Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-24
BATTLES WON BY ' KNIFE VT AND BAYoNET

sidered the biting end of the wedge such advanced
trenches considered tenable were held by the
French. The bulk the French army had been with
drawn to the line of actual defense about Verdun
Upon the intervening between the body of Ger
troops and the body of French the Teuton
artillery played mercilessly, and replied by
that of the French.
The bombardment in the offensive at Champag ne
but the cracking of matches compared that
Verdun,' was the report Of who lived through
both
played, subordinate part. The German artillery
searched for the positions Of the French and
sought to obliterate the trenches which striped
ground between the armies. In this they succeeded
There were trenches left" the report O
one man. There were mtrilleuse left: The baroed
wire had ceased to exist 1t could not be
In this area of uptorn ground only remained
few wretched hiding in and no longer hop
ing to escape inevitable death"
Then the charge ordered by the German lead
ers The mass attack by the way seems to nave
justified itself under such conditions these though
greatly decred by military critics beginning of
the war; The charging masses of were no longer
confronted by mitraleuse which down their
ranks as strong mower might pass scythe through
standing grass They could only be played upon by
heaVy artillery which was posted at safe distance
in concealed positions of the lines
1t has been demonstrated by botn French and Ger
man experience that great cannot always be
stopped by heavy guns" said an observer cit can
sometimes be stopped by them. Tremendous losses
are occasfoned by the exploding shells shells
only spot the advancing mass Streams of men are
always running forward In the they are apt TO
attain their end, if general commanding is suf6-
GENTLY ruthless"
So with Germans at Verdun 1t has been re-
here that they charged sixteen the
Brandenburgers, singing Die Wacht Am Rhein,"
ly penetrated fort Douaumont-wnat was left of
them. 1t at this of the battle that the
"body-to-body" fighting, the French term it,
CURED often. When the advancing body reached
certain point they could longer be played upon
effectively by the big guns, because their muzzles
could depressed the required angle, except
the danger of exposing their position Observers
Then the on-rushing could only be stopped by
counter charge. The artillery play up. for
even the guns which could reach the Germans could
not be fired because of killing the coun
ter-charging French.
Under such conditions rifle is practically use
less The been maddened by the unbear-
able noise continuous Observation-Disclosures nave
been reported bleeding at because of
the frightful concusson-are excited by the sight
which spread before them that rifle
away. The charge cannot be stopped by it, The
the air forget to fire forget load their
rifles. Charging ONLY be stopped by charging
such moments the French up to
praise they received in past" say
by any troops in this Many of the for
ward armed only with bag of bombs and a dagger.
Always cold steel is the last It has rarely
failed them"
that the latest lesson of this is that the
way of fighting is after all the best way.
a time it thought that battles could be
by artillery alone. The of that exalted them
selves. recognized they only prepare
way for those who after them. Axe and knife
against soft flesh may future day win the
Gliding battle this
Copyright, 1916, by Herbert Corey)