Arizona republican., 1918-04-10

lives and to the ministers in the month of January, or the beginning of Feb ruary, that the attack would come south of Arras; that it would be an attack on a very wide front-that il would be an attack on the widest front ever yet assailed; that the Germans would accumulate e5 divisions for the purpose of making that attack; that they would throw the whole of their resources and their strength into breaking the British line at that point and that their objective would be the capture of Amiens and the severance of the British and French forces.
 That was the conclusion Sir Henry Wilson (chief of the imperial staf), came to and which was submitted at that time, two or three months ago. and l think that it was one of the most remarkable forecasts of enemy inten- tlons that was ever made.
 Verified In Every Event
 As matter of fact, the attack was made up. l think, by about 97 di- visions. It was an attack on the wid- est front that ever had been engaged. It's object undoubtedly was the capture or Amiens and the severence of the British and French forces. So that all most in every detail that very remark able forecast has been verified in the event.
 Another remarkable prediction was that 1t might probably succeed to the extent or penetrating the British line 10 the extent of half the distance of the front attacked. They came to that : conclusion from close examination o1 the offensive of the war.
 Advantage of United Command There was another advantage. Ther, was, first of all, the advantage whicl the Germans had from having tn, initiative. There was a further ad , vantage they had, and this undoubted iy, was the greatest advantage, iron \ hdV1nS united command opposed {, f a dual one. The Germans undoubtedl, f relied on this to a very large extent fo . thelr success. They owe much of tn , success of this attack to this.
 It was reported to me on good au
 thority that the kaiser informed ex King Constantine: I shall beat then
 for they have no united command z Which shows that that was what the were relying in the main upon. tha although their numbers were slightl = inferior they knew the importance tha was to be attached to the fact tha ' 'Heie Was perlectiy united command Easy With One Big Boss And that is an obvious advantag e for, if the risks in one particular par [ of the line are great, and in anothe @ part of the line are great, but sub = stantially less than in the former, wit 0 one command there is no hesitation i = the mind of the commander in chic B as to which he will make the greates = provision against.
 e With two separate commands tn n problem is a difficult one.
 E The enemy have another incidenta e but, as it turned out, very importar
 advantage-that of weather Excer
 tional weather favored his designs. S was both dry and misty. The attac V which succeeded was made on that pa I of the line where under ordinary sprin O conditions the ground would have bee V almost impossible.
 e Mist Helped Out Huns q The fact that it was warm il r creased the mist, and the German were actually in some parts within = few yards of our line before any or
 knew of their approach. They ha
 therefore, a very special advantage,
 which they made the fullest use.
 With regard to the battle itself,
 will take some time to ascertain tt
 whole facts. At one time it was UT
 doubtedly very critical. The enem
 broke through between our third an
 fifth armies and there was a serior
 gap, and the situation was retrieve z owing to the ma agnificent conduct
 our troops. They retired in perfect
 good order. re-establishing the june
 ton between the two armies and fru:
 trating the enemy's purpose.
 ''The house can hardly realize ar
 certainly can not sufficiently thank
 nor can the country-our troops f.
 their superb valor and the grim ter