The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-02-10
KAISER's SON TURNS
WAR REPORTER,
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hin which they themselves. with un ls
Eparalleled heroism inhuman con-
fifct defended fat hfu1 TIL their last
breath! They are crying to is; DO
not ever forget how we died and ZOE
what cause we gave our liyes!j
In order to realize the full 'stgni-
icanceti IN order TO nderstand3 the
payne. In order to tund the
mammoth grandeur OF the accom-
plishments Of our brave troops we
must ask the question, What did
the battle in the Champagne really
mean-whereinI does the greatness
of'our victory lie?"
These questions can be. answered
in few words. 1t was, the nrst
h great attempt at an offensive ON K
the part OF the French; In which =
they, by venturing heir best corps 4
and a mighty tilleryi sought tor
weeks and for months, cost what ~
itmight, to force q passage in the ?
Champagne, in order to break the
surrounding steel chain OF the
German army from the land.
Had their attempt been successtuI,
had they gone through here with pow
ers unimpaired, as they intended, Il IS
plain that the consequences for the
entire army would have been far DIFF:
ferent. Our victory In the Champagne
is, as the results show, no less import
ant than the victory at Tannenberg
and at the Masurian Lakes. But IN
the way OF demands on personal cour-
age and In patience under the utter.
most difficulties, the sufertngs OF our
troops have been nowhere else equal
led. 49,
Now in order TO realize what these
Iaccomplisheds were, In order 70
present the heroic steadfastness and
the patience sublime beyond all praise
on the part OF our t-oops, In order 70
nudge the terrible difficulties with
which leader and troops had to battle
for many heavy weeks, we must Keep
in mind the. following:
When the French offensive began IN
February, our trops had Tor several
months been engaged in hard battle
with but few pauses, and had had 10
defend itself against many and severe
attacks Of the French First and Sew
enteenth corps.
In addition to this our troops no
longer possessed their full strength
and fighting powers at the very tlne
when they met In heavy conflict IN
which the enemy, with continually IN
creasing powers and mighty NUM-
tionary strength was doing his pest
10 force passage at no matter what
cost, II we keep this fact continually
in mind. then the deeds OF our troops
rise to an almost unbelievable height.
only iron will power, discipline trans
formed into flesh and blood, and self.
sacrificing fulfillment of duty could
here lead to victory. And that they
did lead to victory will be till the end
Of time leaf of fame in the histories
of all armies In like situation!
The masses Of iron and men which
the enemy hurled against our positions
night and day, together with their ten
acity and cIeverness not only in at
tack but in defense also. would really
seem able to overwhelm greater
strength than that which the Third
army had at its disposal.
It was a battle between steel ana
iron.
and twist a narrow band OF steel
through sheer pressure of size ana
weight. but It cannot break the steel;
n IL true that the French, through
continual and ever more severe attacks
and by artillery fre-Jthe severity OF
which defes description-could force
our lines back little here and there
and 40 a few hundred meters OF trench
es fell into their hands, but these were
bought at a terrible sacrifice OF blood
TO-. the entire affair resulted only In
their realization that German will pow
or and German discipline cannot be
broken. The opponent broke their
wills. and the Third army had con-
quered. ,,o.,,a
here, the French offensive took place
mostly on the left or eastern SIDE OF
the Third army and was directed al
most without exception against the
Seventh army corps and the Eighth
Reserve corps.
Here the topography is billy and az
fords a good chance for concealment,
Il IA set here and there with narrow
ar woods and the soil is OF white
| chalk, There are few villages and
these have been practically Ndestroyeu
by the. enemy's fire.
During the entire time the weather
was unsqeakably vile. For weeks II
rained day and night continually, SO
| that the chalky soil became gray1sh
| soany mass of slime. AS result the
roads became almost useless for wa
IONS, while the few main roads which
| IsJ from the rear. OF our positions were