The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-25
SINGLE RAILWAY
LEFT TO HUNS TO
WITHDRAW FROM
MARINE SALIENT
General March Discusses
Critical Condition The
Germans Face
HOLDING OPEN
JAWS OF TRAP
Using Reserves Freely To
Insure Safe Withdraw
al. Of Troops
INV Associated Press.

Washington, July 25.-Massed
German reserves are holding open
the jaws Of the trap Gen. Foch has
sprung in the Aisne- Marine region
in a desperate effort to stabilize
their lines without the crushing OF
the forces Withdrawing from the
| Chateau Thierry and Marine salients.
Official reports to the war depart
| ment show the enemy has but a sim
| gle railway line remaining in his
| hands over which to get his heavy
material out of the pocket into which
| he has been forced by allied and
American advances.
The situation was graphically ex-
| planned yesterday by Gen. March,
! chief Of staff, in a mid-Week con-
| ference with newspaper correspon-
dents. For the last two days, Gen.
March said. the employment of prob
ably fifteen divisions Of fresh Ger
| men reserves on the scissors jaw Of
| the line there. On the eastern ten
| mile front the enemy has been
brushed back more than a mile and
a half.
THE railroad running from Sois-
sons to Chateau Thierry now is eth
er in our hands or under our fire"
Gen. March said. THE only way in
which the enemy can get out now,
or get supplies over a railroad is
by the remaining line from Nanteuil
on the OurcQ to Bazoches on the
river Vesle.
1T is necessary for him, if he did
not intend to be caught absolutely
in a pocket to keep troops fro-S ad-
vancing and cutting off this road,
which would put hira entirely at the
mercy Of the allied forces"
Gen. March did not indicate what
development the continued battle all
along the front of the greatly re-
duced German salient might be ex-
pected to produce. Among other Of
flcers, however, the opinion pre-
forward masses of heavy artillery,
which with airplanes would pound
the interior Of the German positions
from three sides.
Occupy a Wedge.
The enemy forces occupy a wedge,
the center Of which Is less than Is
miles distant from the hard press
ing lines Of the allies at any point.
All his communication lines are
within gun range, once the "heavies"
get up behind the allied lines.
Lacking railway lines on which to
vancouver, the enemy probably is
biggest guns away safely. The at
lacking lines are backed by circling
railways on which long range weap-
ms on railway mounts can be shut
tied back and forth at will.
The bitterness Of the battle around
Chateau Thierry and along that por-
ton Of the north bank Of the Marine
where the enemy still retains a
footing probably is largely due to
his determination to stave off
Franco American attacks from the
weapons have been dragged back to
safety. The American advance re-
ported today through Chatelet for
est and to the northwest Of Epieds
is beginning to menace seriously
enemy positions farther eastward on
the Marine which are covering his
withdrawal within the salient
1t has been estimated the Ger
mans now have as many as half a
million men in the limited salient
they still hold. About forty divis-
identified there. The irregularly
shaped pocket is about thirty miles
broad at it's base between scissors
and Chateau Thierry, while it's
greatest depth is around twenty
miles. Obviously the enemy is
badly cramped for space in which to
handle his huge army.
Should the final rail connection
northward come under direct gun
fire, it is possible a veritable rout
would result, as the massed forces
of the enemy could not all be gotten
away.
Appraised at its lowest possible
value, officers say, the counter stroke
already has drawn in the enemy's
most vital necessity, his reserves.
His whole plan of campaign has
been overturned in less than a, week
and it is regarded as more than
probable that the initiative seized
by General Foch will remain in his
hands permanently.