Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-06-05
loss HEAVY
IN iISNE BATTLE.
GREAT vAL0R SHOWN
FRENCH COMMANDERS UNDER
ESTIMATE RESISTANCE or
: GERMANS - FACE RAIN or
CEATH IN BRILLIANT ATTACK.
sy International News Service.


men suffered gigantic losses in the
recent battle along the Aisue, de
clares Colonel Egli, The famous Swiss
military expert. in the local paper
Nachrichten.
His account OF the great engage
ment biased. it is believed. on inlor.
nation drawn from high German
soureesl makes the action out to
have been d great disappointment fog
the Entente Allies. although he adj
mits certain heights remain in
French hands
The article. in part. follows:
The gigantic battle on the Aisne
and in the Champagne still RACES but
is practically decided. The French
have conquered few heights and vii
lagos. but that their real object has
not been accomplished is proven by
an order OF General Nivelle, who said
on April Is:
The hours has struck. Confidence
courge Long live France
"Such words are only used by a
commander who intends to strike
crushing blow and feels himself alb
solutely sure of victory.
THE new offensive was prepared
by the French General STAFF in "A bril-
liant and thorough manner The
smallest detail was carefully cal
culated and worked out Nothing had
been neglected or overlooked Every
battery and company had its well de-
fined zone OF attack, and tue officers
and n0n-commissioned officers were
furnished with detailed maps and
minute instructions for their opera
tions. The leader Of every detach
ment knew where he was 10 stand
on the evening of the great attack
The grand advance was to be car
ried out in perfectly automatic man
ner like play that has been re-
hearsed a hundred times, and I'M
bounded confidence inspired the whole
French army From the commander
down to the last soldier in the (
trenches, every man considered fail /
ure impossible.
inspired by this supreme conf 7
dence of victory. the French troops
attacked after their terrific prepare
tory bombardment with even greater
dash than usual The whole French
army seemed to be under a hypnotic
speel and the leaders kept on trying
to carry out their orders even after (
the plan of the attack had been up
set by the German resistance and
the massed infantry attacks under
hail of steel from thousands OF can
non and machine guns became sheer
insanity.
"In the confident expectation that
the German defenses had been com
pletely smashed by their lombard
ment, that the German soldiers were
either killed or dazed and democrat
lied and that the German batteries
had been silenced, the French sol
ders leaped from their trenches and
stormed forward with shouts OF vic
terry, only to be moved down in rows
Their tanks ratified toward the
trenches of the enemy, but were
caught by German artillery and de
or set on fire before they
we're able to fire single shot. Like
burning torches these armored trac-
tors stood helpless on the battlefield
"The French field artillery followed
the storming infantry waves at full
gallop, but was Immediately covered
with q hail of shell and shrapnel by
the Geruan guns, although the latter
were supposed to have been put out
of action and destroyed by eight
days of Smelling ana the most ter
rife drumfire of the whole war.
within few minutes the French
batteries were thrown into the ut
most confusion Many Of them were
not able to fire a shot The terrified
horses dashed off with the guns and
were still galloping over the battle
field hours alterward sight that
had not been witnessed since the
early stages Of the war.
Where the French bombardment
had levelled the German trenches the
storming waves broke through, but
their further advance was stopped
short They found their ranks raknd