Evening journal., 1915-07-28
FIRST YEAR OF THE EUROPEAN WAR
AS seen IN France
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SINMs
United Press STAFF Correspondent.

PARIS. July 2s.--when General de
Maud'huy blocked the Kaiser's leg
ions in their smashing drice for
Dunkirk. Calais and Boulogne he
scored for France one of the biggest
victories Of the first year OF the Great
War.
The Germans even place this battle
first in importance. and their verdict
in this matter might we'll be taken,
since they. better than anybody else,
should know just what success there
would have meant to them.
Whatever else a victory of the inn
perial arms would have meant il
would have brought them in sight of
England, the whole course OF the war
would have been changed and the re-
suit probably have been disastrous TO
the Allies cause.
AS it turned out General de Maud
hugs success completely used up
Germany's initial strength. or what
was left of il after the Marine.
heightened the battlefront consider
ably and inaugurated the strength
sapping winter campaign in the
trenches, each of these a hard blow
TO the Teutonic hordes. For not only
were they thus doomed TO months Of
immobilization when time was so val
liable TO them. but General Joffre was
given time 10 reorganize his re-
sources in men and material both on
and back Of the line now an urgent
and necessary thing.
After the battle of the Marine in
early October. the second great Ger
man offensive began; the dash for
the sea. General Joffre began a SINH
lar movement about the Same time.
his object being 10 turn his opponents
right flank. A series of surprises fol-
lowed. Everywhere they went in
their turning movement nortlward,
they found the Germans a little ahead
OF them and though at the start Won
Bulow's move seems 10 have been
taken for an endeavor TO turn the
French left, it was now perfectly
evident that the mass descent upon
Paris had been transformed into an
advance against the channel ports. BY
the middle of October. a formidable
front was presented by the Germans
clear to the North Sea and the situa-
ton looked serious
There are really three gates 20 the
channel. The User river. La Bassee
and Arras. the last being considered
by far the best since II not only opens
the road to the coast but 10 Paris as
well. Against the Prussians were
General d'Urbal's Eighth army, the
British expedltlonary force, the tat
tered remnants of the Belgian army
and General de Maud hugs Tenth
army, the last named holding the
critical point between Albert and a
point to the north Of Arras. against
the whole Of Won Etllow's command.
Military writer's agree the attack
on Arras was probably the critical
moment Of the terrific attempt of the
iGermans 10 reach the channel coast
The bombardment of the city began
October 6, while General de Maud huy
just outside the city to the eastward
was holding in check the rapidly in.
creasing army of Won Bulow, the Ba
varians to the north trying to out
flank him.
The great battle for the possession
of Arras continued until October 26
the Germans at one time entering tn
city The famous Prussian Guard
hammered away al the French max
]
saults of the war. They hoped I,
slash their way 10 the coast, cuttins
off a large slice Of France and wha
remained OF Belgium. and with thii
Territory tens of thousands of pris
oners, including the entire Belgian
army and the whole of the British
expedltionary corps. not to mention
seriously hampering comm .nicationI
between France and England.
But de Maud'huy held firm ant
more; he drove the Germans, includ
ing the Prussian Guard from Arras
He kept open the lines of communi
cation and trainload after trainloaC
of achievements poured into the
north Of France. The Allies owe
him a great debt, for his was on
of the finest performances of the war
After Arras, the Germans tried 4
break through on the User: they trie,
to get past Dixmude. defended by
the gallant Admiral Ronarch and hi
daredevil Breton marines La Bassel
saw very stubborn fighting and lastl,
one OF the greatest engagements o
the whole war came at Ypres Will
the British in bulldog fashion, hold
ing practically the whole of the line
But after all, Arras was the mali
gate 10 the coast and had de Maud
buy failed there, the other hghtini
probably would not have occurred
, His victory was the decisive one
In subsequent battles had the AL
lies been forced back at any poin
reinforcements were az hand and tn
thing could have been remedied Tn
British victory at Ypres, by some sal
to be the biggest battle not onl!
Of this war. but Of all time. was no
! itself decisive since de Maud 'huy ha
won out at Arras by October 26, in
surfing the arrival Of reserves al
along the line as far north as tn
sea; and, had the British given wa
they very probably would have bee
: supported by fresh troops and tn
I German advance arrested before tn
coast was reached.