The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-22
Reports Of Battle, 4 to I
Miles North Of City,
Received
TRY TO CHECK
ALLIED ADVANCE
General Foch's Great "Nut
Cracker'' Seems To Be
Working Smoothly
CBv Associated Press. !


Rear guard actions are being
fought by the Germans north Of
Chateau Thierry. They were prob
ably organized for the purpose of
delaying the relentless pursuit Of the
fleeing enemy by the French and
Americans, who on Sunday morning
passed through Chateau Thierry and
advanced northeast of that corner
stone Of German conquest in eastern
France.
The reaction Of the Germans is
said to have been marked between
Grisolles and Bezu- st. German, two
villages north and north
of Chateau Thierry at a distance Of
approximately seven and four miles
respectively. The distance between
Grisolles and Bezu St German is
about four miles. Along this line
German attacks were broken and the
allied line was maintained through
out.
7 North of the Ourcq river the, re-
action OF the enemy was limited to
artillery dra. -. - - .-. - 1900 ~. =.
This was also the case between
the Marine and Rheims, notably in
the region west, Of the Rheims noun
tain and in the Courton and Rot
woods.
Since the Germans have been
ousted from Chateau Thierry under
conditions which suggest that the
withdrawal was precipitate, the most
interesting events Of the battle are
south Of scissors, where the Amer
leans are reported to have advanced
a distance of a mile and a quarter;
the OurcQ valley, where the allies
are steadily pounding their way
toward UanteuiI- -Notre Dame, and
southwest Of Rheims, where there
seems to be. an indication that the
allies have initiated q new drive for
the purpose Of out1anking the Ger
mans between Morfauy and ChatiI-
lon..
If this last movement develops, the
allies nut cracker" will be in full
motion. Between the known allies
front south Of scissors to the town
Of Boually, southwest of Rheims,
there is a gap Of about q miles.
This gap, however, probably is much
smaller at present, for the allies
positions south Of tSoissons seemS
likely. to have been advanced ma
tertally since they were reported at
Hartennes-e et-Taux, on Saturday. If
| the French, Italian and British
troops southwest Of Rheims make
an advance Of any Importance, the
positions of the Germans further
south will be made even more crtu-
cal than it IS known to be at
present.
There appears to be Mt least two,
and possibly three enveloping opera
tions along the western side of the
salient south of Scissors. The first
OF these, evidenced by the breaking
through Of the allies northwest Of
q fea VA frT4 Irawy
ing, had immediate results in fore
ing the Germans back from the ex-
treme tip Of the salient. The second
enveloping movement is proceeding
up the Ourcq valley and at last ac-
counts was very near Oulchy-1e-
Chateau. The third is the advance
Of the allies south Of Soissons.
..l Three 1entaoles.
Thus F'och has projected tentacles
eastward to catch the Germans re-
treating from the Marine. If another
claw is thrust out from the Rheims
salient, the situation will become
much more perilous for the enemy.
There are few details Of the fight
ing between the Aisne and the
Ourcq. It appears, however, that
the reported advance Of the allies
south OF the Aisne below SCISSORS,
Is simply the carrying out OF the
French strategic plan Of keeping the
Aisne on the French left flank. The
actual occupation Of scissors would
be a matter Of slight Importance in
comparison to the Decentralization or
capture Of the German armies to the
southward, which appears to have
been in General Foch's mind as a
possibility when the smash on the
German flank was begun by General
Mangin on Thursday morning.
IL the allied nut cracker" contin-
ues to close I'm the remorseless man
ner that 1t has for the last three
days, the Germans will be fortunate
IL they extrtcate all their forces from
the Marne salient. Continued allied
success, 1t might appear, would COM
pei German retreat at least os far
as the Wesie river. IF the Germans
eraI Fooll still will have succeeded
in strengthening out his front, which
will then run in an almost direct line
from MontIdidier to the heights OF
the Meuse.
British forces on the northern side
Of the Picardy sector have gained
further ground near Hebuterne, while
east Of Amiens, near ATTas and in the
Liys salient, raiding operations char
aoterized the activities OF the Britt
ish last night.
The French Report.
Paris, July 22. Strong counter
CONTINUED on page 5.)