Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-10-21
THREE LINES OF
GERMAN DEFENSE
FACING ENTENTE
Most Formidable Barrier Is
Along German Border High
lands and Several Miles
Deep FIanked by Forts,
t.r nor~,na ,oOppSl srte !, ...sso VIM,

New York. Oct 20 (by the Associ-
ated Press e Events of the past three
months. Involving the ebb of the Ger
man tide OF invasion in France and
Belgium, have emphasized the i'm
portance OF the German defensive sys-
TENS which have been prepared by the
foe for just the emergency which now
confronts him.
The German defensive lines re-
semble tree with three main
branches The trunk of this tree
has its root at the Swiss frontier and
continues north as far as Metz. where
! II divides into two branches. The
westerly branch runs to the northwest
as far as the Meuse river. where il
separates, one limb" crossing the
Meuse and running westward after
II sweeps to the north on a long
curve The other follows the Mouse
down as far as Namur, whence il
runs to Brussels and Antwerp and
thence TO the Dutch frontier.
The branch that crosses the Mouse
is the first that must be broken by the
allies. In fact, recent British and
Belgi2n victories in Belgian Flanders
seem to have rendered large part
OF this line untenable as a permanent
defensive position.
Crosses the Meuse.
This line crosses the Meuse at Dun,
goes through the ArEonne forest and
then follows the Aisne river as far as
Rethel, where it turns north and pass
es near Gu!se and Solesmes. 1t con-
tinues northward past Valenciennes
and reaches the Scheldt at Condo. II
runs along the Scheldt past Journal
and Client. where ii turns to the east
ward and reaches Antwerp. This is
the "Hunding line
The second line. known as the
Line of the Meuse" is established on
the east bank of the Mouse river
northward from Dun. 1t passes Sedan
and Mezieres and enters Belgium just
TO the southwest of Dinant. At Ma
muir It leaves the river and runs to
Brussels, continuing on to Antwerp,
where it joins the "Hunding line"
and continues on to the Dutch border
The third line is the original de-
Tense zone along the German frontier.
South of Metz. It is centered around
the thirty seven permanent forts about
StrnssburE. II runs over the high ard
precipitous hills on the Vosges
mountains and is several miles deep.
Many Forts nj Metz.
At Metz the Germans have con,
structed twenty-eight great forts
which are so located as to command
all approaches and. at the same time
capable of concentrating their fire on
any one fort which happens to be
entered by the allies.
Northwest of Metz Is the great iron
| field of Briey. The importance of this
iron deposit has compelled the Ger
mans to convert the whole country
there into a veritable fortress This
! line runs along the boundary between
! France and Germany, bending to the
northeast until it reaches the LuXcm-
burg line, If this belt should he
pierced, the Germans may fall back
to the Saarbrueckcn and Kaiser
slautern regions, which are inter
| spersed by rivers and high wooded
hills, which lend themselves admir-
ably to defensive operations.
East of Luxembourg. it is reported,
the Germans have devoted a great
deal of time and labor TO the eonstruc-
| iton of permanent Notifications.
! The country along the Belgian from
! tier between Luxembourg and Holland
is dominated by Coblenz, which Mar
| shall Foch considers the key to Ger
many. In this arena is Bonn, fort
| ress OF the first class; Cologne, which
! is protected by broad belt of en-
tranchments, and a series of strong.
! holds running along the western side
! of the Rhine until that river passes
| into Holland
Rhine Moa., Of Castle.
! Should the three lines mentioned bo
/ broken, or IL the allies Should break
| through between Metz and the Swiss
! frontier, the Germans would be com
! PEELED TO fall back frto Germany prop
| er or to the south to cross the Rhine
| This historic frontier is really the wes-
! tern moat of the Teutonic castle. Its
| whole eastern hank is strongly forti
| fled and would be carabIe of pro
| Hhcted defense. This line of resist
/ ance begins Mt Lair and runs /dowr
tho Rhine through Offenburg Ras
TAFT. Karlsruhe, Mannheim. Darn
| rtadt. Wieshadan. Bendorf, Kalk
! Densburg and Vessel.
In their retirement from their pres
! ent positions. the Germans will be able
! IN shorten their lines materially ant
| thus increase the number of mel
I available for resislarcc along theil
new fronts The Hunding line il
about seventy miles shorter than thu
! Hindenburg system. The line of thu
Meuse would shorten the front b.
twenty miles more. while the Ger
mans If they should rotire to thei1
own frontier. would be able % still
shorten their front by thirty-fiv'
! miles.
This shortening of the line will b
of tremendous importance in future
operations by the allies. 1t woul'
make up, to large degree. for tn
heavy losses inflicted rpon the Ger
mans during the campaign of tho pas
summer and give them man powe
that would he a formidable barrier Y
an allie dadvance.
The Mouse. h Aisne and tn
SHIELD rivers and tho canals in Bel
ginm " tho vicinity of Brussels am
Antwerp will also he valuable ad
iunctT to tho conduct of defensive
: fighting by tho Germans. With tn
, DEVELOPMENT of hhe tank as on often
, sive weapon river as n first line add
tremendously to the strength Of thei
: position
!, hMERlHANc IMPR0VE