Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-20
Maximum Penetration Of
German Front by Franco
Americans is Ten Miles.
ATTACK DIRECTED
AT SOISSONS ROAD
Allied Offensive Directed at Railway
Line From scissors to Chateau
Tbierry--Six Divisions Of American
Troops, or 100000 Mon, Participating
With French--German Plan to
Strike at British Breaks Down.


ports to the war department. General
March. chief OF stan. told newspaper
men today at the weekly conference.
showed maximum penetration by in.
counter attack Of ten
miles. and an average penetration OF
seven miles IN twentv-twh mile
front
The Franco American offensive will
continue as long as is possible to force
the Germans back. General March
stated The attack Is sH. being
pressed against heavy German railway
guns.
Six of General Psrshing's divisions.
or about 200, 900 American troops, are
fighting with the French in the present
offensive in the Aisne Marne district.
The six American divisions are
operating as divisions and not as "A
corps. General March said. The loca-
tion from day to day depends upon the
developments in the battle. Isl
Rainbow nivision in chasnpa sne.s
The American troops engaged on
| this front arc the Fifst. Second. Third
and Fourth regular divisions. and the
Twenty sixth New England) and
Twenty eighth (Pennsylvanial.-~~Sa Ma
tional Guards. The Forty second Ma
tIonal Guard (Rainbow) Is stationed in
the Champagne region.
Iowa troops are the 16sth infantry
formerly the old Third Iowa in the
Rainbow division.
During his Interview General March
disclosed that the enbarkation OF
American troops has passed the I,eoo.-
900 mark.
No report on casualties among the
Americans engaged has reached the
war department.
The war department has no advice
that the city of Scissors has fallen.
but 1t Is known to be under heavy FIRE
from American artillery and it's fall
seems imminent I
Soissons Railway Is Objective.
General March said the objective OF
the Franco American counter attack
was the Soissons- Chateau Thierry rail-
road which the allied command had
reason TO believe was the principal
artery OF supplies for the enemy In the
Chateau Thierry region and also one
OF the principal sources for the sector
south OF the Marne.
The chief of staff pointed out that
with the railroad in allied control the
Gerrrui,; withdrawn fra::: the sector
south OF the Mnrne would be rendered
difficult and their main railway line 10
the rear would be lost. He Indicated
that an attempt to withdraw is anti
cipnted The French and American
forces arc either already on this road
or have It well under direct shell fro
OF their artillery
Object Of Hun Offensive.
The latest German drive was in
tended as nut cracker" operation
atainst the city OF Rheims. General
March said This drive had been de-
finitcly stopped when General Foch
struck on the right flank OF the Ger
man effort and after the enemy had
advanced four to five miles on a
twenty three mile front.
The official advtces confirm the press
report that a French corps In which
American divisions were operated had
captured 1900 orisoncrs. guns and
material in very helpful amounts"
Plan Blow at British.
General March said that the Ger
mans had been preparing for an often
sive against the British to the north OF
the western battle front. to be
simultaneous with their latest offensive
against the Franco American front.
For some reason. General March
stated. the drive against the British
was postponed. and that is the prob
able explanation given for the British
policy OF not attacking the Germans
while the French and Americans were
engaged in their attack.
Allied military opinion. General
March said. is unanimous that the
German offensive movement has been
completely stopped.