Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-03-27
London Observer Interbrets
German Drive at Verdun

(The following graphic story and
Interpretation Of the German drive
against Nerdun is from the London
observer of March 8. the last Issue OF
that paper to reach hcre II ls writ
ten, Of course. from the British point
of vlew:)
The worlds attention Is riyeted on
Nerdun and the heart Of France is put
10 an iron test but our allies are at
the highest they have reached even in
this war for indispensable heroism,
skill ana calm. Whoever fears for
them they fear not for themselves,
and through all The fluctuations Of
this stretched ordeal their judgment Is
unclouded as their insight into essen
tails strikes true. The enemy may be
repulsed with completeness charged
with all the significance Of disaster, or
the Germans may gain further things
at the Pyrrhio price which sacrifices
armies for acres. The action sWayA,
the Spectacular denouement Is sim In
doubt. We hope and believe that the
French Will triumph memorably on
their present line of resistance, but in
any case We count them certain of the
victory on a larger issue. We shall
endeayor to explain why the Germans
must be beaten on the fundamental
factors which will determine the re
suit of his war.
i.--"T0uch and Co
The whole episode is an invaluable
series OF lessons on first principles.
Let us repeat again that the drama of
Verdun is no meaningless fight for a
lefty, no mere combat even for local
positions. II is a battle for tha
heights of the Meuse, with Il view on
the German side to further develop
ments and contingencies bearing on
the main affairs at stake IN the TWEEN
tieth month Of Armageddon. We said
last week that the onslaught on the
eastern barrier Of France VAS unmis-
tHbably the beginning of movements
and counter movements -spreadng
from the immediate cockpit TO other
quarters. from the west to the east,
from the land to the sea-~which
would make the next few months as
momentous as any equal term IN hui
man history, and would distinctly
foroshadow by late autumn or before
the whole sequel Of the war. There
has been nothing 10 disturb these con-
illusions, but much to confirm them.
Even when we wrote last Sunday
much was obscure. Neither the mag
nitudc of the German attempts nor
1.-THE nearness Of their approach to a
point which might have made the To-
cal position to the last degree critical
was yet quite fully known. The dis
closures of the succeeding days
showed that it had been almost touch
and 20 with Verdun The Germans
had believed complete victory to be in
their grasp, before they were stopped
thrust back. baffled aud fought to a
temporary standstill by General Pee
tains magnificent defense. When Fort
! Douaumont was rushed by the Bran
ldonburgers. the German general staff
professionally believed that every
thing between them ana their first
grand object would go down. The eX-
iulunt bulletins incautiously issued on
Saturday week raised the whole Ger
man empire To rejoicing and eXpectan-
/ cy followed by dismal disappointment.
For a moment II was thought thar the
DAYS of Antwerp had come again. The
next news foreshadowed n thWarting
more like the days OF Nancy and
/ Ypres.
The enemy has repeatedly known In
4 this war the full bitterness OF sin
/ 'twiXt the cup aud the lip Nothing
since the failure of the opening fury
has revived the German confidence ct
Ia week ago Before that time the
kaiscrs staff may have INDUCED n
| firm belief that the capture OF Yer
lduu and the whole circuit Of its hills
lhad been assured by as much fore
Thought and effort as human diligence,
ingenuity and resolution could con
trive.
ii.-Surprisc by Weight.
70 make this plain we must so
back little. The attack as our
READERS know. had been prepared for
lnearN two months. The German re-
sources in technique and ability had
| been concentrated upon It, The YER
/ dun circuit being not only salient
| hut standing at an angle or elbow of
the French front where il bends from
/ the northward TO the eastward. offered
an opportunity for "A conVerging as
I without the usual risk of be-
/ ing entlladed as thesattaCk progressed
such as exists nowhere else between
the Nosges and the sea- The prob
lem was how to surprise and over
Whelm the French. You can hardly
hope in this struggle as in The old
way Of war TO surprise by the use of
time ana direction. The Germans de-
ltermlned 10 surprise by sheer weight
/ of metal. Their achievement IN this
particular after nineteen months OF