New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-22
Haig's Victory, Without
Big Guns, Stirs U.S.. Army
British Commander May Have Invented New
Plan of Offence, Omitting Long Artillery Prepare
ton, Officers Say; More Methods in View

of previous information indicating that
a shortage of ammunition contributed
20 the German defeat. According TO
this view, the German western iine
has been stripped of ammunition re-
serve and men from the strategic re-
serves 70 build up the machine when
rolled back the Italian line.
The German high command. it WIS
said in this connection, had counted alb
solutely upon winter, and French and
British forces transferred 70 suppor'
the shaken Italian lines as making 'pH
possible any major offensive on fh'
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.
IL is the first time assaults upon thor
oughly organized trench lines have
been made except after the guns nave
blasted a way through for the infantry.
The use of the tanks TO clear away
barbed wire arrangements, ana pre-,
sumably to batter down pill boxes
and other strong points, also was mover
procedure. The success OF the move
ment probably depends wholly upon the
complete surprise which was possiple
only by moving forward without tne
usual accompaniment of artillery nre'
Tanks Solve Problem
Officers here have discussed ire
ouently in the last few months the
possibility Of restoring the element OF
surprise attack in trench operations
in lust this way. Some have thought
il could be done, while others have
held that without destruction OF the
barbed wire entanglements with hlgn
explosives the infantry would be ma tea
on its first rush. The use OF the tanks
solved this problem for the British.
There was much speculation tonight
az 20 the immediate motive for the at
tack Officers were in agreement that
Il was designed to relieve pressure on
the Italian front and probably also TO
prevent the carrying out Of any plans
the Germans might have had for an
attack against the army holding the
Salonica front. On the face of press
REPORTS of the scope of the British
victory they were inclined to believe
that these results had been accom-
plished.
Further details as to the number of
prisoners and the amount of war mate
rial captured were eagerly awaited.
These figures will furnish means OF
gaugine accurately the damage infict-
ed on the enemy and also will make 1t
clear whether complete surprise was
accomplished.
Seizures to Be Large
The number of prisoners and the
amount Of war material captured are
certain to be very large, in view OF
the extent of the drive, unless the Ger
mans had already withdrawn a greater
part Of their equipment and most OF
their men, and there is no hint up to
this time in German War Office state
ments that retirement had been
planned.
Some officers here were hopeful tina,
the drive would have the immediate
effect of compelling the German High
Command to abandon the Italian cam
paign, or so reduce its forces there
that the combined Italian, British and
French armies could drive the Teutons
back into the mountains.