way through the
Argonne to Sedan (forty miles northeast of Rheims) the case was
hopeless. Only the armistice saved Germany from the humiliation of a
surrender, on a scale vastly greater than the surrender of the French
armies near that same point in 1870.

THE COLLAPSE OF THE TEUTONIC ALLIES.

With Germany herself falling, it is not strange that the nations leagued
with her also went down to defeat. They had been almost forced into the
war by Germany; not one of them could carry on a war when deprived of
counsel and help from Germany. Only the threat of force kept Austria in
the war. As the counter-attack in France gained in force, as the retreat
continued, it was recognized on all hands that the end was approaching.
The will to war--the morale--was completely broken down; and so on every
side the Allied forces gained great victories with surprising ease.

Bulgaria was the first nation to surrender. This was the conclusion of a
succession of great victories beginning September 16, 1918, ending by
the surrender ten days later. The case with Turkey was hopeless after
Bulgaria fell. No reinforcements or supplies could reach them from
Germany. The English forces under General Allenby were carrying
everything before them. Turkey surrendered October 31, 1918.
Austria-Hungary was the third power to surrender. This came as the
culmination of one of the greatest drives of the war.

GREAT ITALIAN VICTORY.

In 1917--as we have seen,--Italy suffered a great reverse, losing
200,000 soldiers and immense supplies. In August, 1918, Austria renewed
the attack. In his proclamation to his soldiers, the Austrian commander
bade them remember "the white bread, the fat cattle, the wine" and
supplies they had won the year before. Surely as great rewards awaited
them this time, and learned professors assured them and the entire
nation that they belonged to a "conquering superior race" and so could
be confident of further victory. The drive was a "hunger offensive" on
the part of hard-pressed Austria. It was a dismal failure. It is
interesting to know that American airplanes, piloted by Americans,
rendered great assistance in repulsing this attack. Then came the
counter-attack. In this drive American forces assisted. The drive began
October 27th; it was attended by a series of most astonishing victories.
The drive culminated in the abject surrender of Austria, November 3,
1918. The victories can only be explained by the fact that the m