Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-27

ter and left wing further southeast.
Taking advantage of this contrac-
ton the Germans, on September 20,
advanced as far as Bapaume, reached
Albert on the following day, and drove
the French as far as Roye by October
3. There is no doubt that during the
days which have elapsed since this
great struggle began the opposing
forces have been so accurately and
scientifically distributed that even a
slight local reverse must affect the
entire line.
In view of the fact that the outcome
of the present struggle is expected to
determine the result of the first phase
of the war in France, review of the
operations preceding it, together
with a resume of the actions since
September Is are here presented
On September first the German
forces in the western theatre of war
formed line reaching from the i'm
mediate east of Belfort to near Polk
about 20 miles southwest of Amiens
in northwestern France. In the
south and SO far as verdun, this line
occupied the territory between the
German border and the Belfort-
Epinal -Toul- Verdun fortress line of
the French, a position which during
the recent heavy fighting has never
materially changed. North of Yer
dun the German line formed a semi
circle, extending along the valley of
the Mouse, and the border of Bel
GUM. and then. taking sharp turn
to the west at Mezieres it passed st.
Quentin onward to Polk.
In the subsequent operations YER
dun became the pivot, as 1t were.
Though for a time the German center
and right wing advanced, and were
later driven back, the troops east and
south of Verdun never changed their
position to any great or important ex-
tent, and today most of them occupy
ground then taken.
Forced marches brought the Ger
mans on September very near Paris.
With Verdun on the left of the forces
winch had taken UP the pursuit of
the French troops, the Germans
changed their positions in the north
so that on September 4 their line had
a true east and west direction. ex-
tending from Immediately north of
Verdun to Rheims and a point be-
north of Paris. The many ATTEMPTS
OF the french left wing. in which
fought the English 'expeditionary
FORCES, to check the German advance
/ proved futile. st. Quentin had been
lost by the French and the La Fere-
Laon- Rheims line of Notifications had
oeen reduced by the Germans with
surprisingly little resistance on the
part of the French La Fere anc
Laon surrendered quickly and
Rheims was not defended. The
prospects that Paris would be in
vested had become so threatening
that the French government moved to
Bordeaux
For several days no material change
In the location of the two opposing
armies took place On September <
the Germans reached the valley of the
Marine north of Chateau Thierry. and
the hrst contact actions with the
french troops lying before Paris took
place.
On the following day French and
English reports claimed that for some
unknown reason the German right
wing was contracting and that the
body IN general was moving in
southwesterly direction. Little Gre
dence was at first given this report.
but on September inferential con-
hrmat1on came from the German gem
eral headquarters. What the purpose
or this movement could be was at first
not understood. but it was learned
afterwards that not alone have the
Germans transferred large force to
reinforce the troops opposing the Rus
slams in East Prussia, but that there
had been serious difficulty in the sun
plying arrangements, the troops in
France lacking both food and ammu-
milton.
On September 8. the German right
wing had contracted to such an ex-
tent that it's army corps were no lon
ger north of Paris, but east of II
Back of the advanced German right
wing were the forces which had been
occupied with the reduction Of French
Notifications, but these could not he
employed in field operations, being
hampered with the care of the German
heavy siege park. official reports
from the following day showed that
the Germans passed Chalons. crossed
the valley of the Marine between La
Ferte and Sezanne and were about to
reach the valley of the Seine south
east of Paris
Though nothing definite of this man
euver has ever been learned from
German sources, the impression pre-
walls that the Germans intended TO
follow up the retreating French forces
by passing Paris on the south, and in
so doing separate the troops in the
capital from those of the field army. |
There is no doubt that had this move
ment been successful, the German
main force would have pressed on.
leaving the reduction of the Paris
forts to the troops which had been
engaged in similar work at Maubeuge. |
Longwy, Givet and Manur.
1t appears, however, that while the
Germans advanced on Paris, demand
ing superhuman exertions from their
famous right wing, the French govern
ment. counting on the resisting capac-
ity of the Belfort-verdun defense line
of Notifications, quietly withdrew a
large part of it's field forces in that