New-York tribune., 1915-03-28
CHAPTER ".
STRATEGY OF THE GERMANS AND
ITS OBSTRUCTION

The German attack in the two Flan-
ders was conducted strategically and
tactlcally with remarkable energy. The
complete and indisputable defeat in
which il resulted is therefore sgnifi-
cant.
The forces of which the enemy dis
posed for this operation between the
sea and the Lys comprised:
% The entire fourth army, com
manded by the Duke of Wdrtemberg,
consisting Of one naval division, one
division OF Ersatz Reserve (men who
had received no training before the
war;, which was liberated by the fall
of Antwerp the 22d, 23d, 26th and 27th
Reserve Corps. and the 4Sth Division,
belonging 70 the oath Reserve Corps.
(2) A portion of another army under
General Won Fabeck, consisting OF the
18th Corps. two Bavaran corps and
three (unspeciiied) divisions.
(3) Part of the sixth army, under the
command of the Crown Prince Of Ba-
varia. This army, more than a third
of which took part in the battle OF
Flanders, comprised the 10Th Army
Corps. portions Of the 18th Corps and
the 18th Reserve Corps, the 7th and
14th Corps, the 1st Bavarian Reserve
Corps. the Guards and 4th Army Corps.
(D Four highly mobile cavalry corps
prepared and supported the action OF
the troops enumerated above. Every
thing possible had been done to fortify
the morale of the troops. AT the
beginning OF October the Crown Prince
of Bavaria in a proclamation had eX-
horted his soldiers "to make the de-
cisive effort against the French left
f,kn e
the great battle which has lasted for
weeks"
On October % Prince Rupprecht Of
Bavaria declared in an army order that
his troops had just been fighting un-
der very difficult conditions and he
7dded: at is our business now not TO
let the struggle with our most detested
enemy drag on longer. The de-
cisive blow is still to be struck" On
October 80 General Won Deimling, com
manding the 18th Army Corps belong
ing to General Won Fabeck's command),
issued an order declaring that "the
thrust against Ypres will be of decisive
Importance" II should be noted also
that the Emperor proceeded in person
TO Thielt and COurtrai to eXalt by his
presence the ardor Of his troops Final
~, at the close of October the entire
German press necessarily proclaimed
the importance of the battle of Ca
lais."
1t is superfuous 20 add that events
N Poland explain in large measure the
assionate resolve OF the German Cen
oral staff 20 obtain a decision on the
western theatre OF operations at all
costs. This decision would be obtained
If our left were pierced. or driven in.
To reach Calais. that Is, TO break our
left; to carry Ypres, that is, to cut II in
half; through both points to menace
the communications and supplies of the
british eXpeditionary corps. perhaps
even 10 threaten Britain in her island
such was the German plan in the battle
cf Flanders. it was a plan that could
rot be executed.
Check OF the German Attack Along the
Coast.
The enemy, who had at his disposal
2 considerable quantity of heavy ar
tillerv. directed his efforts at first
upon the coast and the country to the
north of Dixmudc. His objective was
manfestly the capture Of Dunkirk,
then of Calais and Boulogne, and this
objective he pursued until November /.
On October 23 the Belgians along
the railway line from Nieuport TO Dix
nude were strengthened by a French
division DiXmude was occupied by
our marines (fusiliers marins). Dur
ing the subsequent days our forces
along the railway developed a magnlf-
cent resistance against an enemy su-
perior IN number and backed by heavy
artillery. On the Goth the inunda-
tions effected between the canal and
the railway line spread along our front
on the Both we recaptured Ramscapelle,
the only point on the railway which
the Belgians had lost.
On November ! and . the enemy
hombarded Furnes, but began to show
signs of WEAKNESS. On the I'd he
evacuated the ground between the
User end the railway abandoning can
non, dead ana wounded. On the Sd our
troors were able 10 re-enter the DIX
nude district The success achieved
by the enemy at Dixmude at this
juncture was without fruit. They Sue
ccedcd in taking the town. They could
not detouch from il.
The coastal attack had thus proved
total failure. Since then II has
never been renewed. The battle of
Calais, so noisily announced by the
German press, amounted 10 decided
reverse for the Germans.
German Defeat at lpres.
The enemy had now begun an attack
more important than its predecessor, IN
view of the numbers engaged IN NJ;
This attack was intended as renewa!
to the south Of the effort which had
Just been shattered in the north. an
stead of turning our Hank on the coast,