Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-09-23
REVIEW OF THE WER
BY the Associate Editor of the
Army and Navy Journal.

New York, Sept. 1.-THE retreat of
the army OF Crown Prince Frederick
William from its attacks on the Frep ch
forts south of Verdun is the clear est
indication of the complete failure If
the German campaign
1t 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 riv-
er ten miles north OF Verdun, their
line runs west through Varennes. on
the Aire river. and then west by north
through Craonne, fifteen miles north
west of Rheims TO point west of
Laon. Their right flank is prolonged
by detaehments extending as far as
Peronne, 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troops withdrawn from garrison duty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 6
the German line had pushed forward
to the south side of the department of
Marne, on line running approximate
ly due east from Paris. except for the
loop held back by the French fortress
OF 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-
I
| 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
line of barrier forts similar to those
J constructed by the French from Yer
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.
1t does not seem probable that the
Germans will make prolonged stand
on the line now occupied 1t is, how
ever. hardly to be doubted that after a
stubbornly contested retreat they will
line up again for a general engagement
as soon as they feel themselves sui.
GENTLY REINFORCED to give them the
odds of advantage. It may be that this
second great battle of the campaign
will take place along the Mouse river.
Decisive Battle at Sedan7
1t may yet be that Sedan will again
see repetition of the decisive battle
of the war between France and Ger.
many.
While the French center is being
pushed hard down the valley of the
Aire river in the effort to get between
the armies of Grand Duke Albrecht
and Crown Prince Frederick William
the French-English army on the left
flank is pushing a turning movement
which is still further extended BY the
French cavalry. They have occupied
Amiens and are rapidly following the
! German detachments up the valley oi
the Somme. This move of the allies 4:
likely to result in the retreat of tbs
| Germans from their defensive posi-
} tons along the Aisne river,
The great victory of General vor
Hindenburg in the lake region of Eas
Prussia. claimed in reports from Der
lin, II substantiatsd will necessarily
delay the Russian advance against Pc
sen until his army is dislodged. The
I very success OF the cars army maj
lead to its undoing. as in the case o
] the German invasion OF France HI
has pushed forward untn his army oc
eupies a great salient, extending fortl
5 miles beyond the general lines.