and marched north in a resistless offensive. Meanwhile the Roumanians in
Transylvania, far from their base of supplies, had advanced too fast for
safety. Moreover, they suffered from a shortage of ammunition, probably
caused by the failure of certain pro-German Russian officials to
coöperate with the Roumanians as they had promised. A large German army
attacked the Roumanian forces and drove them back with heavy losses to
their own borders. The boundaries were then crossed by the invaders and
the greater part of the country occupied. This disaster brought enormous
advantages to the enemy. The battle front of the Central Powers was
shortened by five hundred miles, the oil and wheat fields which
constitute the chief wealth of Roumania fell into their hands, and their
communications with Turkey were materially strengthened.

THE ITALIAN FRONT.--The winter of 1915-1916 was uncommonly severe in
the Alps; snow thirty feet deep lay on some of the passes, and military
operations were brought almost to a standstill. During the spring the
Austrians made preparations for a great offensive against Italy,
collecting over a third of a million of men and enormous stores of
provisions and munitions. During May and June, 1916, this Austrian force
drove back the Italians from their advanced positions in the Trentino
valley. It seemed that the enemy would enter the valley of the Po and
capture the cities of the most prosperous part of Italy. But the farther
the Austrian army advanced, the more difficult it was to bring supplies
up the narrow Alpine valleys. Meantime, on the eastern frontier the
Russians began their great drive into Austrian territory. There was
nothing for the Austrians to do but retire from the Trentino front. This
they did with the loss of one third of their force, and of great
quantities of war material.

The Italians now took the offensive, not only on the Trentino, but also