The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-07
BRITISH DIDN'T
EXPECT TO WIN
QUICK VICTORY
Rigid Fine of German Forts on
Entire Front.
Teutons Had Eighteen Months
to Construct Them.
.a.--
IN SUBTERRANEAN CITIES
Germans Swarmed From Dug
cuts Fifty Feet Deep.
First Stage of Battle Great Vic
tory for Allies.
Teutons Had Eighteen Months
to Construct Them.
IN SUBTERRANEAN CITIES
Germans Swarmed From Dug
cuts Fifty Feet Deep.
First Stage of Battle Great Vic
tory for Allies.
BY JOHN BUCHAN.


- tary Affairs.
London, Aug. when the bonn
lsbardment ceased on the morning of
July l, and the allied troops left their
trenches in the Big Push on a twenty
five mile front they did not expect an
even and steady advance.
"A rigid line of German Notifications
stretches from Newport to the Alps
There are no gaps. The defense has
IT'S first position, consisting of several
French lines; an intermediate position;
and a second and final position some
way back. of the same type as the
first The labors of eighteen months
c,have made each position miracle of
= human ingenuity labyrinth of
ztfrenches and subterranean city of
dug-outs.
- No such front can be broken at the
first attempt. The path of wisdom is
Ito attack on a broad front and take
e1he thing by steady stages-to capture
zone position at a time, and to attack
with infantry only when the guns have
done their work.
In the area of attack, of which AL
bert the point of division the Germans
on the north are prepared and the
high plateau over which their lines
ran was a formidable obstacles to any
advance. In the southern part the
ground was easier, the enemy weaker
and a real surprise was achieved.
Fall Short of Goal.
The British objective IN the north,
the enemys first position, except at
one or two points. was not attained.
Villages were blotted out and miles
of country reduced to the appearance
of ploughed field by the allied bonn
bardment, but the German guns we'll
hidden behind the ridges Were intact
and before the hour came for the
British to cross their parapets they
opened a counter bombardment on the
British first line. That line WAS
largely destroyed, but the British in
fantry under a devastating artillery
fire, advanced steadily across No
Mans Land between the lines.
Then the German first trenches
Rwol1e. Their occupants had retreated
to the Geepest dugouts, sometimes fifty
feet below the ground. They now APP
reared and manned their front lines,
firing with machine guns and auto
matte rifles. Both sides showed the
most conspicuous gailantry.
Teutons Weaker in South.
The attack as a whole was broken
up before it reached the German fir
. peared fighting units. By the eve
Il ming Of the first day the enemy's po-
Z sition in tn northern section was I'M
"a shaken.
1t was different in the south There
the allies had the benefit of a real
surprise. The German reply to their
bombardment was feeble, In some
places the initial bombardment srem-
ed to have destroyed resistance, and
: the attack advanced with scarcely a
casualty across trenches filled with
Z Germa dead. In a few hours the IN
mediate objective was completely at
tanned All the German first position
was carried on a front of more than
twelve miles. One French regiment
had only two wounded, and the ras-
ualties of one whole corps were under
500. The German losses were very
+ high Crossing the captured ground
on the following day one walked
among piles of German dead.
The first stage of the battle vas be-
yond doubt great allied success. The
objective was completely attained on
/ an ample front and the way prepared
: for the stroke against the final Ger
I man position Without the sacrifice
in the north the success of the Brit
fish right wing and the French you'd
have been impossible.
Greatest Battle in History.
We are only looking at the be gin
mig of the greatest battle in
, history. 1t will be slow and
costly fight, for Germany knows
it is her last stand. The al
lies will pursue their plans sobcrly
and methodically. with no attempt at
blind rush-s wild ventures. The
I German man-power is shrinking low.
They have been compelled to send di-
/ visions from Verdun to help linden
burg against Russia, and in providing
/, reserves for the present battle they
are driven to scrape up battalions
from every part of their western
front Reserves obtained in this way,
men already wearied with much tight
ing, must inevitably be a frail reed to
lean upon. One battalion hurried up
from the south was captured intact
by the British hour or two after it
had detrained-
Il French officer who was asked
about the capture of guns, replied;