Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-16

Paris, Dec -iS. General Nivelle, In
chief command. OF the French armies
On the western front yesterday
smashed the German lines east Of the
8 Aieuse along line Of six miles. 3
The victory has advanced the French
positions two miles and now they are
B within short distance Of where the
! Germans stood at the, outset of the
4 great German drive near a year ago.
Z victory as complete and crushing and
carried thru without q hitch.
Men and guns had been assembled.
! shells piled and eyerything was lin:
i g1aAiness fR the moment when the
I general should see his opportunity.
T1MstHe blow fell like a thunderbolt.
- terrific preparation fattened the
uey1aan defensess and then the guns
: 5;S~:cre elevated and thru curtain OF
] steel. behind which the ihfanaGs{gO
sevefy trench from Pepper Hill to b6s'
Sends A1foup. dashed forward on an
gshemy till stunned BY the bombard- :.
The large hMmbSr of prisoners. Sc.
cording toiatest advices nearys 300 il
4u.s1uutSAtAOneOA VI SAS SUI PAl0St iL0SoAO Va
the onset.
NiveIle Man Of the Hour.
News OF the victory was received in
Paris with enthusiasm and was well
come relief to the gloomy tidings from
ROumania.
General Nivelle is the man Of the
hour. His latest achievement already
has justified. 1t is felt, his choice as
communicative chief and augurs well
for the future.
The number Of guns captured from
Germans in General Nivelle's VIC.
n the verdun front. as counted
he present, y eighty. according
latest reports reaching Paris.
Planned by NiveIls.
The French plan OF attack was
\ \ 4 q IA hy. General Nivelle with the
concurrence of General Petain. who, at
Y the time, was his superior officer.
The assault proper was left to Cen
eral Mangin. It was made by five
divisions, or close to 100000 men.
The French were installed on
series Of heights some dominating the
German positions but others being
under the direct fire OF their opponents.
- - Promptly At 10 a. m. the Ave attack
ing divisions, each Of which covered
front Of one and one-quarter mile ad-.
Nanced behind the screen fire Of guns
4 OF all calihers.
they swarmed rapidly into the Ger
4mas trencnes. The German troops in
i these positions were surprised by the
suddenness .of the attack and offered
comparatively little resistance.
! Garry Al Before Thorn.
III the village Of vacherauville.
where the Germans had installed q
quantity Of machine guns. the struggle
was sharp but none the less short.
More to the east the French for
mstion charged the slopes Of Pepper
IA IA carrying all before them. AS they
Qshed to the attack the soldiers
3heered from time to time and the
roared by the strong
throated poilus could be heard above
the chorus OF the cannon.
with vacherauville and Pepper Hill
lost: II became evident to the Germans
that gfesistance would be futile and
/, they retired in fairly good order.
Rout at One Point.
On II the Vacherauville- Beaumont.
road. however French troops suddenly
appeared III the rear Of the Germans. 3
The French had crept along small
4 Iravine running from Pepper Hill to this
ON seeing them the Germans boited,
throwing away rifles, knapsacks and
Il pouches. From the. top of the hill the
French could see them running, and,
4 shouting with Joy. they dashed after
them. ss,aAs < Isl 81 is58
Regain Petitions Ioss !s:o:.se ago.
Having accomplished the task set Tor
4 him, General Mangin. profiting by the
Differentiation Of the German ranks
raiised by the abrupt attack, sent out