Arizona republican., 1914-08-04
ARMY EXPERTS
SCAN WAR MAPS
American Strategists Are
i Surprised at Apparent
Delay and Believe Diplo-
macy Responsible = Ger
man Steps Precautionary
IAssoc1ArED PRESS p1spATcH]


WASHINGTON, Aug. 3-With a
hastily drawn map of the probable
theater of war in Europe before them,
army strategists here were eagerly
scanning news reports of the stirring
events that are .momentarily taking
place in Germany, Russia and France.
Some surprise is expressed by ex-
perts at the comparatively slow be-
ginning Of the German campaign The
American war college, patterned
dlargely upon that great German
war machine known as the German
staff has understood that so per-
fectly had every detail of an often
sive campaign against both France
and Russia been worked out by the
German kriegspiel players that the
first blows would fall like light
ming strokes out of a clear sky and
that within twenty-four hours after
a declaration Of war. or indeed. after
the order of mobilization, the first
German battalions would be many
miles advanced across both the east
ern and western boundaries into the
enemy's country.
[. 1t is believed that the manner in
which the execution of these care
fully laid plans could be defeated
would be the interposition to the ad-
vance of living walls of French and
no report Of battles on any large
scale
Consequently the belief is express
ed among military men here that in
visible wires are holding back the
dogs of war, and that the full
strength of military forces on all
sides is being withheld while the
statesmen and diplomatists in Euro
pean capitals are playing thei rlast
cards in desperate game of diplo-
macy in the hope now, not of avert
ing a general war, but of scoring in
dividually such advantages as may
be obtained through delayed action.
After looking over all available
data on today's operations. strate-
gists were unanimously of the opin
ion that the plans of the campaign
are not so far unfolded as to admit a
guess as to the real purpose of the
great military leaders. What has
been done by the German army in
the west in the invasion of Belgium
is regarded as purely precautionary
and calculated rather to prevent a
possible quick dash by French le-
gions into the fatherland than it was
the purpose of beginning a deliber-
ate progressive campaign towards
Paris.
The slight clashes reported as hav-
ing taken place on the border OF
Lorraine, are looked upon as insignifi-
cant and mere feints to develop
French strength in that quarter. Mil
itary maps here disclose an aston
ishingly large German military force
in that neighborhood.
There appear to be no less than
three army divisions within striking
distance of the French frontier on a
line less than a hundred miles in
length If a general campaign had
been initiated there is sufficient
German force, in the opinion of the
experts here, to have broken through
the French line at any point where
there are no great fortresses such
as at Nancy and Strassburg.
| . OF course, according to these same
calculations, this German advance
| might only be temporary, as it is
known that the French army is gath
cred in great strength in the two
fortified towns named, and it will be
only question of time before they
would fall upon the German flanks
| In >an effort to cut lines of communi-
cation and to isolate. destroy or cap
ture. the invading army before 1t
could bring up it's reserves.
| So far as can be discerned here
the German campaign in the east
was on a different basis, and at this
stage is rather defensive than often
| siye in character Reports come from
Berlin that German troops have actu-
allv crossed the Russian frontier
| south of Danzig. But this movement
| is believed to be calculated simply
| to harrass the Russians and to re-
tard the organization of the grea'
army of the car which must be
| reckoned with.