Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-30
STRATEGY OF THE
FIGHT AT CRAONNE
Capture of the Heights Will Give
the French Command of the
Plains Leading to
Belgium
BY HENRI BAZIN
Sto6 Correspondent Of the Evening LEDGER
IN France.


front, along these ridges and tops Of the
Aisne. ] have lived IN storm of artillery
that shocks the air for many miles, French
, artillery and German artillery. A 420 shell
| from Boche battery fell seventeen miles
behind the French line, I was told this
! morning Thousands of gas shells have
poured their th-deallng fumes about us
| No man lives without a mask. The noise
| Is beyond description. And the valor of
the poilu Is white light among all the
valorous deeds OF men since time began
These ridges and tops of tho Aisne are as
nature wall separating two valleys, the
valley OF the Alsne on the south, the valley
OF the Ailette on the north. The advan-
tages being fought for are essential TO both
commands. We must have the valley of
the Ailette And the Boche unless he is
willing really to see the beginning of his
certain end must have the valley Of the
Aisne. That's just tho story.
It's not a new story. History is full Of
Its records. Ancient wars have been fought
here. and before this month Of July, 1917,
the fortunes of France have been at stake
here. Only, never before have the full
fortunes of right, not only the right OF
France, but of the world been at stake.
Two and a half years after the Marne,
at the Chemln- -des Danes. and at point
exactly where the contemplate little army"
made its debut under fire. fierce fighting has
been the order. 1t was inevitable. These
heights and plains of the Aisne are natures
buttresses supporting the solid masses OF
Coucy-Laon-St Gobain and have been one
of the logical points for battle in the MILL
tary history of France.
Petite Suisse" they have been we'll
named. Every military advantage which
involved attacking Paris is dovetaied with
them. The definite safe essential to an
unconquered capital and a free France is
their holding by French armies. Also, once
in full possession by the armies Of the Tri
color. the way is open to the Meuse, and
even to the Rhine
Scene Of Ancient Strife
French history is pregnant with proof
that the existence of the French nation Is
involved in holding or losing these Aisne
heights. There was the battle of the Aisne
Quentin under Henri II, the battle of
Craonne under Napoleon. The Germans
knew these things well. In September, 1914,
they had fortified this region at time of
invasion. trusting the fortihcations would
never be needed, but prepared to stop the
French and English at this point If it be-
came necessary. Which it did. Thus these
tln 1ip,tt nS
treat during the battle Of the Marne.
After over two years OF war our armies
are upon these heights, and the end OF our
1914 offensive is geographically taken up
in a general offensive of 1917, for that is
exactly what is happening, as but little time
will show.
The Boche is resisting desperately and,
as the news of the last eight days tells, has
started little offensive of his own upon
these battle-scarred heights. The limestone
formation of the territory invites abris for
him, since it is rich in chasms, cavities and
caverns. In sense. he thus has had some-
thing of nature protection against our ar
tlllery and a fitting place from which to
carry out the modern war idea OF counter
attack. In it he has consumed the flower
Of the Prussian Guard, the last I we'll be-
leve. of Germanic disciplined trained youth
in the highest military sense. in defending
these hills. knowing that once this region of
France is lost retreat over the plains Of the
north is certain; knowing also that such
retreat removes genuine right to Ger
manic occidental or west front as a genuine
thing.
Wearing Down the Enemy
As the French have stood at verdun and
the Somme, so they will stand on the Aisne.
The battles l have witnessed about Cra-
onne are already part OF the new glorious
history of France, fitting part Of the
work Of June-July. 1916, a fitting replica
of wearing down enemy force as it was
worn down at Thiamont and FIeury.
Craonne is worthy of addition to the
glorious names engraven in the history of
this war. as worthy as Verdun, Ypres, the
Somme. the Marne.
In clearing the valley OF the Aisne from
enemy grasp and domination, the French
know their advantage. too. and what IL
a
war upon the part of the Boche. The VAL
ley of the Ailette is the last decentralization
without Laon, for from the heights of Boye
Hill, where the Ailette has its source. the
entrance to Laon is dominated and even
the plains beyond extending into Belgium.
All this is why the fighting about Craonne
has a genuine military and strategical
value of extreme Importance TO either COM
batant.
The Aprll-May offensive. then was a VIC
tory for France. 1t gave to the armies of
the Republic the entrance to the Aisne. the
canal, the road to the valley. the slopes and
activities that lead to hills dominating the
river. part Of the plateau, a part of the
Chemin- -des-Dames. of Hurtebise, Craonne
and even the approaches to the valleys to-
ward All and Vauclerc. 1t gave French
batteries a clear range upon the distant
plains. and placed a portion OF Ailette Val
ley at the mercy of French fire.
DEBTS OF THE RICHEST NATION
The outstanding debt of the United State.
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