The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-27
RETREAT SHAKES
MORALE OF ENEMY
Marshal FOch's Tactics Battle
Plans Made for Orderly
Retirement.
ALLIES CONSERVE MEN
Germans May Not BE Able to
Organize in Previously
Fortified Position.
ALLIES CONSERVE MEN
ny H., sIDEBOTHAM
Ono Of the Foremost Military Critics
In Europe.

In Europe.
Special Gable Despatch fc TIM SuS from the
london Times Srrice.
COPYRIGHT. 1918; al rights rcserrod
LONDON. Aug. 26.--we are in the out
skirts OF Bapaume. In addition we have
made progress between the Ancre and
the Somme. Still more important we
have turned the commanding position at
Thiepcale and have reached the old
Somme battlefield at Contal Maison.
There is no particular importance to
the capture of Bapaume itself. but the
capture of the German positions along
the Ancre has the effect OF turning from
the north side all the old ;;omme battle
fields, As hoped. we are winning the
third battle OF the somme without fight
Ing over old ground.
The Keystone to the battlefield is
rorth OF the Ancre North of that river
We made most Of our progress two years
ago. We began the battle OF the Somme
with bad check on our north wing
that year, but this year we began with
brilliant victory, and az the northern
Than the southern wing we are making
progress Our advance through the high
wood is little less than miraculous.
Allies Policy justified.
The last time anything like demorali-
cation appeared in the German ranks
was early in 1917 and now there are
signs of 1t again. There haA been very
hard fighting along the Ancr} although
Tor the most part our advance has been
easy and our losses light Allied tactics
are thus justified. 1t Is known the en-
envy wished to retreat and our policy
was TO exercise wise economy among
our troops while encouraging the enemy
10 use UP MS many troops as possible.
These tactics have been highly sue
cessful. Marshal .Foch faced the prob
lem of organizing a general advance
without many casualties, which might in
ture our offensive strength. He solved this
by organizing an attack on a narrow
front In combination with attack on a
wide front BY successive attacks on
each marrow front he produced the ef-
feet OF a big attack on a wide front. so
quickly have the attacks followed each
other and so battling has been the I'M
certainty as to which area OF the battle
field our main strength was to be en-
gagged.
iiarshal Foch's success has been
amazing. The magnitude OF our present
success can now he appreciated. 1t Is
true the enemy has made a kind OF re-
treat. but his notion OF retreating was
nothing like what Is taking place. The
line to which he Is retreating follows
roughly the old Hindenburg line. and
we may assume he is terrifying this
region. which he hoped we would reach
Just when winter would put a stop TO
our advance To defend the new fortified
zone a new tactical training will be
necessary. and II we can keep up the
pressure 1t may be that the enemy will
not have time to organize his new posi-
tons II takes time for an army that
has committed itself to an offensive to
alter its tactics to those OF defence.
Reason for Defeats.
One very important cause of our own
defeats in the spring was that we had
been so long on the offensive that we
had forgotten how TO defend ourselves.
An army that Is advancing and con-
stantly changing its front does not rap
idly lend itself TO defensive tactics, and
the German army is going to suffer from
the same causes that caused us distress
The motive of a retreat. II must be re-
membered, is 10 provide fresh troops TOT
service elsewhere. but when retreat Is
as expensive in men as this one is 1t Ia
not only dangerous 10 future offensive
plans but embarrasses the defence as
we'll. These features make the present
allied victories the most important OF
the war Hitherto when the enemy has
retreated he has retained the initiative
in his hands. This Is not trNe now
The offensive has definitely passed to
Foch's hands and ~the enemy retreat Ia
being followed so rapidly It is doubtful
whether he will be able to rely on the
Hindenburg line as he did last year.