Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-08
Offensive Faith of French Army


"Out of all these elements mas peen
born the offensive faith OF the rrenoN
army and it's leaders. We nave peio'o
us two systems. The one, the aerii'a1'
SYSTEM demanded a rapid success DIT 'no
opening of the campaign, success
against France before the Russians couiu
come upon the field, before the BRUSH
reserves could intervene, before the eco
nomic trouble could make itseiI iei''
Hence the creation in all has no" 'he
new corps whether they could De hep'
I'D a long time. The predeterminatioh
the victory was to be immediate. Inc
other system. the French system, con-
sists with the advantage OF the freedom
of the seas, in maintaining in good ana
complete form a number of sufficient Tor
nations; and in creating new ones only
in the measure in which they can with
certainty be kept up and suitably and
durably equipped with regimental organ
ization. OF these two system which, after
six months of trial, shall triumph? To
put the question is to answer 1t. Inc
Germans can no longer oppose US with
forces superior to ours. They will, there
fore, not be able to do what they could
not do in the past when they were one
third more numerous than ourselves. Con-
sequently our final victory must follow.
Our effort, too, is from now onward d.
rected towards that offensive which we
shall take at our own good time and the
issue of which cannot be doubtful.
| Our reinforcement are being train
ed in the instruction camps with ).
view to that offensive. 1t is in view
of the offensive that from day to day
our stores of munitions. food and
transport, are being increased. 1t is
| in view of the offensive that the i'm
portant reserves of Geographic, tele-
phonic, railway and shipping material,
have been constituted. 1t is in view
| of the offensive that the re-occupa-
| ton of the Belgian, Luxembourg and
| Alsace- Lorraine network of railway
has been prepared for and that
military commission, English, French
and Belgian, is preparing to work
| them. 1t is in view of the offensive
that to our 10000 heavy lorries we
have added, with the powerful aid oil
our automobile industries more than
1000 new transport wagons since the
beginning of the war. Against all
| this, which on our side is sure and
available, Germany can offer nothing
either equivalent or analogous.
The large resources in men, Off
| GERS. material and munitions, which
she had at her disposal six months
ago has been largely expended i'll the
hope Of crushing the opposed forces,
under the effort Of mass and the CT
| feet of surprise and they are toda:
scarcely sufficient after the defect OF
| that attempt, to offer defensive re-
sstance The military Wasteage goes
on progressively at the same time as
| the economic Wasteage and the moral
| Wasteage which is the consequence OF
| them. The creation of new units can
! have no other object than to re-estab-
! lish the equilibrium of the balance OF
numbers which means more and more
| to the side of the Allies. Every fur
! Their development given to the order
of battle will result in a dininution
Of the general value of the German ar
mics and accelerate the wear of them.
It will also bring the moment when
Germany will be at the end OF her
military resources and incapable Oh
! ever regaining her numerical super
iority.
cat that moment, France, taken by
surprise in August. by a premeditated
act of aggression will begin the war
| in every truth with the entirety of her
| forces