The New York Times/1916/11/22/Germans in Grain Country
GERMANS IN GRAIN COUNTRY.
Wallachian Plains a Rich Source of Food Supply.
From a Staff Correspondent,By Wireless to The New York Times.
BERLIN, Nov. 21, (via Sayville.)—While not minimizing the grim death grapple on the Somme and the tactical successes scored by the English there, all German military eyes are today more than ever turned toward the Rumanian theatre, where Germany is forcing the fighting to bring about a decision, and whence comes the news that General von Falkenhayn has at last broken the long deadlock in the Transylvanian Alps and that his right, operating in two columns through the Vulcan and Szurduk passes, has at last broken through the mountain barrier into the fruitful Wallachian plain where cavalry can operate to advantage, and that he is still pursuing the beaten Rumanians at the important Orsova–Craiova railway, which is cut on a broad front.
The Rumanian forces at Orsova are threatened with being cut off, as they have no other railways of retreat, or, as a high staff officer remarked today, “They won’t play much of a rôle in the future.”
The importance of Falkenhayn’s break into the Wallachian plain is not only tactical, but strategic. The effect should make itself quickly felt all along Falkenhayn’s front, in the first line by General Krafft von Dellmensingen, whose Alpine troops have already won an exit through Rothenthurm Pass out of the mountains and are now hitting up a faster pace through the lower southern foothills of the Transylvanian Alps. Falkenhayn’s drive into the Wallachian plain and resultant faster motion of the warfare is also expected shortly to make itself felt on other points, where the Rumanians are throwing in their reserves in desperate attacks to check the German flanking operations.
Economically, too, Falkenhayn has got a grip on an important direct railway line running through Orsova to Temesvar, which will prove most useful in relieving Rumania of surplus grain when further progress is made in conquering the Wallachian granary.
Of Rumania's three great strategic centres—Dobrudja, Bucharest, and Craiova—Craiova, 110 miles west of Bucharest, 70 miles south of the Vulcan Pass, and 75 miles southeast of Orsova, forms the western defense of the military camp at Bucharest, the political capital of the country.
Three passes converge on Craiova—the Verciorova, or the Iron Gates; the Vulcan, and the Rothenthurm, or Red Tower. Both the Verciosova and the Rothenshurm, by which von Falkenhayn has made his furtherest advance, carry railways. The Verciorova is still held by the Rumanians, who on Aug. 30 established themselves at Orsova. This force is now in a position to be cut off by the invaders, or, if strong enough and supported from Bucharest, to cut von Falkenhayn’s lines of communication through the Rothenthurm Pass.