Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-01
A Year of Offensive Fighting.

One year ago TO-DAY, d1tef AS~@Aiy WV
years of defensive fighting, save for the
turn at the Marine when they drove the
German armies back to their long-ln-
trenched position on the Aisne and
thence northward to the English chan
mel, the British and French forces as
sumed the aggressive and smashed for
ward in what had been for some
months expected as the "big drive"
They demonstrated power of artillery
attack such as they had not before
shown. They proved that they posses
sed a vigorous force of offensive ac-
ton against the most remarkable series
of fortified positions ever devised by
man. They crushed the German lines
again and again, and though they did
not "break through"-whieh was not at
all what the commanders proposed-they
demoralized the German defense and
wrested back a large area of French soil.
The battle of the Somme, as the series
of encounters that extended over three
months has been called, accomplished
nothing more decisive than the proof
that the offensive had passed definitely
from German to allied hands. The Ger
mans had shot their last heavy bolt at
Verdun four months before the Somme
fighting began and had failed to pene-
trate the French defense there. Had the
allies been content with merely defen-
sive fighting Germany would have been
well pleased, in the light of the Verdun
failure, which was grave setback In
prestige and tremendous cost in man
power. But to have that failure sue
eeeded by positive proof that the
British and French could do what the
Germans had failed to do was bitter
ness indeed for the High Command at
Berlin-or wherever it CHANGED to be
located.
Since the first advance on the Somme
much has happened. The German forces
have fallen back many miles and a new
alignment has succeeded. That line has
in turn been hit hard and bent and
changed, desperately near to penetration
in places. Germany has by her barba-
rism and violation of law won over to
her enemies powerful recruit, the
United States, which is even now put
ting an army in the field in Frence.
Other nations have actually joined the
great alliance or are on the point OF
doing so. The British have proved that
the once derided Kitchener army" was
q mighty force of trusty men. capable of
the hardest blows and dependable for the
most dangerous work. The German NOR
ale has been greatly impaired. The thous-
ands manning the earthworks in France,
holding back the allies and occasionally
striking an offensive blow themselves,
are not the mighty host that swept
through Belgium and France in the sum-
mer of 1914, confident of early victory
and undying glory for the fatherland-
They are il-clad and disillusioned, no
longer confident, glad to be captured,
heartily sick of the war, proyisioned, as
perhaps they realize, at the expense of
their own people at home, who are in
the sorest straits for food. Perhaps
they are beginning to realize, too, that
they have earned the disrepute of the
world by their inhumanities, however
brave and self sacrificing they have been
in action.
This first anniversary of the turning
point in the war finds the war perhaps
In no more definite approach to con-
elusion, but it finds conditions making
steadily for Germany's ultimate defeat.
There is a stronger alliance against her
today, and her resources are greatly less
ened. Her most cherished weapon, the
submarine, is proving comparative
failure. Its chief result has been the
enrolment of the United States in the
ranks of the anti-Teutonic forces. How
ever bravely they may talk of victory
in Berlin, they are thinking of peace,
hoping for peace, contriving plans for
peace. The great offensive begun a
year ago On the Somme is yielding its
results.