The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1915-01-02
MYSTERY OF AU-
GUST" EXPLAINED

(By William Philip Sims, United
Press staff Correspondent.)
WITH THE FRENCH ARMY AT
THE FRONT, Nov. 25-(By mail to
New York after talking with Off
GERS Lere who took part in the fight
ing and VINO have since made an ex-
haustive study of the situation,
am now able to throw additional light
on the mystery Of August that
period of the war leading up to the
battle of the Marine and about which
practically nothing thus far has been
made public
The official communiques during
August were short and contained no
details. All that the world knew was
that fierce fighting was in progress;
that the French and English armies
were in retreat; that Paris was in
gloom with most of her lights out,
her population fleeing southwark and
the government preparing to move to
Bordeaux. just what was going on at
the front the public did not know.
RrImor had it, towards the first of
September that the Germans were in
the Paris suburbs, and the exodus
was increased, railway stations were
packed and many people with first
class ticket were glad to find plank
seats in freight cars bound for the
south
At this precise moment, without
the public knowing it, the tide had
turned; the Germans had abandoned
Paris as their objective; General
Joffre had outplayed Generals Won
Kluck and Won Bulow and set the
stage for the Germans check and re-
treat
It now appears certain chat Gener-
al Joffre deliberately led the Ger
mans into believing his army definite
" beaten and the British expedition
airy forces completely done for, let
ting them think all they had to do
was to let Paris go for the moment,
follow mp the French and English and
crush them for good and all Over
confident, the Germans were caught
off their guard, just as Joffre expect
ed they would be and as he is believ-
ed to have planned and the so-called
battle of the Marne ened in a vie
tory for the allies and the consequent
saving of the capital
How did Joffre lead up to his vic
tory2 BY refusing tc play the grand
stand; by attending to his job re-
gardless of what the public might
think
The French commander in chief de-
cided to retire the balk of his forces
east of Paris to positions south of
the Marne and the Ornain and there
prepare his offensive. On the first of
September this movement was well
under way and, so far as can gather,
it was the rapidity of this movement
which fooled the German commanders
and led them into the error of be-
lieving the French and English armies
to all intents routed.
From this supposed definite retreat
of the allies, the German commanders
took their cue. They had two alter
natives before them. Either they
would have to pursue the allies with
the bulk of their armies, in the NOM
ent neglecting Paris, or else let the
allies go and take Paris, a result ap-
parently adrently desired from both
military and political points of view.
If they chose the first course, they
risked development in country cut
by numerous water courses-Marne,
Grand NORM, Petit NORM, etc.--but
if they chose the second such vast
number of troops would be necessary
that elsewhere their line would be so
weakened that an offensive by the al
lies might prove disastrous.
So they chose the first course, since
apparently the allies We're practically
defea-ed, determining to pursue them
and annihilate both French and Eng
lish. Thus came to be fought the bat
tie of the Marne which was not not
really the battle of the Marne at all,
but of five or nix other rivers as well.
The battle commenced around Sept.
5. The danger of the enveloping
movement probably forseen by the
Germans. but discounted because they
thought the allies definitely in re-
treat aud incapable of serious fight
ing, at once became apparent. The
French and English pressed in from
the west, making a pocket, the bot
tom of which was in the region of
Coulommiers, Courtaeon and Esternay,
and here Generals Forch, 'Esperey
and others resuming the offensive, be-
can their smashing blows. The rest
Of the story is known. The Germans
retreated precipitously, leaving be-
hind considerable material. The
French praise the German command
ers for escaping at all. Under less
able leaders, the French say, they
could not have extricated their ar
mics, so well prepared were the plans
OF General Joffre.
Among military men foreign as well
as French, General Joffre is regarded
as fox for strategy and utterly free
from rose These two qualities they
say, permit him to Tlan his move
ments carefully and without an eye
to the bleaeheers or an ear to public
opinion He fights for France instead
of for his own glory.