Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-10-07
REVIEW OF THE WAR
BY the Associate Editor Of the
Army and Navy Journal.

the army of Crown Prince Frederick
William from its attacks on the French
forts south of Verdun is the clearest
indication OF the complete failure of
the German campaign.
IL can be but little doubted that this
army was the one intended by the kai-
ser TO deliver the telling blow on the
French line. Even after the assault
on the general lines of the French had
failed. this army was held fast to It's
attacks on Verdun in order that by the
capture OF this fortress it might clear
away the obstacle to the short supply
line from Metz on the east
While the fifth army was attacking
the forts from the southwest the sixth
! army under Prince Rupprecht of Ba-
Varia was attacking them from the
east. Both armies have now been
forced back; only on the north are the
German armies in contact with the
forts OF Verdun.
Germans Still Hold Fast.
The right wing of the Germans
seems to be steadying down and to be
Offering stronger resistance Start
ing from Consendoye on the Mouse riy-
er ten miles north of Verdun. their
line runs west through Varennes, OH
the Are river, and then west by north
through Craonne, fifteen miles north
west of Rheims to a point west OF
I-aon. Their right flank is prolonged
Dy attachments extending as far as
/ feropne. apparently made up OF the
troops withdrawn from garrison duty
In Belgium and the captured French
| towns
The extent OF this German retire
ment can hardly be appreciated with.
| out looking at a map. On September G
the German line had pushed forward
! 10 the south side of the department of
! Marine, On line running approximate
/ ly due east from Paris. except for the
! loop held back by the French fortress
or Verdun. In the last ten days they
have been forced back an average dis
lance Of forty miles to line follow.
ing the northern boundary OF this de.
| partment
One-half OF the French territory
overrun by the invasion has now been
cleared of German forces.
See Strategy in Move.
The general retirement of the Ger.
man left wing indicates that they are
conserving these forces by falling back
| on their fortified line. From Thionville
| south to Metz and then southeast
| toward Strassburg the Germans have
| a line of barrier forts similar to those
I nOngt nn hx hr
dun to Belfort BY falling back to this
line they can gain for their left wing
the supporting power of this fortified
/ district. An increased effort can then
be safely made to strengthen the right
/ wing by diverting the re-enforcements
/ OF reserves to this end Of the line
IL does not seem probable that the
! Germans will make a prolonged stand
] on the line now occupied. II is how.
! ever. hardly to be doubted that after a
/ stubbornly contested retreat they will
! line up again for a general engagement
as soon az they feel themselves suf
| ciently REINFORCED TO give them the
/ odds OF advantage. It may be that this
| second great battle OF the campaign
viii take place along the Meuse river.
Decisive Battle at sedan7
| 1t may yet be- that Sedan will again
/ see repetition OF the decisive battle
I of the war between France and Ger.
many
While the French center is being
/ pushed hard down the valley OF tho
/ Aire river in the effort to get between
/ the armies OF Grand Duke Albrecbt
and Crown Prince Frederick William
the FrenchEnglisb army on the left
flank is pushing a turning movement
T which is still further extended bv the
/ French cavalry. They have occupied
Amiens and are rapidly following the
. German detaChments up the valley of
/ the Somme This move Of the allies is
likely to result in the retreat Of the
Germans from their defensive posi-
lions along the Aisne river.
The great victory Of General Won
/ H!ndenburg in the lake region Of East
/ Prussia, claimed in reports from Der.
I'm. u substantiated will necessarily
/ delay the Russian advance against Po-
I sen until his army is dislodged The
/ very success OF the cars army NAV
/ lead to it's undoing. as in the case Of
the German invasion of France. He
! has pushed forward until his army oc.
l cupies a great salient, extending forty
miles beyond the general lines.