The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-11
French Are Expected To
Make Their Final Stand
Along Aronde River
ARE LAUNCHING
COUNTER ATTACKS
Battle In The New Area
Has Now Reached Most +
Critical Stage
(By Associated Presg., ,

ICY ASSOCIATED EreSEJ
Moving with steadiness, in spite
Of the frightfuI osses inflicted upon
them. the Germans, in their plunge
southward on the line from Noyon
TO Montdidier. continue to gain here
and there in the center of the line,
where their greatest effort has been
eXerted and where the French resist
Nance might have been expected to be
most stubborn. The enemy's great
est advance is at Vignemont, six
miles from the line as il stood last
Saturday.
The French have launched counter
attacks on the left of their line,
which may be an indication that they
have reached the front where they
will make their final stand. This line
seems to be along the Aronde river,
small stream flowing west and
northwest from the Oise, and rough
ly paralleIina the line of the ad-
vance.
The Germans, according to the Of
noial statement issued by the French
war Office, reached the vicinity of
this stream. This marked the limit
OF their advance, however. and the
French Immediately attacked and
drove the enemy back to the line
passing through the BeIIoy. south
and Vandelicourt, The village of
Merry, west of Relloy, was retakea
by the French Monday night.
This part of the battle front, how
ever, apparently is not the most mem
aeing to the French. 1t is further
east that the Germans seem to be
making. their most telling gains.
Here, along the right bank of the
Oisce they have reached AntovaI, a
e
hills above the important town of
RiheeourS lying on low fiat lands
west Of the Oise. The French admit
that their line of resistance to the
west and south Of Ribeeourf has
been withdrawn in consequences.
This movement has not resulted az
yet, according to reports. in the
withdrawal of the French lines, east
OF the oiss, from the OuFscamp and 5
carIepont forests, strong Positione
from which the French defended !
their positions in the earlier attempts
OF the Germans to cross the Disc ]
south Of Ssmpiuny.
IN CRITICAL STAGE.
now be considered as having def /
nitely entered lts. critical stage, as
In the Somne, Flanders and Aisne /
eombats, the third and fourth days (
Of the offensive were most menaciUu /
TO the allies. IL now seems certain
that the present German operation
constitutes a blow at the allied lines
from the Disc TO the MaFne, az well
as threatening the level behind the
present battle lines. Before this can
be reached, however. the GeFmans
may encounter even greater resist
anoe than they have overcome since
their ofTenaiye badau
The only other operation of sia-
nificance reported was carried out by ,
Australians on the British front at
Morlancourts east of Amiens. Here
the British advanced to q depth OF +
half mile over front of q mile and
q half. More than 200 prisoners were
captured by the British.
Unprecedented Fury.
French Headquarters in France, !
June IL. via Ottawa.-IThe enemy I
at an immense cost, in
pushing his advance from q mile 70
three miles deeper into the allied
front yesterday. At MarquegIise,
the southernmost point OF the sal
lent he was about seven miles from
his starting point. The fighting was
almost unprecedented in fury. The
Germans. continuing to attack In
SO4ApASL 4AeASSSSs WGG6 .414p"GA ADFA d
by the allied gun fire. wave succeeded .
wave in the attack and when a po-
sition is finally taken by the enemy,
1t is frequently promptly retaken by
the French. In these counter attacks
the French invariably find the
ground literally covered with German
dead, generally ten lying in heaps.
The Germans it is estimated, had
used between 90 and 80 divisions up
until last night. AS the enenys
advance lis slow. he is able to bring
up his light artillery. while his. Ileav-
.er guns are still being fired from
their old positions.
The artillery strength Of the two
armies is almost equal. although the
gun fire OF the Trench is more effec-
live because the French are more fa-
1niIiar with the ground. The fierce
ness OF the fighting and the ir1fie1
lble determination with which the
enemy accepts his shocking losses
Indicate that he is determined O.
continue until complete victory or
complete exhaustion ensues in the
decisive battle Of the year.