The Washington herald., 1918-09-05
Gen. March Shows British
Objective Is Really
Cambria.
1000 AT VLADIVOSTOK
Total Americans in France
Stated to Be Now
100000.

A., 900, engaged on front lines and
closeup reserves, are fighting to-
day on four fronts successfully
and valiantly, with plenty of glory
left to go round among the allies.
After a talk yesterday with Gen.
Peyton c. March, Chief of Staff,
it was apparent that troops from
the United States are engaged
daily at these points and areas:
In the British thrust forward
from Mount KENNEL.
In the French-American and all
American advance east of Juvigny.
On a sector described as half
way down between Scissors and
the Vesle River.
In the sector from Rheims down
to the Swiss border. This sector
has not been much in the public
eye but the daily reports to the
War Department show that the
Germans are making thrusts along
that line in the vain hope of caus-
ing Sen. Foch to weaken the Sec
tors, where the bloodiest work is
going on.
Important Statements.
Gen. March made several state
ments yesterday of the greatest i'm
portance as showing the real objective
| of the British as directed BY Gen.
Foch; the landing of loo American
reinforcements for the American
| troops at Vladivostok under
the Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Will
lam s. Graves; the actual embarka-
ton of more than 100000 American
troops for France; and the embarka-
| ton of more than $4,000 troops for
the Western front during August.
| The largest number embarked for a
single month was 2S5,OO0 men.
Fall of Lille Predicted.
Gen. March said, almost paren-
| thetically, but most significantly,
that the objective OF the British
| is Cambria" According to Gen.
March they were within seven and
half miles of that objective. Fur
ther discussion of this disclosure by
| Gen. March with staff officers shows
that the capture of Cambria will
practically envelop Lille, as pointed
out in last nights dispatches. The
| British, who are undoubtedly utiliz-
ing the American troops still bril-
! gaded with them, are manifestly doing
at Cambria what the Germans tried
to do at Epernay, the object there
being to envelop Rheims.
| To the military mind here nothing
can now prevent the fall of Lille,
Its fall. as already pointed out,
| means the inevitable abandonment
OF the greater part ef Belgium by
| the German armies. The patent ef-
feet OF the fall OF Lille, taken in
connection with yesterdays reported
onward rush of the Americans north
Of scissors, will be to force the Ger
mans to contract their line as they
! retrogress towards the Rhine or their
positions between the Hindenburg
line. which is being rapidly obliter-
ated by the shell and the bayonet,
ana thelr more or less accurately
conjectured last stand"
The eve Of the military world ia
riyeted just now on the two parts Of
the long battlefield. one where the
| British and American allies are en-
deavoring to mask Lille and force its
surrender, the other where the French
and Americans, principally Ameri-
! cans, are endeavoring to reach and
cross the Hindenburg line east and
north of the Aisne
Midway the French. as noted by
Gen. March, are fighting day ard
night and are achieving notable sue
J cesses. Referring to the French spirit
and dash, Gen. March said:
The French advanced south OF the
Somme so quickly on a 25-mile front,
that they gained from five to six
miles in one day-last Wednesday. At
that point. the Canal du Nori, the
! Germans tried to hold the French
without complete success. The French
crossed the canal at several places
ana near Noyon. have advanced more
than a mile beyond it."
Withdrawal In Flanders.
Crediting the Americans with part
| said: ~
On the front north OF the somme
the British have advanced fourteen
miles since the drive began, August 2l
IN flanders the enemy has with
| "ieAAOAL Dtlng unQer sDeclaf
| pressure, falling back directly toward
the Hindenburg line, and TODAY the
FLANDERS salient has practically
| Strengthened out. The American divi-
sion which took part in that with
drawal has been identified az the
Thirtieth. which is composed of troops
from Tennessee, North Carolina and
| South Carolina.
General March referred to the Ameri-
| cans again yesterday as engaged north
| OF scissors. This is the now famous
thrust OF the Americans and French
along the Juvigny plateau which is
serving to roll up the German wings
| and force the contraction of their
whole front.
North of Soissons." said General
March. the Americans and French
have been fighting steadily and advanc-
ing against strong German resistance
against some of their best divisions
at this point. The captures Of Juvlgny
and Tergny-Sorny were made by our
s2nd division. This division was raised
largely from Michigan and wisconsin
troops and commanded by General
Haan."
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