The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-19
10000 Star Troops Hurled
Against Belching Guns.
Wave After Wave of Green
Clad Soldiers Fall.
FRENCH HOLD WHIP HAND
Hindenburg's Granite Wall Is
Fast Crumbling.
Encircling Coup Traps $500
Men, $50 Machine Guns.

Paris. April 19.-That section of
Won Hindenburg's granite wall which
runs from scissors to Rheims has
been shaken to its foundation by the
terrific blows of General Nivelle. The
French have the whiphand now and
the Germans are still staggering from
the great rebuff dealt to them on
Monday. The French soldiers who
won the first line have been relieved
by fresh formations and the second
phase of the battle has begun with re-
newed vigor.
Unaffected by counter attacks in
some places and the sturdy resistance
offered everywhere the French have
gained substantial advantages and
have driven forward with such speed
that the Germans have been obliged
to abandon many guns. The enemy
made a desperate effort to stem the
tide between JuVincourt and Berry
Au-Bac. This is the weakest point of
his line, being devoid of natural de-
lenses. Thirty thousand of the best
German troops were hurled forward
here in a furious counter attack but
the move had been foreseen and the
French guns were ready. Artillery
and machine guns smashed wave after
wave of the green clad soldiers until
finally the attempt was given up after
an awful carnage.
Wednesdays Terrific Battle.
Further details of yesterdays bat
tie from Scissors to Auberive show
that the French infantry tactically
outclassed the Germans. The first
army operating from scissors to
Craonne, had established itself on
Monday night along the front running
from northeast Of Marginal and Vaux-
aillont to the south of Craonne by
Nregny. Chivres, Chavonne Chivy and
Allies. North of the Chivres- Chivy
line the enemy retained all the heights
and a footing had to be won thereon
before the operation, SO auspicuously
begun, could be properly completed.
Two simultaneous attacks were de-
cided upon with Nanteuil-La-Fo sse on
the left and Chivy and Draye-En-
LaOnuois on the right as the respec-
tive objectives. The attacks succeeded
perfectly. Driven out of Nanteuil and
Rraye. the Germans nevertheless still
chung to the intermediate positions
comprising Nailly and the important
bridgehead on the Aisne by which they
could threaten the French flanks, the
movement was then extended to the
bridgehead which was soon carried
and the attacking troops scaled the
slope of the plateau north of
Vailly. They advanced rapidly as far
as Rouge Maison farm and a country
house to the right, gaining several
hundred yards of ground on the sum-
init of the plateau.
Reserves Fail to Come.
Substantial progress also was made
east of Nanteuil and by the afternoon
only one narrow gap was left thru
which the Germans could withdraw
the troops in the region of Condo,
Celles and Sancy. These attachments
are in serious danger of capture. The
violence of the French attack threw
the enemy into such disorder that he
was unable to bring up reserves quick
ly enough and consequently lost sew
eral guns. Toward the end of the
day the French made further progress
between the plateau of Vailly and
Braye All villages south of the fam
Gus Chemin des Mesdames were taken.
The advance toward Courtroom dur
ing the last three days has been even
greater and amounts to more than
three miles in depth. In the center,
the battle ragged most fiercely in the
region of Laville AUX Bots. The wood
east of the village two thousand yards
long by five hundred in depth was
very strongly held by the enemy, no
less than f1s0 machine guns being
crowded into it. All these were cap
tured together with 1900 men by
clever maneuver which cut off the
wood from the rest of the line. The
army on the right from Prunay to
Auberive by skillful maneuvering
cleaned the Germans out of most of
the heights in front of the village of
MoronvilIiers. On one of the crests
several heavy guns were captured.
Weather Wretched.
On the whole, when the wretched
weather and the difficulties of the ter
rain are considered, the days work is
considered most satisfactory. and it is
believed it paves the way for far more
rapid progress in the near future.