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

with the Vimy ridge. to the north. inc
ground over which the French are At
lacking is the most easily defensioie
position left to the Germans between
Argonne and the Disc: the dominating
feature, the Craonne plateau, Is where
Bluecher blocked Napoleon in the.
Marine campaign of 1914.
If the French can penetrate through.
the German lines on this plateau they
will cut the whole German system OF
trenches between the sea and the
Meuse. and the British and French adj
vance north and south will take on the
character of pincers closing on the
whole German center between LeuA-
and Rheims %
Beginning of the Trench WaN e
In September, 1915, after the battle Of
the Marine. the French and the British
were halted along the front that tbs.
French are now attacking in the bloody.
battle Of the Aisne. which marked the.
beginning of the trench war. East
ward of the Craonne plateau is the one-
weak spot in the German position, thaL
point where the Aisne river Gomez:
through a wide level plain between tie-
Craonne plateau on the north and thy.
hills east of Rheims. Through thtS1
gap French division penetrated dur {.
ing the pursuit after the battle of the
Marine. 1t actually succeeded in sepa--
rating the armies of kluck and Bue--
low. and, had it held it's ground, the
German retreat must have been to the /.
frontier. Unhapptly. the troops were
green, the officers inexperienced. and.
finding themselves momentarily out OF
touch with their supporting Troops
they withdrew. Could the French now
push up through this gap. they would
be In the rear Of the forts of Rheims.-
held by the Germans. the fort of Brt.-
mont. from which the Germans have.
bombarded Rheims during the last two-
wears. and n general German retreats
between the Vesle and the Argonne
We have. then. the problem Of tho
new offensive. Two great forces Of al
lies are striking at either end of the
Hindenburg line. to which the Ger
er end would compel the Germans to
retire to the French frontier. A stimuli
taneous break at both points might
mean the development and capture OF
large German forces between scissors
and Lens. for the troops penetrating
through these breaks would be moving
in converging direction in the rear Of
the German armies on that front.
Situation in December, 1915. -
This situation entirely recalls that:
which existed in September. 1915. when
the British made their great attack at
Loos. coincident with the French Of.
fensive in Champagne: but at this time
the allies lacked heavy artillery, the.
British army was still unframed, and
the operation was made primarily TO
relieve the pressure upon the defeated
Russians and only with the remote
hope of a general victory in France
1t is worth recalling also that at the
battle of the Somme last year the al
lies were compelled to make their at
tack in advance of the completion Of
their preparations because the situa-
ton at Verdun had become critical and
the city seemed likely to fall If German
attention was not at once directed else.
where
We may say that in the new offensive
the allies have had the privilege of choos-
ing their own time and their own places of
attack, save only as the German retreat
may have or may not have dislocated their
plans on the front between scissors and.
Arras. But it is well to bear in mind that
the Germans have also the men and the
material to make an offensive in the west
II they choose, and that we must watch
for counter German demonstration once
both allied armies are committed to their
great offensive.
May Have Defeated German Plan.
On the other hand, it is equally possible
that the extent of the British success at
Arras has dislocated the whole German
plan and compelled the diversion to the
lmperlleu front OF the troops lnat were
intended to form necessary part of Hin !.
denburgs new attack. If this proves to
be the case, then the British have by one
battle and at a single stroke wrested the
offensive from the Germans pr the rest OF
the campaign. and this wilt'be of inesti.
mable advantage because it leaves ii to
the allies to fix the time and place Of
battle. -u
We have all of us become dulled by IA
miliarity to the magnitude of the CAM,
paigns of this war Yet it is worth recall.
ing that at the present moment not less
than five millions of fighting men are en-
gagged on the western front in what must
prove the most tremendous and momen-
tous struggle of human history. We are
seeing three nations in arms putting forth
their ultimate strength. and the battle of. -
Arras. considerable success il has been
for the British, must be accepted as only
the prelude to the great summer cam
paign 1t remains possible that II will
prove to have been so decisive a victory
that German plans will have been perna-
nently dislocated. but. having recognized
that possibility, We must equally recog-
nize the possibility either OF German
counter attack before Arras. such as the
Germans made in Galicia last year. or a
successful operation such as the Germans
attained In Rumania last year.