Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-18
Victory of French Complete
and Crushing, Germans
Smashed Back Almost to
Where Their Great
Drive Began.
DEFENDERS ARE SURPRISED
Teuton Legions Battle Desper-
ately, But Are Unable to
Stem Tide.
NIvELLE HERO OF THE DAY

fore assuming the chief command of
the French armies on the western
front General Nivelle today smashed
the German line east of the Meuse
along front OF six miles. The vic
tory has advanced the French posi-
tons two miles and they are now
within short distance OF where the
Germans stood at the outset OF the
great Verdun drive. The military
authorities describe the victory as
complete and crushing and carried
out without hitch. Nearly 1000
prisoners were taken.
Since his last great stroke when
the blood-soaked ruins of Fort Vaux
and Douaumont fell once more into
the hands Of Verdun's defenders
General Nivelle has been quietly pre-
pairing to push his advantage by an
attack on larger scale. Men and
guns had been assembled, shells piled
and everything was in readiness for
the moment he should see his oppor-
tunity. Then the blow fell like a
thunderbolt
Curtain of Steel Hurled.
A terrific artillery fire fattened the
German defense, then the guns were
elevated and threw curtain Of steel
behind which the infantry from every
trench from Pepper Hill to beyond
Damloup dashed forward on an
enemy still stunned by the lombard
ment.
In places the Germans gallantly
strove to hold their ground, but Cen
eral Nivelle's dispositions we're so
well made that they were generally
powerless to, stem even momentarily
the tide. One after another Vacherau-
vile and Louvemont villages, Cham
brette farm and the Hardamount and
Besonvaux works fell without the de-
tenders having time to carry away
either guns or material and prisoners
began. to- stream steadily rearward TO
pens prepared for their reception.
Germans Beaten.
Pepper Hill, Verdun Front, Friday
Dec. Is, Via Chantilly, Dec. To-
(From q Staff Correspondent of The
Associated Press. IA short sharp
battle brought to the French today
their third smashing victory, within
two months in the vicinity Of Ver-
dun. Every objective of the French
commanders was obtained.
Although the Germans offered a
desperate defense, they were like clay
in the hands Of the French troops,
who squeezed them into any shape
they liked.
Thousands of German prisoners
poured into the French lines during
the day, including 200 officers, and
are still arriving. The total count
already is $500. One division alone
captured more than 1900 Germans
within an hour. More than eighty
cannon were captured or destroyed.
Three Villages Taken.
The villages of Vacherauville,
Louyemont and Besonvaux and
Hardaumont wood now are in French
hands.
The front was ten kilomcters long.
When the fighting ceased, owing to
the darkness, the French advance had
exceeded an average of three kilo-
meters along the whole front, at vari-
Gus points reaching further out.
The battle began at 10 o'clock in
the morning, with the left flank of
the French opposite Vacherauville
and the right flank on Fort Vaux.
As the church clock struck the
hour every French gun opened a
storm of steel, placing every shot i'm
mediately behind the German front
line. Meanwhile the French infantry
made one OF its characteristic dashes
and reached Vacherauville, where
they drove the Germans from house
to house until the village was entirely
in their hands.
"Bethmann's Bowl" Pierced.
Advancing beyond the village, the
French attacked German trench
known as "Bethmann's Bowl" which
was pierced, after hard fight, and its
occupants made prisoners. Then, up
the slopes of Pepper Hill the in
fantrymen could be seen making
methodical progress, until at exactly
an hour from the start the twin
crests of this height had been swept
clear of the Germans and the rock
cts announced the French were estab-
lished there. In the meantime the
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