The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-16
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SUMMARY OF THE WAR
(By Associated Press.l }

Sweeping steadily ahead over the
lOwlands Of eRIsian Flanders, the
British. French and Belgian armies
arc rapidly wearing away the ex-
treTe right flank of the German bat.
tie line. Twelve thousand prisoners
have been captured In two days, ae-
eordins to official statements. This
would seem TO indicate a victory of
great Importance, even il the ground
gained was not vital in the develop
ment Of the mighty allied offensive.
Allied forces have captured Menin
and WerViea and are across the Lys
river in the nsihborhood of the tat.
ter town. There are unofficial re-
ports that Throurout has been taken.
and it is confirmed that the British
are within two miles of Courtrai.
This completely outfianks Lille from
the north and the Germans will
a very short time. The allies are
now eleven miles from 5ruges and IS
miles from Ghent., They have ad-
vanced in the neighorhood Of seven
miles since Monday morning,
IN THE ARGONNE REGION
Fighting their way through a maze
of bRrbed wire dcfenses over tam
gled lines of trenches the Americans
west of the Meuse river are slowly
but surely cutting their way through
the khemheild line. They have car
ried hill 299, a height which domin-
Rtes much of the country west Of
Romagne and have penetrated the
second line of defense in the vicinity
rs 1 0AHFAa-a$
The battle in this area has been of
most savage nature and the Ger
mans are making every effort. to
hold their positions. They under
stand the critical situation which has
developed there, and are pouring
fresh troops into the struggle in the
hope that the American onslaught
may be stayed before il reaches the
important railroad lines in the rear
of the German front. A victory for
the Americans in the Argonne sector
would decide the fate of Germany on
the western front and compel a gen
eral retreat by the enemy from the
most of the French ground he still
holds.
French and Italian troops are
moving more slowly along the line
from the oise 70 Aisne than they did
on Sunday when they wiped out the
greater part of the Laon-La Fere
salient. FROM ALL accounts il would
appear that the Germans are uradu-
ally emptying the pocket formed
when the allies broke the line north
of ST. Quentin and along the Aisne at
Berry au Bac.
ACROSS THE AIsNE
The French. however, have passed
Sisa0na formerly one of the principal
cohcentration points for German
troops in this part of the front. GEN.
eral Gouraud's army has crossed the
Aisne west Of Rethel and this adj
vance would appear to render the
position Of the enemy further east
rather perilous. As the progress Of
the French in this regian continues
the Germans in the Champagne sec
tion are being slowly involved in an
other pocket such as has often
forced a rapid retirement on various
sectors Of the line.
Durazzo, the most important city
IN the Albania has been entered by
the Italians. II seems probable that
the Austrians abandoned the city
without a fight, being mainly con-
eerned in. making q safe retreat
northward.
IL 10 unoffieiaTIy reported that
Great Britain has received peace
proposals from Turkey and that her
reply has been a demand for uncoE1-
ditlonaI surrender to General Al
lenby, commander Of the allied forces
in Palestine and Syria.
Reports of strike in Bohemia and
Moravia seem TO confirm recent ru
mors Of serious dissensions of the
dual monarchy.