Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-03-16

fAssocinted Press Correspondencel
London, March b-The Associated
Press has received historical review.
emanatng from French official
sources, OF the operations In the west
ern theater of war. from It's hegin-
ming up 10 the end OF January-the
first six months OF the war. II Is
long, detailed, and in some respects
technical in the military sense, but
II contains matter Of absorbing in
terest, both for the layman and tho
expert
The plans of General Joffre are
set forth and explanations given az
to how and why they could not al
ways be carried out. how they were
modified from time to time and In
what manner they were successful.
The review closes with resonant
note of satisfaction with the result
achieved and of the most powerful
confidence in the final issue
Tho papers are too long 60 permit
of their being given otherwise than
in installments-wh which will be cuntin-
ued from time to time
II should be understood that the
narrative Is made purely from the
French standpoint The first of the
installments of the document is as
follows.
Chapter 1.-The French setbacks in
August
The first month of the campaign
began With successes aud finished
with defeats for the French troops
Under what circumstances these
come about?
The Operations In Alsacc.
Our plan of concentration had fore
seen the possibility of two principle
actions the one on the right between
Nosges ana MOselle. the other on the
left TO the north of Nerdun- -Toul line
this double possibility involving the
eventual variations Of our transport.
ON August 2. owing 20 the Germans
passing through Belgium our con-
ecntratlon was substantially modified
by General Joffre, in order that our
principal effort might be directed to
the north
From the first week In August It
was apparent that the length Of time
required for the British army to be-
gin to move would delay our action
In connection with IT, This delay Is
failures at the end of August
Awaiting the moment when opera
tons in the north could begin and TO
prepare for It.. bv retaining in Alsace
the greater possible number of Ger
man forces, the genernl-in-ch chief or
dered our troops TO occupy Muel-
house. 10 cut the bridges of the
Rhine at Huningue, and below, and
then to flank the attack of our
troops operating in Lorraine, This
operation was badly carried out by
leader who was az once relieved OF
his command. Our troops, after haV-
ing carried Nuelhousc, lost It and
were thrown back ON Belfort The
work had. therefore, TO be recon-
menced afrcsh. and this was done
from August a. under a new COM
mand.
Muelhousc was nkcn on the 18th
after brilliant fieht at D0rnaeh.
Twenty- four guns were captured from
the enemy. ON the goth we held
me approaches to Colmar. both by
the plain and by the Nosses.
The enemy had undergone enormous
losses aud abandoned great stores OF
shells and forage but from this mo-
ment what was happening In Lor-
raiuc and on our left prevented us
from carrying our successes further,
for our troops In Alsace were needed
elgewhere On AUGUST 49, the AL
SAGE army was broken up, only u
small part remaining TO hold the
region OF Thanh aud the Nosges.
The Oprrntions In Lorraine.
The purpose of the operations in
Alsacc was namely, to retain large
part of the enemy's forces far from
the northern theater of operations:
il wna our offensive In Lorraine to
pursue stll more directly by holding
before il The German army corps
operating to the south OF Metz. This
offensive began brilliantly on Au-
gust ID. ON the 10Th We had reach
cd the region Of Saarbprg and that
of Etans Unkesl, We held Dieusee.
Morhmnge. Define and Chateau Sa-
Inns
ON the 20th our Wlreess was stop
nod The cause rs to nc found in the
strong organization OF the region, IN
the power Of the tnemy's artillery op-
Grating over ground which had been
minutey surveyed and finally N the
default Of certain uu'is On the 22nd.
in spite Of the splendid behavior OF
several of our army curps and notably
that of Nancy out troops We're
brought back on % the Grand Con~
rome while on the a3rd and 24lh
the Germans concentrated reinforce
army corps az least--in
the region Of Iuneviile and forced us
to retire to the south.
This retreat however, was only