New Britain herald., 1916-03-10
GERMAN WAVE AT
 YERDUN IS NOW AT
 CREST,FRENCH SAY
Further Advance Considered IIn- possible Without Great Loss Of
 Life and Ebb Is Expected
PARIS MILITARY EXPERTS
 ARE PUZZLED BY TACTICS

Teutons Begin Series of Battles On
 Small Fronts But Without Any Ap- l parent Effect-BIue Clad Soldiers l of France Anxious to Jump Into or
 fense and Drive Invaders out of
 Paris, March 10, 5:45 a. m.-The
 situation at Verdun is regarded as
 much better, from French viewpoint of
 result of yesterdays fighting. The 1 public is greatly cheered by reports l of successful resistance on the part 1 of the defenders of the fortress. Not-
 withstanding an enormous expendi- ture of ammunition and unstinted sacrifice of life, the Germans have blue line. The inference drawn by the general public is that the German wave has advanced as far as is in it's power l without further wasteage of life on a W
 eral staff hesitates to make, with four
 army corps already put out of action in the struggle of eighteen days. Exhausted by three days of violent efforts, the assailents called a half rest to replenish the depleted ranks
 of infantry. The French took ad- vantage of the respite to sweep out the Germans still remainig in Cor beauX wood, and in this effort were almost successful.
 DOuaumOnt Under Fire Again.
 The renewal of heavy fighting east of the Mouse, attended by a series of assa ults on Douaumont, has entered interest one more on this portion of the front.
 A good road runs through the gen tie sloping ravine up to the plateau before Douaumont, possession of which would ena ble the attacking forces to take the defenses in the flank. Massed infantry, well support ed by artillery, struggled hard to win command of this easiest approach to the famous position but the French were able to hold off the assailants and at the same time to deal with attacks from the village of Douau- mont.
 In the Woevre, the Germans did not attempt to pursue their actions further.
 The great successes in battles up to the present have been gained by means of violent shocks delivered by fresh and especially prepared masses of infantry, and generally have been achieved rapidly. Of such charac- ter was the German attack on Verdun which smashed itself against the French defenses on February 26 The Germans then began a series of battles on small fronts, sometimes at enc point, sometimes at another. One Gay the attack was made on the ex- treme left from Bethincourt to Goose Hill; on another day blow was struck at the extreme right at Fres- mes; and again at Douaum ont All these were genuine attacks carried out by masses of troops capable of undertaking serious actions.
 French Observers Puzzled.
 French observers are at a loss to explain the object of these assaults, as it is believed there is little prob ability that they will have grave con- sequences for the defenders The important question is whether things will go on this way just as ill the case of the French offensive in the Artois region which. beginning May of last year, continued with dim finishing force far into June, or whether there will be another great attack, carried out by the most DOW erful means and with that single ! ness of aim which decides the victory. Not often in the long battle have the French infantrymen had the or der to advance. When they did re- Ceive it they showed that their of fensive spirit had lost nothing by being held in. They had such opror- tunities on Wednesday and Thursday in CorbeauX wood. On Tuesday night the Germans held virtually the whole wood, and advance post had crossed the road into Cun1feres wood, from which it was attacking the southwestern slopes of Goose Hill. Had the Germans advanced another 200 yards they would have come out on the main road from Cumieres to Forges and cut the communications of the French force on the hill. To prevent this French infantry- men were brought out from the trenches shortly before midday of Wednesday. They advanced simuI- taneously on two sides From their positions on Dead Mans Hill they crossed the Bethincourt- Cumieres road, climbed the slope on the oppo- site side and entered the wood From the southwestern edge another strong attack was directed from Les Cau- rettes, about mile further down Continued On Eleventh Page.)