The sun., 1918-08-03
DECISIVE VICTORY
NEAR, EXPERTS SAY
L. s. Aids Believe Scissors
Smash May Turn Enemy
Retreat Into ROut.
BIG CAPTURES EXPECTED
German Plans Blasted, Pincers
Of Allies Closing on Marine
Pocket.
Special Despfch 10 TIVE sr~.

WARRINGTON. Aug. 2.--General Staff
officers here believe the crumbing Of
German resistance reported tonight
may prove OF far more decisive char
acter than was believed possible earlier
In the week
Two important and perhaps determine
Ing factors loom up now In the situa-
ton. The encmy's retreat has become
so precipitate that II may develop into
rout and the pivot on which the Ger
man line OF defence between Scissors
and Rheims was intended to rest has
apparently been smashed by the French
entry of Scissors.
Military experts here. especially Cen
eral STAFF officers, arc inclined to DO
conservative in explaining the signil-
canoe and probable sequence OF events
to be associated with new moves in
the present offensive.
Big Events Near.
Until last nights news was known
70 them several of those ofiicens have
cautioned against expecting disorgan-
ization in the German retreat and
against anticipating the destruction or
capture of any considerable body of
German troops operating in the so-called
Marine pocket. But now these officers
regard the possibility of decisive vic
tory against the German forces far from
remote and they would not be surprised
II the effect Of the latest American and
allied onslaughts resulted in the break
ing down of Germany's prearrange1
plan for orderly withdrawal of her
forces to selected line OF resistance.
Gen. March. chief of STAFF. in his talk
with the newspaper correspondents on
Wednesday explained that the hopes Of
the Allies for capturing a bag" vir-
tually had been abandoned because the
Germans had been able to hold back
the Jaws OF the allied and American
pincers at Scissors and Rheims But
now one OF the Jaws has crushed its way
| through the German resistance AZ sois-
sons. glance at the map will show
what might happen to the German troops
operating in the southern areas OF the
salient IL this jaw moves eastward to-
ward the allied forces near Rheims.
Germans Fighting Hard.
The French official communlque states
simply that French troops have entered
Scissors" so II cannot vet be assumed
that the Germans have abandoned this
city. 1t Is regarded rs more probable
here that enemy forces are hanging on
to whatever parts of the city they can
| hold and that powerful counter attacks
will be launched against the French
forces which have gained foothold.
But the wrestling of scissors from the
Germans Is practically certain. even
though full possession of the city may
| be delayed 1t is. Of course. possible that
+, the French communlque may be inter
preted to mean that the Germans are
already elected and that the French are
| in full possession.
/ But the Germans have contested with
| the greatest stubbornness every foot %
| ground in this area because they fully
| realize it's strategic importance. the
most desperate Efforts nj resistance may
be looked for here.
In battles OF the present scope there
is bound to be, military men emphasize,
connection between the developments
or threatened developments near Sois-
sons and the strategy TO he followed
by the troops in the so-Called pocket.
whose ultimate fate may depend upon
the success or failure OF the allied and
American thrust further north. Thus
the retreat ali along the line by the Ger
mans may have been ordered by the
German high command because Of the
threatening situation on their right wing
Plans Are Disnrrnnged
But II the Germans ordered n retreat
it appears to have been carried out along
far different lines from those anticipated
by their leaders. TIE French official
communique refers to the "Hrecipitate
retreat" of the enemy and the COM
munique gives a list Of villages and
vantage points captured. which shows
that the advancing troops are carrying
all before them and hatter'ug down re-
sistance with sureness that has not
before been in evidence It appears