Arizona republican., 1917-11-22
HINDENBURC DEFENSE LINE IS SMASHED IN GREAT
 DRIVE BY THE BRITISH
tEepubllcan A. p. Leased Wlre1

The great ,Hindenburg defense line, upon which the German commander in-chief had builded his hopes of hold ing the British from inroads into the open territory beyond, has been smashed. And the task apparently was easy one.
 Attacking over front of g miles, extending from the Scarpe river east of Arras to St. Quentin, Field Marshal Haig, with his English, Scotch, Irish and Welsh troops, has made one of the most rapid and spectacular drives Of the war, catching the Germans com pletely by surprise, capturing numer- ous positions which were regarded as l impregnable and taking thousands of prisoners and numerous guns. The apex of the offensive apparently | IS centered on the important railway i junction of Cambrai, midway between Arras and St Quentin. Here, having taken the towns of Marcoing, AnneuN, Graincourt and Novelties, the victorious troops at last accounts were nearing Cambrai with it's railroad lines and roadWays branching out toward all the main points of the compass. The latest advices indicate that the British have not yet ceased their at tack, but with monster tanks leading the way, followed by infantry and ma chne gun detachments, are pressing forward for further conquest Synschronously to the south around St. Quentin and east of that point in | the Aisne region, the French have | begun an offensive. It doubtless has the object of pushing back the Ger mans eastward in the former sector and northward in the latter region to- ward Laon, strategic moves which. if successful, doubtless would compel that part of the German line north of St. Quentin which is still intact to fall ! back eastward
 The British drive was begun without the usual artillery prelude, and as the tanks and infantrymen made their way through the wire entanglements and l pressed into the German first posi- | tons, the surprised enemy began send- Ing up myriads of signal rockets call | ing for assistance. Whether aid was rushed up is not definitely known. but seemingly the surprised Germans fled | In disorder, leaving all kinds of euuip- ment behind and in most cases did not | even take time, as is usual, to apply the torch to villages they evacuated
 The British casualties were extreme " light while German dead covered the ground. Reports indicate that the depth of the penetration in the region of Cambrai has exceeded five miles and that at one point at least, the | troops swept on five miles beyond the | German lines, capturing additional Villages. The offensive was under di- rect command of General Sir Julian Hedworth Byng. and General John ]. Pershlng, commander in chief of the American forces in France was an in terested observer.
 Maar
 are holding the Teutonic allied inyad- CTS along the Piave river and in the hllly region from the upper reaches of that stream to Lake Garda Nowhere has the enemy been able to gain ad- dltlonal ground. On the contrary. violent attacks in the hill country have been repulsed with heavy casualties. Probably owing to previous intellectual attempts to dislodge the defenders. the enemy has not renewed his attacks against Monte Tomba and Monte Mon ierna and vital points barring the way to an invasion of the Venetian plain from the north
 On the coastal front, Italian and British warships are bombarding en- emy positions
 Stlll further progress has been made by the British in Palestine the line Of General Allepby now having driven to points five miles northwest and six miles west of Jerusalem.
 British shipping losses last week az gregated seventeen vessels Only ten Of these however, were craft in ex-
 cess of 1,600 tons
 An indication that the Germans for tifled line has been passed by the Brit
 lsh at some points is the entry of the cavalry into the fray. Not since the famous retreat of the Germans along the Ancre and the Somme in the spring Of the present year have the horsemen
 been engaged. At that time they per
 formed valiant service in harassine the retreating columns and in rounding up prisoners.