Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-11-22
BRITISH THRUST
ST|RS WASHINGTON
Feat Is Heralded as Greatest
Blow Dealt Germans since
War Started.

Washington. Nov. 21.-Off1cial Washing
ton was deeply stirred to-day as press
bulletins began to unfold the scope of the
smashing British victory on the western
front.
While army officers were cautious in
commenting on the significance of the
drive in the absence of official reports, it
was plainly evident in all quarters that,
on the face of press reports, officials
generally regarded this as the greatest
blow dealt the Germans since the war
started. They were especially inspired by
the dash and power displayed by Field
Marshal Haig's great war machine as the
brief bulletins from the front pictured
events from hour to hour
There were hints in some quarters of
previous information indicating that a
shortage of ammunition contributed to the
German defeat According to this view. the
German western line has been stripped OF
ammunition reserve and men from the
strategic reserves to build up the machine
which rolled back the Italian line.
The German high command, it was said
in this connection, had counted absolutely
upon winter and French and British forces
transferred to support the shaken Italian
lines as making impossible any major
offensive on the western front at this
time.
The daring displayed by the British
in launching their greatest assault OF
the war without artillery preparation
| was freely commented on by officers. II
| is the first time assaults upon thoroughly
organized trench lines have ever been
made except after the guns have blasted
way through for the infantry. The
| use of the tanks to clear away barbed
| wire entanglements and presumably tc
! batter down pill boxes and other strong
| points also was a novel procedure. The
| success of the movement probably de
| pends wholly upon the complete surprise
which was possible only by moving for
ward without the usual accompaniment
of artillery fire.
| officers here have discussed frequentl,
| in the last few months the possibility
Of restoring the element of surprise at
tack In trench operations in Just this
way. Some have thought 1t could bt
done, while others have held that with
\ ont destruction Of me burbed wire en-
| tanSlements with high explosive shells tht
( infantry would be halted on it's first rush
| The use Of the tanks solved the problem
| for the British.
There was much speculation tonight al
to the immediate motive for the attack
| Officers were in agreement that 1t wal
designed to relieve pressure on the 1tal
ian front and probably also to prevent th'
carrying out OF any plans the Germans
might have had for an attack against th'
army holding the Saloniki front. On tn
the face of press reports of the scope o
the British victory they were inclined t
believe that these results had been ac
complished.
Further details as to the number o
prisoners and the amount of war materia
captured were eagerly awaited. Thes
figures will furnish a means of gauginI
accurately the damage inflicted on the en-
emy and also will make it clear whethe
or not complete surprise was accomplish
ed. The number of prisoners and tn
amount of war material captured are Ger
tain to be very large. in view of the eX
tent of the drive unless the Germans ha
already withdrawn a greater part of thei
equipment and most of their men an
there is no hint up to this time in Germa
war office statements that retiremen
had been planned.
Some offers here were hopeful that tn
drive would have the immediate effect c
compelling the German high commnd
abandon the Italian campaign or so re
duce its forces there that the combine
. Italian, British and French armies coul
drive the Teutons back into the mour
tains.