THE PALESTINE CAMPAIGN.—­The year 1917 witnessed still another military success for the British in Asia.  The Turks had made several attempts to seize the Suez Canal and so inflict a serious blow against the communications of the Allies with the Far East.  To remove, if possible, the danger of further threats against this vital spot, the English at last decided upon an offensive in that region.  Early in 1917, the British advance began.  During January and February important positions on the Sinai peninsula were seized.  This success was followed by a slow progress north into Palestine.  The resistance of the Turks was powerful and the British met with serious reverses.  The terrible heat of the summer months further held up their operations.  In the fall, however, the advance was resumed and a number of towns in the Holy Land fell into the hands of the British.  In November, Jaffa, the seaport of Jerusalem, was taken.  All the Turkish positions around the Holy City were carried by storm, and on December 10 Jerusalem surrendered to General Allenby.

This successful campaign in Palestine had several important results.  The capture of Jerusalem after almost seven centuries of Turkish control led to general rejoicing among the Allied nations.  Large numbers of Jews throughout the world, who had long looked forward to the reestablishment of a Jewish nation in Palestine, now felt that a long step had been taken toward the realization of their hopes.  From a military point of view, however, the chief result of the British campaign in Palestine was that it definitely freed the Suez Canal from further danger of a Turkish attack.

THE OFFENSIVE AGAINST ITALY.—­At the beginning of 1917 the Italian forces were within eleven miles of their great objective, the city and port of Trieste.  During the late spring and summer the advance continued.  Austrian trenches were occupied and tens of thousands of Austrian soldiers were captured.  After two years of effort it seemed that the Italians would obtain the city and incorporate its population—­very largely Italian—­into the kingdom of Italy.  But conditions in Austria and Germany had greatly changed.  The cessation of war by Russia relieved the Central Powers of the necessity of keeping large armies on the eastern front.  Further, the campaign had been going against Germany on the western front, and an easy victory in Italy might quiet criticism at home.

An immense army of Austrians and Germans was gathered together to attack the Italian forces.  The Italians were spread out in a semicircle about one hundred and fifty miles long stretching from near Trent to within a few miles of Trieste.  The Austrians controlled the upper passes in the mountains, so that they could attack this long line where they would.  Thus the Italian military position was difficult to defend.  The campaign began with a surprise attack by picked German troops at a point where the morale of one Italian division had previously been weakened by the pretended fraternizing of Austrian troops.