged offensives, launched by both the Central Powers and theAllies. The so-called "baules" last for month after month until all available men have been consumed, but almost no advantage is gained anywhere by either side of the conflict . On the Western Front, the German high command decides early in the year on a campaign of massive attrition that will bleed the French anny to death.The weakly held fortresses at Verdun are attacked in late February by overwhelming numbers of German troops and with incredible artillery bombardments. The French have withdrawn much of the fortress line's armament and men, but cannot now face the loss of the important symbols, so they throw everything they can into a belated defense. The Germans score many initial successes, taking several of the forts from the brave but overpowered French defenders . The aggressors, however, cannot quite completely break the line, despite fierce fighting into ApriL A shufne of French command puts the resolute Petain in and he organizes a line of supply and to save Verdun. Huge casualty lists begin to pile up-one hundred thousand on each side by April, perhaps a quarter million each by July-and exhaustion begins to set in. The back-and-forth offensives are halted by the end ofthe year, after nearly eleven months of fighting. Both German and French armies are nearly destroyed by the effort. On the final day of May. the two great surface fleets meet off Jutland in the only large naval engagement of the war. The Germans sink more tonnage than their opponents , but turn and flee back to the safety of port, leaving the British still in control of the North Sea and the approaches to the Continent. In July, the British launch a major attack along the Somme River as a way to take pressure off the French at Verdun. The initial assault is one of the greatest disasters in British military history, with nearly sixty thousand casualties the first day, many from deadly machine gunnery. Despite the carnage and lack of advance, the British keep attacking until November, losing over a million casualties before calling an end. The British government falls as a result of the debacle. Russia's position worsens early in the year as the defeats on the Eastern Front sap economic energy and manpower while government corruption and incompetence at home negate the sacrifices of the army. Her fortunes in the field are revived in the summer by a great offensive by Brusilovhe smashes through and advances at a breakneck pace. However, the Russian supply and transportation systems are totally inadequate to sustain the advance, and it grinds to a halt and is slowly reversed. By August, the offensive is back where it began at the cost of a total of a million and a quarter casualties. Early in the year, the Austrians mount an offensive campaign against the Italians in the Trentino, but progress is slight and the offensive must be weakened to turn and counter Brusilov to the east. InAugust, the Italians begin a long series of brutal but unrewarding offensives along the line of the Isonzo River. The Romanians enter the war on the side of the Allies but are smashed by a mixed army of the Central Powers. An Allied army operating from Salonika takes control of Greece and makes a campaign against Bulgaria. rn Mesopotamia. the British try futilely to succor the surrounded army at Kut. losing twice as many casualties as the numbers they seek to rescue, and the besieged army is forced to surrender in ApriL I January 1916 Cameroons. British troops, the Fourth Nigerians , capture Yaounda and free the British and French prisoners held there. Gov- 94 • Almanac of World War I emor Ebennaier has already fled the day before, heading for Rio Muni. a neutral Spanish colony. 2 January 1916 Gallipoli. With General Monro having sailed for Egypt on New Year's Day. the British now end their submarine campaign, recalling £-2. 4 January 1916 Mesopotamia. General Nixon has placed Lt. Gen. F.J. Aylmer in charge of an advance up the Tigris River to relieve the besieged Townshend at Kut. The initial advance , with Aylmer sending sixteen infantry battalions and seventeen squadrons of cavalry along with forty-two guns and four gunboats under the command of Gen. Sir G. Younghusband, sets out...
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