The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-05-05
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Fall of CraOnne Clears
Path To Key
City

Path To Key
City
/ LONDON May Way for The
Ranking OF. the Iaon pivot o. the
| German HiHda1burE iine> was open
10 the French today n Gen Nj
yelle can turn the trick and out
flank the Germans by capture ot
Lapn in The immediate future. milf.
tary strategists here believe the re.
trement Of the Germans 20 the
frontier line will De necessary.
Capture II Craorue, dominating
the Aisne plateau and the Miette
valley. taken 10 q surprise blow Of
great strength, struck yesterday by
the French commander gives the
French their entry point FOR this
| important operation. To-day the
/ French were nine miles distant
from Laon but with the intervening
/ ground fsvorably situated for their
further progress German reserves,
hurriedly concentrated 20 Offset the
French victory, were stubbornly con.
I testing every inch of the ground
held By Nivelle's troops and front
dispatches indicated a battle 81 gi-
gantc proportions was gathering
there. Crsonne and Laon lie AZ the
base OF an angle OF which LaFere
is the point penetration OF this
angle would give the Allies a hold
back OF he Hindenburg line all tho
way north and place the Germans in
grave jeopardy
British front reports today in
dicated a temporary stoppage Of in
faniry assault actions Of any great
magnitude. buf An increase OF artu-
lerying all along Tho line
Field Marshal Haig's reCort This
morning indicated continuance OF
the deadlock in the Arras sector and
was devoted TO hshuns action 10
the south
East Of l.eyergier ~e carried out
a successful raid at night. taxing
few prisoners. he said North 81
Hsvrincourt wood. NE progressed
The deadlock In The ArraS sector
was NOT without 6ghring. however
Three further German fo,nta-.at.
tacks were made during ,be nfsbr
the British mander.ir-chief 20.
ported AT were directed against
tho newly Won British positions or
the Hindenburg, lire. Tho nrst was
broken down in ccncentra ed British
artillery FIRE. The other TWO passed
the barrages but we're driven back
from the British trenches after
period of sharp fighting.
Progress around Fresnoy 10 the
south. was also reported sy HAZE
A. Mcssines hos'i.e raider we're r.
pulsed
PARIS Nav 5-Germsny SIS 0ouf
ny fresh division into desperate
hghting along all the scissors
Rheims front in a determined AZ.
tempt 20 stop the French advance
and rctake positions lost IN Con
Nlyolle'- recent drives today or
cial statement showed
-Four new German divisions ap-
proximateiy 10000 men-were
called on by The Teutons 10 aid in
their violent counterattacks
The German counter thrusts fur
nished the greater part OF the aght-
ing' out around Mont Corniiief and
east OF Biondmont the French again
I succeeded IN gaining ground. IN the
face or violent resistance
south OF the Disc a German al
tack was checked win our curtain
OF hre. the statement said Near
Coucy forest and Chemin-Des Danes
artillery was most active
Ulring me night nor1h 81 TIE
Alsne me Germans violently coun
ier'attacked our Craonne positions
captured yesterday buf all efforts
were broken ~ resistance OF our in
fantry and by our barrage fire The
enemy was unable 70 reach our lines
anywhere