Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-07-11
AUSTRO-CERMAN
(Contihued from Page One. J

July Germany has organized a
new branch of fighting forces-''storm
troops.
The enemy tried out their new war
idea first along the Chemin Des Danes.
1t gained them ground temporarily. To
day, however, the French had complete
" elected all Germans from the posi-
tions they took and once again held
complete domination along this front.
| The Germans used ten or twelve
fresh battahons-from ten thousand to
twelve thousand men-in the new tac-
| tics. These strosstruppen (storm
troops) are specially picked troops.
| They often attack in their shirt sleeves
and are armed principally with gren-
AIDES. The moment they capture a posi-
tion the strosstruppen are relieved
by regular, but less combative troops
who bring with them trench .mortars,
munitions, machine guns, barbed wire
and everything necessary Immediately
to hold and organize the captured po-
sitions.
just as soon as these troops arrive
the strosstruppen return to the rear
There they are rewarded by long va
cations and other special concessions.
Make Surprise Attacks
The "strosstruppen generally at
tack without artillery preparation, Civ
ing them the advantage Of surprise.
Sunday mornings attack when the
Germans retook the Pantheon-Froid-
mont portion of the Chemis Des Danes
was typical of this sort of attack. The
Germans launched it at 3:30ga m. with
out the slightest artillery preparation.
The strosstruppen leaped from their
trenches with the first cannon shot.
Meantime, German airplanes, flying
very low, ratified machinegun fire on
the French lines. Right behind the
q strosstruppen came the German
occupation troops laden heavily
with material necessary to establish
and maintain the foothold on the
French position.
Although the French succeeded i'm
in hot hand to hand fighting
in eiecting most of the Germans, por-
ton of the captured trenches was not
retaken until Sunday night s attack.
Then the French look 1900 yards OF
trenches, freeing the whole Of the Chem
is Des Danes from the Germans
these positions the Germans |
were forced to abandon material which |
they had confidently brought up.
Treacherous Trickery
AT headquarters today the greatest |
anger was apparent at the tactics adopt |
ed by many of Germany s l9 year old /
soldiers in the fighting early this week
Widespread reports were received OF
these youths who would come into the
open, hands aloft, and yell ''kame-
rad!n in token of surrender Then
when French troops approached close
the youths would begin throwing gren-
AIDES which they had concealed IN their
hands.
Three weeks of incessant and costly
attacks all the way from Vraonne to
Luffaux, CONSTITUTING the crown princes
supreme effort to take the Chemin Des
Danes, have come to naught Sunday
nioht S terrific French counter attack I
recaptured between Pantheon and Froid /
mont farms the only portion of the
Chemin Des Danes which the Germans
has succeeded in taking. The enemy on
ly held this ground Is hours.
Today the French integrally retain
all portions of the Chemin Des Danes
captured both during and since the bat
tie of the Aisne.
A continuous battle is still raging IN
this whole sector, day and night. The
Germans necessarily renew their at
always sticking to the
'strosstruppen scheme. In a great
many instances the French repel these
With hand grenades alone. Mud is ev-
,rywhere often waist deep.
During their three weeks of attack on
he Chemin Des Danes, the Germans
ave not succeeded in planting single
machine gun on the highway.