The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1918-07-23

~1A~A~~~"
can troops cooperating with the
French, Thursday night, swept all
before them on the Western front
since the British attack on Cambraj
in the autumn of j 917. n
Latest reports to the War Depart
ment from General Pershing declared
the counter offensive, having attained
all detectives originally laid down.
still was in progress.
Secretary of War Baker issued the
following statement:
The War Department has received
from General Pershing an official
confirmation of the opening of the
counter-offensive along the lines car
ried in the newspaper dispatches.
American troops are participating
both as complete divisions and as
units in association with the French.
1.-THE French detectives seem every
where to have been attained, and
while no accurate count has been
made, it is clear that many prisoners
have been taken, and guns and other
war material captured.
Our Official reports also confirm
the fact that American soldiers adj
vanced with the greatest dash and
gallantry, and still were advancing
when last heard FROM"
approximately 100000 Americans
are understood to be engaged in the
operation, both as shock troops and
as reserves and supply units.
Up to the time when Pershing last
reported thousands of Germans had
nric
a score of field guns captured. 1t is
the first instance of heavy guns taken
from the enemy on the Western
front this year.
Tremendous possibilities are fore
seen by the military experts in Wash
ington-allied as well as American.
Many believe it marks a complete
passing of the initiative from the
Germans to the allies. Most of them
agree that it will compel a with
drawal of the enemy in the Scissors
Rheims salient, and consequent re-
moval of the menace to Paris.
Practically all are as one in the
conviction that the American forces
in Thursdays tremendous operation
have established themselves hence
allied forces along a certain line to
victory.
The effect upon the German armies
is expected to be enormous. Upon
the war-weary, disillusioned German
nation it is anticipated the effect will
be well-nigh disastrous.
No one in responsible position goes
so farsas to predict that Thursdays
turn of the tide means the beginning
of the end. But with victory perched
high on the allied colors, officials be-
lieve that portentious events are in
the making to seal the fate of the
rulers who would be gods.
The German armies and the Ger
man people, it is believed here, can
not be fooled into the belief that
Thursdays events are by way of acct
dent. They must be convinced, how
field, against which all the boosted
efficiency of the German army can
not avail in the final reckoning.
American troops, which they con-
temptuously regarded, blocked COM
pletely the pathway of the Kaiser's
latest offensive. And American
troops, in the vanguard of Thursdays
advance, have made the Boches Turn
tail and run like hell. Old rules of
the game must be cast aside, for the
Americans, it is pointed out, are fol-
lowing new tactics.
Incidentally, it became known
Thursday that the movement of
American troops to France this
month will exceed all previous rec
ords in the already unprecedented
achievement of transportation. Indi-
cations now are that if the war goes
another year, as most experts agree,
the United States may have in France
Of France.
Of tremendous Importance to dis
passionate observers here in Wash
ington = shoulder-strapped strate-
gists of the General Staff and the
Army War Colleges the evidence
developed by Thursdays stroke that
at last General Foch, thanks to the
superhuman efforts of the United
States in moving troops across the
Atlantic, has sufficient reserves in
his army to proceed from now to de-
velOp offensive operations all along
the line from Flanders to Lorraine.
In launching 25-mile frontal at
tack in one sector while another sec
tor is under heavy attack is some
thing which the allies have never be-
fore been able to do. Volumes are
spoken in the simple fact that it was
unnecessary for FOch to weaken his
line at any point in order to under
take Thursdays operation.
Not a single unit of the 100000
British forces defending the ap-
proaches to the channel ports had to
be disturbed. For once the allied
world can look forward confidently
to the day, near at hand when the
German armies on all fronts will be
on the defensive.
~ e=z pRza