The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-05-27
HUNS RESUME
OFFENSIVE ON
WEST FRONT;
F0CH READY
Strike in the South Between
Rheims and SCISSORS and
on Northerly Side of Lys
Salient.

(By Associated Press.)

Germany has resumed her
drive for a decision on the west
ern front after lapse of near
ly four weeks, striking in the
south between Rheims and Sois.
sons and in Flanders on the
northerly side of the Lys sail
ent.
While it is too early for the
true German intention to be dis
closed, the effort apparently is
simultaneously to push through
to the channel port thus break
ing up the British front and to
strike for Paris in the south in
an effort aimed mainly at the
French.
The main field of the German
attack begun last March and
halted after the disasterous en-
emy reverse in Flanders late in
April. The Somme region in the
direction Of Amiens has been
neglected by the German COM
mand in this new thrust.
May BE Extended.
The possibility exists, however. that
the fighting will be extended to this
area as the battle develops.
The southerly blow. which covers a
front of some 40 miles and apparently
is by far the more important Of the
two, has come at q point which had
not been considered the most probable
field for renewal Of the German
attempt.
The fact that both British and
French troops are found holding this
front. however. gives indications that
General Foch. the allied commander
1n-chief. has hardly been caught nap
ping and has large forces massed
there.
It was indeed. on this front between
the tip Of the Montdidier salient and
Rheims that the enemy flank was
most dangerously exposed and where
he must have felt himself most vul-
nerable to a counter blow II this at
tack here Is neither q demonstration
In force to cover the main effort or a
veritable drive at Paris, the posi-
bility remains that 1t was launched
with the intention Of driving the allies
from their advantageous positions
along the Disc and the Ailette and
thus forestalling a fanking counter
effort by Foch's great reserve army.
The stroke in Flanders, while Of far
less magnitude covering a front Of
less than 10 miles, is nevertheless
aimed at points which the Germans
must take before they can hope to
carry their April advance further to-
| ward the coast.
Hills Bar Huns Way.
Behind the Locre- -Voormezeele area
lie the hills which constitute the back
bone of the Franco-British positions.
only the outlying peak of which the
Germans captured when they took
Mt. KENNEL last month. Other immi-
nences are yet barring the way to the
Germans.
The allied position along both fronts
under attack are notably strong This
is particularly true of the southerly
line guarded by the rivers Cise and
Ailette and the Chemin des Danes
bridge which the German crown prince
spent many weeks last summer trying
to take. Not only did he fail, but he
was forced still further back last fall
when General Petain launched a de-
cisive blow in the Pinon region. drove
in for depth of two miles day and
compelled the Germans to fall back
to the positions behind the Alette,
where they have since remained.
In the north, the French recently
have strengthened their hold on the
hill region by pushing forward in the
Locre sector in local thrusts and cap
turing important high ground
In general, the allies seem well pre-
g.
appear likely to be forced to give
ground at points the opinion of their
high command has been reflected as
forces to prevent the Germans from
gaining anything decisive.
Is Along Aisne Front.
The front of the German attack is
along the sector which usually Is re-
ferred to as the Aisne front, owing to
the fact that for a long time the line
Of battle followed the Aisne river. The
present battle line runs along the
Ailette river north Of the Afsne, over
the larger part OF this sector, the
French having advanced their line.
The front of attack is about forty
miles. which is about Is miles short
er than the line of the original Ger
man attack on March 81.
In turning to new sector to strike
their blow the Germans have taken a
course contrary to that which had
generally been predicted by military
commentators.
The view usually expressed has
been that the Germans were commit
ted SO heavily to their campaign In
Picardy and Flanders, and were occu-
pying such dangerously exposed posi-
tions that they were under the neces-
sity of striking again at those points
when they resumed the attack
It is not unlikely. however, that the
attack on the Aisne front will be fol-
lowed by renewal of the offensive on
the other battle fields. The German
strategy say contemplate a surprise
attack in sufficient strength to COM
pei General Foch to withdraw troops
fconfinued On Pane Teo1