Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-04
EVENTS OF A WEEK

EVENTS or A WEEK
1t is now more than six weeks since the great Ger.
;naen drive on the French front began, and the events
OF ths past week lend an air OF plausibility to the state
1nent that is made by several military critics that the
present effort is a repetition Of the Vsrdun drive on an
Immensely greater scale. The Germans undertook to take
Nerdun by a series Of smashing blows delivered regard
less OF the cost in men, and wave after wave Of Germans
dashed themselves to pieces against the resistance Of the
French. The Germans gained ground, at first quite
largely, considering the nature of the country Then
the resistance stinensd and the power Of attack lessened,
until the Germans we're obliged to abandon their attempt
to take the position upon which they had fixed their
thoughts. The attack gradually slackened, and was
finally discontinued. Verdun remained in French hands.
and practically all of the ground which the Germans
Gained in that costly enterprise has been wrested from
them. 1929
If we multiply verdun many times, in length et front,
In auubsr Of men and guns employed. and in all the
things which 80 to make 4 military campaign. We have
Substantially the history Of the past six weeks. 1t is too
early to say with confidence that the German advance
has been permanently checked, but it Is certain that it
has been checked. Brought to a standstill in Picardy
Hindenburg turned his attention to Flanders. There, on
2 smaller scale in the matter of area, he repeated his
successes in France. The capture of KENNEL hill marked
the climax Of his effort, and every effort that he has
made to use his earlier successes as a means of lettering
his position has failed. Last Monday he made his strens-
est attempt in that sector. and was signally. defeated.
Hhe allied defenses not only held him at bay hat forced
him back in several places after he had used 1856 900
men in the desperate effort to push his advance to a point
where he could effect a separation between the British
and French forces and break through to the channel.
Since then there has been no really important move
&nent attempted by the German forces. Local blows have
bsen struck, and some local successes have been won,
aut on the whole the allies seem to have gained more
>1round than they have lost. On Friday on a portion Of
lhe somme front, immediately before Amiens. on a sec
tor about a mile Ions, the French took the offensive and
Arove the Germans from their positions, retakins Hill 81,
an important elevation which the Germans have priced
because it lsas but three miles from one Of the railroads
1ntering Anisns
In themselves these territorial gains and losses mean
little. 1t makes little difference whether the fighting
line is designated by a mark across one part or another
" the map. 1t makes little difference whether one side
hr the other occupies certain square miles Of territory.
Here or there. the fighting will go on just the same. But,
II it is true, as it now appears to be, that the Germans
have done their very utmost in their recent drive, if they
have put forth all their strength. and from exhaustion
~ eClHldtlo II oDASe0 u ABANDON thelr eHort and u
eek merely to hang onto the ground which they have
eained-in itself valueless; and If the allies are able to
hold the enemy wherever he attempts to move, and to
1repare in their own time and their own way for the Of
1enstve which they will undertake on their evn part with
fresh troops from England and America and from the
French commands which have not yet been called into
Rction, the importance of all that can scarcely be exas-
xerated.
Such a development is not strange or Unforeseen. It
3 the development for which the allies have hoped, and
howard which they have bent every effort. 1t has been
Ne. plan to let the enemy wear himself out in fighting
&er useless gains, and to hold him fast before he had
lined a really important objective. There was danger
4hat he might be able to mass his attack at some point
$here the defense was weakest. and to break through.
Aecting. the separation Of the two great forces arrayed
1ainst him, aud thus being able to dispose Of them sep
q ately. Thus far he has not succeeded. The defensive
Drces are more advantageousiy disposed today than they
sere six weeks ago. and the allied position has been 30
improved that in the light Of the recent fighting it ap-
Aears that the Germans are unable. not only to break
1arough the allies lines. but to bend them hack At any
4oint. And the allies are demonstrating ability even to
&essume the offensive and compel the enemy to retire
rom some Of the positions which have cost him thou
ends Of men.
s1ss
ThereS has Just been ! meeting Of the supreme war
&spsscil = verssines which was attended by the premiers
France and crest nEitAin, Ana by the high military
1ssnlaandsrs u III M forces saasss4 on tie Ftsnsh
d Gsk JuA ~ this us. 700. GENES tie anaouaessaent
e11EItaly ~ 3slss4 N1hE nor alliSs II pIscins hes armies
6nn11rr sthe aUpfsNaS Airscttsn u GtAsssi Fseb. whs nSw
44eplnss Osa4s1iskaAkS sfeail the ailied forces in the wsst
%aIs14fthsy unifIea4lsn q rsntrol should make tor
~ vss1sstiysn a w conduet q the ~. frsn s&is
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