neral Diaz, who had succeeded
General Cadorna in command. French and British regiments had been sent
to assist in holding the line, and later some American forces.

The Austrians began an offensive June 15 along a 100-mile front,
crossing the Piave in several places. For three days they made violent
attacks on the Montello plateau, and along the Piave from St. Andrea to
San Dona and at Capo Sile, twenty miles from Venice. Then the Italians,
British, French and Americans counter-attacked and within three days had
turned the great Austrian offensive into a rout, killing thousands,
taking thousands of prisoners, and capturing an immense amount of war
material including the Austrian's heavy caliber guns. The whole Austrian
scheme to advance into the fertile Italian plains where they hoped to
find food for their hungry soldiers, failed completely. It was
practically the end of Austria and the beginning of the end for Germany.
Bulgaria gave up September 26, due to heavy operations by the French,
Italians and Serbians during July, August and September, in Albania,
Macedonia and along the Vardar river to the boundaries of Bulgaria. They
signed an armistice September 29 and the king of Bulgaria abdicated
October 3. Turkey being in a hopeless position through the surrender of
Bulgaria, and the success of the British forces under General Allenby,
kept up a feeble resistance until the end of October when she too
surrendered. The collapse of Austria-Hungary followed closely on that of
Turkey. They kept up a show of resistance and suffered a number of
disastrous defeats until the end of October when they raised the white
flag. An armistice was signed by the Austrian representatives and
General Diaz for the Italians, November 3.

On the anniversary of Britain's entry into the war, August 4, Field
Marshall Haig, commander-in-chief of the British forces issued a special
order of the day, the opening paragraph of which was:

"The conclusion of the fourth year of the war marks the passing of
the period of crisis. We can now with added confidence, look
forward to the future."

On August 4, General Pershing reported:

"The full fruits of victory in the counter offensive begun so
gloriously by Franco-American troops on July 18, were reaped today,
when the enemy who met his second great defeat on the Marne, was
driven in confusion beyond the line of the Vesle. The enemy, in
spite of suffering the s