The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-09-17
The Week In the War

tory Of the American army under General Per
shng last week. Being American offensive,
conducted under the leadership Of American Off
GERS on large scale for the first time since the
rival Of the American expeditonary forces, this
may be considered quite natural even though there
have been many other operations on much larger
scale and with much greater and extensive obJec-
tveS. Y was essentially and we have
rcasOr - take pride in own achievements.
Every mother and every father is her and
his baJy boy is the brightest child that was ever
born and the fighters in the St Mihiel salient vic
tory were our boys" SO the average American
should not be criticized for his pOnt of view.
1t is by no means intended to belittle the Ameri-
can victory the full extent of which has not yet !
been fully disclosed The ultimate results which
to follow from it may prove OF the tarthest
reaching Importance What it will Lead to, the
part it plays in the master strategy Of the Allies,
later developments will show. 1t glorious |
victory splendidly achieved and the people of all
of the Allied nations rejoicing with the average
American even though they may feel that their
own achievements in the past overshadow this
American achievement
Several days before Pershing attacked on both
sides of the St Mihiel salient it said in press
reports that the next blow would be precipitated
by the American forces which clearly indicated
that the fighting would fame up to the south. And
so it proved to be.
w TN tne exception OF the american victory
progress of the Allies during the past week has
been less rapid. Falling back into and occupying
new positions, the German defense materially
stifened. Even the enemy has found it i'm
possible to entirely stop the Allied advance, to
hold fully in check the forces of Foch. This has
been manifested about Cambria, before St Quentin
and in the direction of Laon and the skirts of St.
Ciobain Woods Incement weather, heavy rains
and muddy fields operated to hold back the Allies
during the earlier part of the week.
Then on Thursday and Friday came the Amer
lean smash, with the French assisting at the point
of the salient. Every objective achieved,
many prisoners were taken and the American ad
vance line moved forward almost to the German
border
Next day major operations moved fur
ther north and the French thrusts went into the
German line that defends Laon. The Importance
of these operations cannot be overestimated When
Laon is taken the Germans the Aisne will have
to fall back. They will be unable to hold Chemin
DIES Danes Ridge and their retirement will be al
long This is only phase, however, for
the taking of LaOn and the retirement of the army
of the Asne will put the Allies in a position to
turn the flank of those armies of the enemy that
hold the line north and those forces must also fall
back. This would force the retirement of the
Prussans from Laon north, would mean COM
plce readJustment and continuance of heavy
losses to the foe while he in retreat. The new
line would follow the present line to the vicinity
of Metz and would from there into Flanders
have to fall back considerable distances to the
East.
General Marsh some weeks since said that the
plans of the Allies for year called for ad-
OF the Americans into Germany and along
the j>Nine When he said this the weakness of
Ger had not been clear it is The St.
Mih,, rive may be explained by this. 1t may
he tl american advance will be called for sooner
than the Spring. 1t is possible that encircling
movement against Metz may be undertaken and
the American advance will not be from further
south, has appeared likely.
1t is recognized the terrain in those sectors lends
difficulties advances and there are other reasons
which could be advanced as arguments against
movement from that end of the line at this time.
Foch is now in position to move his forces back
and forth and to select, practically at will the
points in the enemy lines he may consider weakest
The first result of the Allied victories on the
Western front has been to precipitate new peace
offensive by the Central Powers. This would
probably have come in the Fall but how different
is the one now being launched from what they had
expected? Berlin expected to be in a position to
dictate, either in at the gates of Paris and in
possession of the channel ports Austria expected
to hold a front far advanced into Italy. Instead
both the defensive. They are in position
not to offer peace, they must ask it, The tide of
the war has turned and is flooding back against
them irresistably. The Central Powers will find
the Allies less than ever inclined to enter upon
peace parleurs. The peace which will end this war
will be that is reluctantly accepted by the
Central Powers, not one of their offerings.
In Siberia the campaign is progressing we'll to
the liking OF the Allies. The advances have been
rapid and the successes have been important The
capture of the Amur River feet of the Bolsheviki