The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-18
METZ WAS THE PIVOT
E Montmedy-Sedan lii

With the conclusion of the St. MihieI action, the steady inflow of American forces caused dispIace- ment of power as between the ai- He'd and German armies. Thus it no longer was necessary to pursue policy of reducing n salient or niLbIing at 1t. The American troops had shown whRt they could do.
 \ broader policy of general att tack along the entire line was then adopted and the high command called upon General Pershing to
 take the Argonne sector, admitted ly one of the most, if not entirely
 the most, difficult of the whole front. The broken terrain, the to-
 posraphy and the lack df roads
 made problem difficult to de-
 scribe. Germany had in four yenrs
 fortified 1t to the last degree of
 military skill, with superb rfyaus,
 both rail and motor, connecting up
 to the rear positions and bases.
 The outstanding feature of the
 ArEonne forest Is n long chain of
 hills running north and south, cov-
 cred with q dense growth of trees
 and underErOwth, making an ad-
 vance difficult and oIiering superb
 defensive qualities. Virtually no
 roads exist in the forest except for
 a few transversal passes running
 east and west. The soil Is such that
 the least rain converts 1t Into Il
 slippery, miry mesa. In other words
 the physical condition Is such that
 the line of nttnclx for an advance
 ing army is limifed to valleys,
 chief among which is that of the
 Aire river.
 GERMAN LIFE ARTERY"
 From the edge of the forest, where he resistance was viciously strong, tn; enemy possessed innumerable flanN ing positions. But beyond this diff ficult region lay the Montmidy -Seuar line, which was recently captured. q German order described it as "our If. artery" It represented 4one-half o1 the German rail supply on the westerl front It meant death if cut.
 The high command told Pershing Ls cut 1t. The American First army Wa, put in motion from St. Mihiel. In nifss days it was on the Argonne line read, for an attempt. the failure of 4Whict might mean disaster and the success O. which would give untold results. Thi' quick movement of an enormous bod. of men. the establishment of, a ncy line of supply and all the complicate. military preparations was regarded with pride by the American com 
 The American knew what con fronted them. They realized that Uni was no second St Mihiel, but an en- terprise at which other armies na' baked for four year.L They knew tha there was to be fought a fight to rani with the first battle of the Marnc with yerdun, with ths Somme and th' Chemin Danes; and they knew that on them depended the fate e the great attack on the rest or tn front If forced back here the enem. rnust give way to the west If he helt he could hold elsewhere
 WENT IN AT DAYLIGHT
 II was daybreak of September ad when the Americans went in. usin; nine divisions for the preliminary at rack and under vigorous artillery sup mort. they advanced five kilometers tn first day. But the enemy was no taken wholly by surprise. The secon' day he threw into the line five coun fer attack divisions he had held Il close reserve. They were his bes troons but they failed not only | nush the Americans hack. but the failed to check the gradual advance 9 the Americans over the difficult Ter rain. ... aa
 The first phase of the action ende October 3l, during which the America
 t1tt the enemy to use large number c divisions. which became slowly exhaust sa ana thus were unable to parry tn ba mmerine he was receiving from tn French and British on the west.
 If vas bitter fighting in the wood' h,,,sh and ravines over region pei fectlv registered and plotted by the CT emy where his guns, big and httie, coui ha nsed with the greatest efficiency.
 Tba original nine American divisions ,, .sone cases. were kept in the line owe threa consecutive weeks. The America rsserves then were thrown in until ever 6ivision not engaged on another part the line had been put into action.
 IT ;s fact commented upon with prio by the American commanders ana con niimented by the allies that. seven or tnes divisions that drove thelr way tnrous this hard action never peIore nAu pee ;, an active sector, while green troop fresh from home, were poured in. as r placements.
 COVERED BY A. P.
 The Associated Press dispatches ITO day to day told what these men dl' BOW the enemy was slowly pushed bae from his strongest and most vital pos tions, through one defense system att
 tCoattnued on Page Eixbo