Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-12-30
General Sir Douglas Haig Gives
Detailed Report of Opera
tons From July I to Mo-
yenber 10 of This Year,
SAYS ATTACKING ARMIES
HAD SWEEPING TRIUMPH
Admits That Enemy'S Power
Is Not Yet Broken, but Says
Ultimate Result Is Sure to
Be Favorable for England,

LONDON, DtC, af,-lne D0ttle OF lno
Sommc is pictured as sweeping tri-
umph for entente allied arms, in a
detailed report by Gen. Sir Douglas
Haig, which was issued tonight ~and
which covers operations from July
to November rs, General Haig terms
the battle triumph In which the
German western armies were only
saved from complete collapse and
decisive defeat by a protracted period
of unfoyorablo weather that prevent
Cd the Anglo-French forces from taxi
ing fun advantage of their successful
advance. He declares that neverthe-
less It was a triumph which proved
beyond doubt the ability of the allies
to overthrow Germany when tho
time comes" The British comman-
der shows himself a firm believer in
the doctrine that the entente allies
can win the war on the western front
- desire to add few words as to
future prospects, he says, at tho
close Of the dispatch, which covers
sixteen closelN-printed pages. Tho
onemys power has not yet been
broken nor It is yet possible to form
an estimate Of the time the war may
last before the objects for which the
allies are fighting have been at
tanned, but the Somme battle has
placed beyond doubt the ability of the
allies 10 gain those objects. The Ger
man army Is the manstay Of the GEN.
tral powers and full half OF that
army despite all advantages Of tho
defensive and supported by tho
strongest Notifications, suffered de-
feat on tho Scmme this year. Nei-
ther yictors nor vanquished viii for
get This, and, although bad weather
has given Che enemy a respite, there
undoubtedly are many thousands in
his ranks who will be in the new
campaign with little confidence In
their ability TO resist our assaults or
overcome our defense
Determination tO Win.
"Our new armies entered battle
with q determination TO win, and con-
lidentc Ia their power to do so. They
have proved to themselves. to the en-
Cmy, and TO the world, that this conf.
dcnco is justified
The opening Of the dispatch out
lines the origin Of the entente allies
decision to begin the Somme opera
tions. The principle Of an offensive
campaign during the summer OF 1915
had already been decided on by all
the allies, says the report Various
possible alternatives on the western
front had been studied and discussed
by General Joffre and myself, and we
were In complete agreement az to the
front TO he attacked by the combined
French and British armies. PFcpara-
ton for the offensive had made con-
siderable progress, but the date was
dependent ON many doubtful factors.
Subject TO the necessity Of COM
mencing the operations before summer
WIS too far advanced, and with due re-
gard 10 tine general situation. / desired
to postpone mlEch attmck us Ions as pos
slble. The British armies were
growing IN number and the supply Of
munitions was steadily increasing, but
"a large proportion Of the officers and
men were still far from being fully
trained and the longer the attack was
deferred, the more efficient they
would become.
"On the other hand, the Germans
were continuing to press their attacks
at Nerdun, ana both there and on the
Italian front where the Austrian Of
fcnsiye was gaining, it was evident
that the strain might become too
great unless timely action was taken.
Accordingly | agreed that the attack
should be launched whenever the gem
cal situation required it, with as
great force as might then be avail
able
Opening of Russian Campaign.
BY the end of May, the pressure
on the Italian front has assumed such
serious proportions that the Russian
was opened early in June,
when the successes attained against
the Austrians at once caused a move
ment OF German troops from the wes-
tern to the eastern front This did not
lessen the pressure on Vordun, and it
was agreed that the combined French
and British offensive would not be
postponed beyond the end OF June.
"The object Of that offensive was to
rcllevo pressure on Verdun, to assist
our allies by stopping further trans
fer Of German troops from the wes-
tern front. ana to wear down the
strength of the enemy"
General Haig sums up the results as
follows:
Three main objects with which wo
commenced the offensive in July all
ready had been achieved in spite Of