Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-22

In the present article intend to dis
cuss the British offensive. which is now
passing into a new phase. leaving for
another week any detailed discussion
Of tho French operation, which is Just
beginning as 1 write. on Tuesday.
April II.
The new campaign may be said to
have begun on February g. when the
Germans drew out of Grandcourt along
the Ancre. During the month of Feb
ruary there was a gradual retirement
before the Somme positions OF the
British. and on the 18th of March this
retirement suddenly broadened into the
great retreat out of the country be-
tween scissors and Arras. By this
retreat the Germans accomplished three
things They escaped from positions
which had become difficult to hold. ow-
ing to the successful advance OF the
French and the British during the Dat,
tie of the Somme. They Strengthened
their line and shortened 1t. saving
certain number of thousands OF troops;
And they also temporarily frustrated
ali the plans Of the British and OF the
French to attack between scissors and
Arras by putting belt of twenty miles
of devastated country between the ola
positions of the allies and the new
German line.
Extent Of the Hindenburg Line.
This new German point. which has
been christened the Hindenburg hne'
extended almost in a straight line from
Arras before Cambria and lie Cateiet
and east of ST. Quentin to the oise
river. and thence to La Fere through
the forest of st. Gebain to the suburbs
Of scissors On this line 1t seemed
and still seems, that the Germans nau
chosen to meet the attack OF the aiiles.
Their retreat along TINS from n,t WaS oi in
military history, and Will remain
model of military efficiency. Inc cap
lures of prisoners and material oy tne
allies were infinitesimal. ana .ne Ger,
mans reached the positions they nao
;ntanded 70 stand on in exactly the
manner they had expected by Easter
Sunday the retreat was prac,lsaaS
CONNECTED, and the Germans couio re-
fer with pride to the success OF their
Meantime allied strategy had CON
formed to the new situation All alons
Haig and Nivelle had planned 10 strlke
at the appointed moment. Where tney
had intended to strike we 40 no. c nno" :,
hut II was clear as soon as the German
retreat began that 1t would no longer
he nossible for several months 10 az
tack between Arras and Soissohs, anu
that any immediate offensive "ouIu
have to be made either north or south
If the extremities of the so-calied Hin,
denburg line This situation the ailieo
commanders accepted, ana cnose
their points of attack the two plVots OF
the retiring German movement. whlcn
we're the Vimy ridge. north OF Arras'
and the Craonne plateau. east OF Sols-
sons. A very simple figure may serve
to illustrate the situation. the Ger
man retreat may be nkeneo 10 me Sios-
door. swinging inward on its hinges.
BEFORE the retreat began the German
position somewhat resempieo tue an-
ole made by the halves partially open.
When the retreat was coinp.t.eu 49, ~
closed. The allied attack was directed
at the hinges of the doors, which swung
ON the Vimy ridge and the Craonne
plateau.
Success of British Attack Noted.
The British attack was one of the
most successful incidents OF the whole
war. and must remain the measure OF
the achievement of the British in max
ing a new army. After bombardment
which reached it's eliminating fury on
Easter Sunday, British and Canadian
troops left their trenches early on Mon
day morning on a twelve-mlle front
from the old battlefield at the north
end of the vimy ridge. along the Deuie
river. to Henin, on the Cojeul. twelve
miles southeast of Arras.
The chief obstacle Immediately beIore
the British was the famous Vimy ridge,
a little less than five hundred feet hlgh,
rising gently on the west side facing
the British and falling abruptly in the
great plain of northern France on the
east. Up this the troops of Foch had
struggled in the great battle OF Artois
in 1915, only to be driven back. A nun
bred thousand French casualties paid
for the unsuccessful effort in this re-
zion in May and June. 1915. But this
time the attack was instantly success
ful. and in a few hours the Canadians
had reached the crest of the Vimy ridge
at every point save Hill No. 140. at the
extreme northern end. Meantime the
British center-the Canadians were
the left-moved out along both banks
of the Scarne river from the suburbs
of Arras, rapidly penetrated four sys-
TENS of German intrenchments and
made an advance of upward OF six
miles in the next four hours, forcing
their way through all the old German
lines and making a greater total ad-
vance than had yet been made in west
ern trench warfare. Between the
Scarpe and the Cojeul the British right
wing made corresponding advances,