Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-29
GERMAN OFFICIAL
STATEMENT CLAIMS
GREAT GAINS MADE
General Foch Is Rushing Up
Reserves to Front Along !
the River Aisne.
CLAIM TEUTONS ARE NOW
IN A DANGEROUS POCKET
Sammies Hurl Shells Into Hun
Ranks and Capture
First Village.
ITALIANS ATTACK AUsTRIANs
~ -
Frightfulness Carried Out Against
American Hospital Behind the
Lines by Enemy Airmen.
ITALIANS ATTACK AusTRIANs

The great German military machine
is in full motion along the twenty.
mile front In the Aisne River sector,
between Vailly and Berry au-Bac,
and. greatly outnumbered. the British
and French everywhere are giving
ground.
According to the German ofic;al
communication. numerous towns and
villages In the fighting zone have been
takSn by the enemy and $4,000 allied
troops already have been made pris-
oner.
AT last accounts the Germans were
cndeavoring to press back the de-
tenders upon the vcsle River. which
runs parallel with the Aisne. and at
several points had reached positions
dominating the Vcsle Valley.
The offensive Is being carried out
with the greatest rapidity. for sths
German high command evidently Is
we'll aware OF the fact that General
Foch's reserves have been reported to
he coming up rapidly to re-entorce the
hard-pressed British and French who
are lighting fyaliantly against the ter-
rfole Odds and making wave upon wave
OF the enemy pay dearly in casualties
for every foot of ground they obtain
notwithstanding the rapidity OF sthe
drive and the large number of tho
enemy pressing it-some unofficial Ses-t
Inmates place the number of shock
troops alone at twenty-five divisions.
or about 100000 picked men--the allied
front nowhere has been pierced bu:
under the onslaughts has bent back
in perfect Iiaison and all the tiina
giving battle. =7F:1t
With such precision has the retro
ment been conducted. that both the
British and tho French troops have
been able to carry back with then, all
of their supplies and guns or to de-
stroy those they were not able to
handle.
At present 1t is Impossible seos-
raphically to depict the extent OF tile
German gains, but 1t would seem evil
dent that the deepest salient they have
driven is in the region due east OF
Vally-about eight miles.
The arrowhead OF the German adj
vance" says one expert. between
Scissors and Rheims has penetrated
to a depth OF between ten and twelve
miles The Verdun-Paris Railway Ehas
been cut. The Crown Princes army
has crossed the River Vesle on both
sides OF Fismes. An important town
on that vital line OF communication.
That is the bad news OF the day In
unembelllshed form. But the situation.
is not all gloom. For while the TeuE
tons were able to advance at whirl-
wind speed in the center, they arc
held OH both TANKS. Allied reserves
are coming up fast and in great
strength. Unless the Germans can
pour through the hole which they have
apparently cut into the allied front
sufficient troops to rorl up the Franco
British tanks before Foch's reserves
take hand. the deep pocket in which
the German center now Is. may become
Il death trap" ..ls5
AMERICAN TROOPS PROVE
FACTOR AGAINST ENEMY
Although the Germans, for the mo-
ment at least. seemingly are having
their own way on the southern part OF
the line in France. on the sectors
around Montdidier and southwest OF
fpres. they are being sorely harassed,
by the Americans and British and
French.
Tuesdays hghtins in the vicinity OF
Montdidier Will mark an epoch in the
war; SO far as the American troops are
captured their first village-CantiSny,
which lies short Distant northwest
OF Montdider. They also took several
other objectives and held all of them
in the face OF counterattacks The
Germans suffered severe losses in men
killed or wounded and In addition left
behind them 200 men made prisoner.
among them two officers The Ameri-
can casualties were relatively small.
The German Official report announces
the taking OF American prisoners. Tho
report from American headquarterA
however. shows only two Americans
missing. one In Picardy and tho other
in Luneville. t.lI
Likewise. south of Ypres. the enemy
received hard usage at the hands OF
the British and French cast of Dicke..
busch Lake. where Monday the Ger,
mans in an attack had taken groaad.
Starting Immediately after the gain
was made. the British and French be-.
gan counterattacks In an endeavofs to
wipe out the captured salient and
Tuesday succeeded in completely nui-