Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-11
US. FIGHTERSN
TRENCHES EQUAL
GERMANY'S BEST
Abundant Proof That Amer
ican Army Will Be Decis-
i've Factor in War

With the American Army in
France, March 11.-The past fort
nights lighting by the American
troops in three different sectors of
the west front shows conclusively the
, Importance of the United States Army
in the world war and proves that it
will be a powerful factor on the
front from the very start.
1t refutes at the same time the
Germans contemptuous statements
that it would require two years to
train even the smallest army to be
ready to take the fleld.
In the American sector north of
Toul, in the other Lorraine sector
and along the Chemin des Danes the
Americans met the shock of picked
German storm troops, hurled them
back and inflicted serious losses. and
emerged from the conflict smiling,
ready and eager for another try.
Many of the most optimistic mill
tary leaders and critics are surprised
by the aptitude the Americans show
in picking up knowledge of modern
position warfare forty months after
the others had been engaged. The
French and Germans picked up the
new tactics slowly. building stronger
intrenched positions as the enemy
artillery grew heavier. devising
masks against gas, then perfecting
the masks as the gases became more
powerful, building deeper dugouts as
the penetration of high-velocity
shells became greater.
But the Americans entered the
struggle in the thick of it, after
three and a half years fighting.
Readily and rapidly they adapted
themselves to the advanced stages Of
scientific fighting reached by the
others.
No small part in the success of the
Americans so far is due to the fear
lessness of the high command in
discarding tricks that have been
found obsolete, and concentrating
upon training in matters long prov
ed effective. For example, the han
ding of pistol. rifle and bayonet is
being drilled, drilled, drilled into the
American troops. despite the reports
current for three years that the day
of the infantryman with the gun is
long since over and that the cart
ridge and the bayonet have been
81 perseded by hand grenades.
Half a dozen de1eats of German
attempts 20 penetrate the American
were que eeHllItlS W lllc
fact that our troops have confidence
in rifle fire. They stand steadily un-
til the enemy is well within range
and then open up a deadly fire, caus-
ing him to break for cover.
The ascendancy in close fighting in
No Mans Land as far as pistols are
concerned now rests with the Amer
leans.
The big and powerful .45-caliber
automatic pistols which the Ameri-
cans carry into the fray are proving
a highly efficient weapon in the
trench warfare and In the close
fighting at hand-to-hand.
Frequently it is impossible to use
tho rifle or the bayonet, but the pis-
tol is always available, the only
drawback being when the weapon
jams, which is not frequently.
Formerly the small .3S-caliber pis-
tol was used, but it was found it
would not put the enemy out quickly
enough. The larger weapon now is
sued to the men is absolutely infal-
fible in this respect, as the force of
the bullet knocks down the victim as
well as wounding him.
The innate spirit of the Americans
for retaining the advantage is caus-
ing the troops to take the greatest
interest in practicing and shooting.
The result is that the most of them
are fairly accurate shots, especially
at short range, which is the most
generally used in tranch warfare.