Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-04
UNITED STATES Is
EXPECTED TO BEAT
HUN ACROSS RHINE
PerShing and Haig Are Be-
Iieev by Experts to Be Pre-
pairing Simultaneous Super
Offensive in Spring

world at a greater prOpOrtionate rate
than the man-pOwer OF any other bel
Ugerent.
Il - too much 20 expect that events
viii so develop in 1915 as to permit
the allies to deliver a knockout blow
resulting in the unconditional surren-
der 90 the German armies.
But. 1918 VIII see British. French.
Italian and American troops all en-
gagged in the business OF killing Ger
mans
Ger many. in her turn will also kiIl
but %ith the odds terribly against her
The most important event OF the war
In 1918 may be the raising Of the
American fas over the River Rhine.
Somewhere along the Rhine. proba-
bly between the Swiss border where
the Rhine rises. and the vicinity OF
Strassburg. sevnty-five miles north, the
rrst American objective OF the war is
presumed 10 be concealed During the
course OF the rev year this conceal
men. will be ripped vide open by mil
lion American fighters
Won Hlndenburg and the kaiser know
what is coming, 20 far as the general
direction OF the American advance Is
concerned. but they don't knOY the point
OF contact with the Rhine. They will
be kept guessing along their historic
waterfront until the blow falls.
When IL does fall. the most important
happening or the war. and one OF the
most vital developments in the history
OF civilization will have occurred
The Rhine will have been captured
BY the nrst army from the western
hemisphere TO engage in an offensive
military campaign in Europe
Problem Of Rhine
The u-obIen OF crossing the Rhine
was considered from every angle OF
possibility early in the war by British
and French army engineers Ii Will fall,
however. to engineers from West Point
% direct the solution in 1918. il the
problem is 20 be solved at ALL This
question Of military engineering skill
will come as the climax 10 a drive
through German territory. that will test
American generalShip TO its utmost.
The starting point OF the drive will
be revealed in the spring or summer.
when the American offensive begins.
General Pershing is preparing 10 hold
the southe-nmost part OF the western
battlefront.
II is a stretch or at least 100 miles.
as the trenches turn and twist. from
one end OF this line to the other The
extreme southern part of the line IS IN
side AIsace and Is about fifteen miles
from the Rhine; the northern part is
nifty miles away The distances between
vary,
II would seem logical that the nearer
to the Rhine the American assault be-
gins. the quicker will the objective be
reached But the lines of communica-
ton leading to the battlefront are much
better behind the northern part OF the
- American front" than behind the south
eTn part.
The decision to be taken will be the
most fatefuI OF the year 1918, and may
turn out TO be the most Hateful OF the
war.
The problem Of getting supplies
across the vosges mountains. which
separate France from Alsace and part
OF Lorraine, was one that the French
generals did not solve earlier in the war.
Yet. there has been no opportunity for
France to 90 at the problem for sec
Ond effort, with knowledge gained from
experience BY the time the expert
ence was ready. France hadn't the men
20 spare for a new advance 10 the
Rhine.
Some time during 1918. nearly four
years after Frances failure. million
men from America will make effort
TO solve anew the problem OF the VOsges
mountain barrier. The principal Strate-
gic aims OF the American army in the
new year. thus. will probably take thls
order:
81 Making a secure passage through
the Vosges mountains for a military ad-
vance into Germany;
C2l Marching across Alsace or LOr-
rzine toward the Rhine;
80 Forcing a passage across the
Rhine into Germany proper.
This looks like an enormous program
Tor a single year. when compared with
for nearly three and One-half years
along the west front But 1918 is des-
tined TO sec new conditions of lighting.
After three and one-half years OF
slaughter. the best soldier material in
the central empires as well as among
the allies has been killed or permanent
Il incapacitated- Even the second best
has been annihilated-
Opposed 10 the third and fourth best
OF the central empires. the United States
will have this year in Europe, not only
her best, but her super-besL
A second condition that should make
the fighting in 1918 different from the
usual offensive methods Of previous
years Of the war. is the proof the
British gave at Cambria Of the value
OF their tanks as offensive weapons.
Since the Cambria engagement, a sec
one use Of the tanks for surprise Of
oppOrtune because OF the heavy rein
fOrCements Germany has concentrated
along the British front. But with Amer
lean tanks in prOfusiOn at the southern
end Of the western front this year,
and with plenty of British tanks at the
northern end, the Teutons will find the
profile moi adequate concentration Of
their reserves well nigh insuperable.
Simultaneous offensives
over three hundred miles will then
separate the areas OF possible American
and British offensives. Real surprises
will have been refntroduced into mod
ern warfare on a gigantic scale.
Apart from Americas participation
in the war during 1918, chief interest
ought to center in the cO-Ordinated Of
fensives of the British with the Ameri-
can armies.
II is in accord with the best princi-
pies or strategy that General Haig il
now resting his forces. Never since
the war began have the allies been aDic
10 coordinate their major attacks for
any length OF time. This haphazard
method Of fighting 20 which Germany
owes so much. is 20 be abandoned in
1918 by the allies Except 20 repel a
possible German assault the British
.0rces probably will remain compare
lively quiet from now until America gets
-eady 20 strike.
Then will coma simultaneous oFfan-