The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-27
The War for the Week

great battle Of the Marine has continued all week.
and the interest in it has virtually excluded all
other war news since last Saturday.
The battle has now ragged more than two
weeks, and the end is not yet in sight. It has
had two great phases to date. The first was the
German attack. which continued for the first
four days. The second phase was the counter
attack by the Allies which began q week ago
Thursday, and which still continues
Following the exact course Of the battle on
the map has been rather difficult owing TO the
briefness Of the dispatches. and the occasional
lack Of coordination in them. Apparently the
unofficial dispatches have been day or two
in advance Of the official communications and
the latter have occasionally reported the capture
Of towns or villages believed to be already in
Allied hands.
The explanation probably is that there is little
time or opportunity to give to sending out news,
and the correspondents undoubtedly are having
great difficulty both in getting accurate infor-
nation and in getting it approved and forward
ed. .-4
The Allied Line. f.
Up to Friday night, however, the latest Off
ciaI reports showed the Allied line running about
a. mile southwest Of scissors, to Villemontier,
through Hartennes, east of Oulchy LIE Chateau,
then curving to the east and running northeast
of Armentieres, Rocourt and Breezy into the
Forest of Fere. This wood is directly south Of
Fere en- Tardenois, and the reports showed the
Americans and French four miles from this
city, fighting in the midst of the forest The
exact line from this point cannot be traced on
the map because of lack of information. but it
extends in a general southeasterly direction
through the Riz forest which is directly north Of
Jaulgonne on the Marine river. The Allies are
believed to have established themselves on the
north OF the Marine all the way to the east Of
this point but how far they have penetrated is
unknown. &C.,
on the east side of the salient the line has
been advanced from to four miles running
through Gueux and Merry and back to the old
line at Marfaux. The exact location Of the line
from Marfaux to the forest Of Riz is uncertain,
for little has been heard of the fighting in this
gap of approximately ten miles
Result of Battle to Date. e
The net result Of the ten days fighting has
been that the U-shaped salient has been mar
rowed by from five to ten miles and been made
shallower by approximately five miles Tho j.
pocket is now approximately 81 to % miles widH
at the opening, and about fifteen miles deep,
which latter figure represents the distance from
the American forces fighting in the Fere forest
to Fisnaes on the Vesle river This latter is
the chief German base for the whole sector, and
is about in, the center Of the opening of the
pocket.
Germans Fought HeroicaIIy.
Great credit must be given the German army
for the manner in which it has STAYED off q
complete rout. The German commanders. have
thrown in reserves and fought rear-guard ac-
tons to a bitter finish in order to give their
troops time to retire and save their stores This
resistance has been particularly strong the
sides of the pocket. The mouth of the pocket
has been narrowed during the week, but only
In the face OF most determined fighting. The
Germans were instructed to hold on the flanks
all costs and many regiments and divisions
have fought to the death -.>- .,4
Entire Pocket Under Fire.
But the Allies have succeeded during the
week. in bringing virtually the entire pocket un-
der converging artillery fire. and the whole Ger
arc 81 miles wide ana Is miles deep. is
being bombed. shelled and gassed day and night
from all three sides.
The Crown Prince may yet succeed in with
drawing the great bulk OF his army to positions
prepared beyond the Vesle river or perhaps be-
yond the Aisne, but it is proving a terribly
costly operation. More than 100000 Germans
are known.to be within this arc yet. They are
concentrated with their supplies and artillery,
territory Of perhaps 200 square miles, which
means $500 men to the square mile. 1t would
be difficult to fire any place in that district
without inflicting some damage, and the Allies
undoubtedly making it veritable He'll on
earth.
General Foch may decide it is better and less
costly to let the artillery do the work, than to
drive forward and attempt to cut off and cap
ture any large part of the German army. The
losses sustained by the Allies in such an en-
terprise might more than offset the additional
losses to the Germans over what might be in
flicted by artillery fire alone
The next few days will tell the story. There is
still a chance for the disastrous rout If the Al
lies should make a sudden drive forward at any
point On the other hand the Germans may sue
coed in withdrawing at heavy cost to them
selves, and there is faint possibility that they
will be able to widen the arc by counter attacks,
and hold
Rout Would Open Breach.
1t is only by 8 complete rout that any immedi-
ate and far reaching results can be hoped for.
A complete rout. would open a breach thirty
miles wide in the German line and permit the
Allies to drive on north and repeat the same
maneuver on the troops west OF Scissors that
they have executed in the Marine salient
Such an outcome seems hardly possible now
however. The Germans undoubtedly have posi-
tions prepared on the Vese or the Aisne and
will make a stand there. The clearing of the
salient would therefore probably mean the end
of the present battle, but it is not likely General
Foch will permit the Germans to resume the Of
fensive He is likely to strike at another point
in the line. The minor attack near Montdidier
during the week was evidence of this It was d
comparatively minor operation but a wholly
successful one, and resulted in an advince of
more than a mile on a four or five mile front
with the capture of about 1900 prisoners This
was evidence that General Foch does not plan