Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-08-15
ny Frank q. simonds.


ny Frank 81. Simonds.
Copyright, 1918, New York Tribune.
On FRIDAY. July 19. the situation. in
France was in many respects exceed
ngly obscure: the Franco-American
counter offensive had been delivered:
01snein's thrusting force had reached
The heights west and south of scissors.
and the fall Of the city was rumoreC.
ahere was, therefore. a plain possf-
ninty OF q great Gernian disaster, en-
taiilne the capture of hundreds Ut
thousands OF men caught in the fall
ing Marine salient and the practical
examination of the army of Boehm
which three days before seemed 70
have Rheims within its grasp.
"A similar situation existed four years
earlier. in the first sta ges of Maunoury-s
eastward thrust from Paris toward the
open flank, OF kluck. just west OF the
OurcQ river. II was in the hope Of
succeeding in bringing off exactly such
q triumph that Joffre and Gailieni had
lame the Maunoury thrust. But both
Gasneni and Joffre were well aware Of
n extreme nprobab ility- of realizing
such grandiose hopes. What they ex-
pected to Go M what they did do uas
TO dislocate the whole German strategic
conception. and by compelling Kluch to
abandon his plans for an attack ufyon
dEsperey and Sir Js,hn
french and TO protect his own rear.
about an ultimate withdra wal
OF the Germans along the whole font
from Paris to Verdun. a retirement
which they might believe and did be-
neye would go to the frontier. bu. In
Iact. II because of the wearinees Of
the French after their long trial,
stopped at the Aisne.
taE "a ragnlf tho lSivS, NGorno ,,o. nrS
marily a strategic victory; that IL. it's
achievement in the breaking of the
plans purposes Of the enemy far
exceeded its results in destroying the
hostile army or ia capturing any Con-
siderable portion Of the German furces
pr any large number of guns. 1t was
IN no sense "a Sedan or a Jena; the Ger
man forces quilted the field in the
main in extremely good order. and the
Maunoury thrust was transformed from
an attack into a desperate defensive by
TIE third day. but not until it had
achieved It's strategic purpose
Now. il the case of the second cattle
OF b Marine. still unfinished when
write these lines, although there are
many signs OF an approaching STABILIZE
ation or the lines on a new front. we
have 80 far to deal with exactly the
same sort OF action. Foch's counter
offensive. like that of Joffre's. had
neitbcr the fo-ce nor the sustained
strength to produce a supreme Ger
man disaster. and it was probably not
IA Foch's mind that Mt the present stage
IN the campaign of 1919 such dinaster
could be achieved.
To 1roak Offensive.
What the allied commander in chief
aimed at he accomplished. His purpose
Was TO transform a very dangerous
German advance into an enforced re-
treat a retreat made under circum-
etances bound to cause great material
losses. as we'll as considerable losses
An men. and with relatively incopsider-
efabie forces put a strain upon much
Larger German masses. He sought to
break the. fifth German offensive and
1p breaking II to retake much valuable
kround which had served and might
again serve as he point II departure
Tor q renewed German advance upon
Paris.
Northumberland E0ch's strategy Il ia
hecessAry to- disnaiss tho idea, much
csrcuiated during recent days. that the
German army WA. after the first q
hcurc q the allied counter stroke.
r. n eert0ue danger Of capture a
@eafractSon. j. IhdeaWao not the CO...
u wAS IN m uue1tltoftabao and peac-
hcally untenahles 3t4Gtion. II had %
fetrest Ane t9tsSssf%At ~ made sx-
gese'nsay9ssSs q Sc ssct that Z.
aAd Al t81oaxWAf6ffbads were taken
MURDER Atl0e4 artill1rx4tro.
n rekBeaf couldsSMoe he rapid -.
nalsDe The 0eEsnAGm hadscoNcontrafed
III the A1Arne salieuts IN enoeUoua
Amoant ri eQplpme9t and material,
~ cosssses0s. ~ .so "a sas -
i SEG1NeaH were ~. 49, inndo9rN4SI
fncS ~ - talgaponeo 6olloWiHS ~
Comap1aGuo attack 6A4 hoon 0o6S1G261