Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-29
Hindenburg Line, Refuge.


North sea offers far greater Difficult
ties.
Hindenburg Line, Refuge.
z. The positions upon which the
ienemy has now retired are known by
[ the general name of the Hindenburg
Wine. 1t is really merely the first po-
sition of series of four or five lines
extending all the way back to the Bel
Eian frontier. The entire German de-
fensive system as it is constituted
now seems to be based on three pow
6crful bastions. each fortified with
yevery artif1ce of modern military en-
: Eineering. The bastions covering the
I tanks are Metz and Lille. The bas-
etions strengthening the center is the
complicated system of intrenched
wooded buttes known as the Laon
1nassif. The fortified zone is from one
to four kilometers &c to "a miles) in
depth, and is known generally as the
! Hindenburg line. 1t extends from
4 Lorraine to the sea, but the portion
between Chemin des Danes and
point east of Cambria having been
tperfected with powerful organizations
in reinforced concrete is far stronger
than the other portions and may be
called the Hindenburg line proper.
The front line of this zone of con-
crete work is called the 'Siegfried
stellung' (Siegfried position)- The
last line. which is from two to four
Lilometers G.2 to "a miles) behind
the first is called the ''Wotan stel
lung" If the Germans lose the Hin
<ienburg line they have another zone
| already fortified at some distance to
The rear to which they can retreat.
Various sections of this are known as
tthe "Hunding." Brunhild' and
"kriemhild' position
Hindenburg's spring drive carried
him far off into the open country,
where no highly organized positions
existed. This was one reason why
our attacks were able to go through
so easily. From now on the task
will perhaps be more difficult Tanks.
for instance. are much less prac-
@of the Hindenburg line than in the
I open.
Line Broken in Three Places.
Nevertheless, this line has been
broken in three places. The British
east of Arras have driven clean
through both the Wotan and Sleg-
second zone of defense at Cambria.
THE French at the western eXtrem-
ity of the Chemin des Danes have
bitten deeply into the outworks OF
= tie Laon bastion Finally. the Amer
leans in the Woevre region. having
carried the first position and crossed
another intermediate line. are now
facing the Kriemhild position from
Ttain to the Moselle. Behind the
JSriemhild ste1luHg lies the powerful
baStion of Metz.
Hun Morale Steadily Declines.
3 Since Gen. Foch smashed the
German offensive on July IL and be-
gan the present series of Unparalleled
successes the German morale has
been steadily declining. The soldiers
were promised that this years cam
paisn would bring both victory and
peace. Instead it has brought de-
feat and terrible losses. Just as there
was trouble in the French army last
wear, when the exaggerated promises
preceding April 16 failed to be real
lied, so there is trouble in the Ger
man army now. Several muunles
have been reported. The men are
sick of war. Instead of being con
fore. they now feel that the best they
can hope for is draw.
The German soldier is highly dis
ciplined. So long as he is wei! ON.
cered he continues to fight well. out
when the officers are killed or absent
the men seem to take every opportu.
nifty to surrender. The number OF
prisoners captured by the allies re-
Gently was out OF all proportion 10 .ne
number which would have been cap
tured in similar circumstances year
ago. The German high command ful-
ly realizes the seriousness OF this SIT
uation The Austrian peace proposal
in NV opinion, should be considered
chiefly as an effort to mend the mo-
rale. The Germans certainly were not
so stupid as to hope that the ailes
would accept. indeed. they must have
known to a certainty that they would
refuse, but they wished to be able TO
say to the soldiers. You see that we
have done all we can do. Despite our
magnanimous proposals. the enemy
persists in continuing the war. the
! allies are determined to destroy the
fatherland. We have no recourse but
to keep on fighting" Spacious as
are these arguments. they will doubt
less have more OF less effect on the
soldiers mind.
Reorganize on Offensive Basis
4. Prior to March 81 the Germans
completely reorganisad their divi-
:, sions on an offensive basis. They
Assorted the best men from the entire
army and put them into some fifty
specially trained shock divisions