davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21

risoned on the Allied right by
troops from Lancashire, England !;
in the middle by newly ar
rived Portuguese division and on
the left, at Armentieres, by an
English garrison of a composition
which has not yet been divulged.
These three divisions, the entire
British garrison, were first faced
by the 9Th German Army, that of
Won Quasi, who commanded alto
gether about twelve divisions.
With perhaps eight Of these and
certainly with more than six, he
launched his attack after heavy
bombardment between 7 and 8
o'clock on the morning of Tuesday
last. The weather was thick with
mist, and before the first shelling,
which Though very severe and
carried far behind the lines) was
short, no indication of special
concentration of German forces
had appeared.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21
Planned to Cut
The Supply Lines

The enemy's object was here, as
it had been elsewhere, to break
through the main defensive zone,
with it's triple line of defences, i'm
mediately to pass over in the same
movement the slight obstacle of
the Lys River, just behind, and.
pouring through this gap, to ex-
tend northward until he should
have reached the railway functions
upon which depend the supply of
all British and Allied troops north
and east of this point, including, of
course, the large number which
occupy the crescent shaped posi-
tion on Passchendaele Ridge, in
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21
Ypres Attack Valueless Until
Dunkirk Is Uncovered Must
Capture KENNEL First
Copyright, 1s1s-The Tribune Association

foot Of the ridge. At the same
time he launched new troops from
the army on Won Quast's right, TAX
ing them from the Fourth Army,
commanded by Won Arnim. First
two and later three divisions of
Germans charged at Messines
Ridge from the east side on
Wednesday morning. In the course
of that days fighting they reached
the summit in two places, but by
>nightfall were thrown back again
in a counter attack by the British
Ninth Division from nearly the
whole of the highest part of the
line, barely holding on to the ex-
treme southern point in part of the
ruins of Messines village. It was
not until the present week that the
British relinquished the ridge, and
the details of this action will be
treated in a later article.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21

Behind it, and hidden by it, is
the large town of Lille, which the
Germans occupy. At a rather
greater distance to the north of the
Lys run the more considerable
heights which come around the
south toward the Lys in ridge
known as the Messines Ridge,
which upon it's summit carries the
ruins of the villages of Wytschaete
and Messines.
The double front of the two
armies ran below-that is, to the
east of the Messines Ridge, thence
on southwark in front of Armen-
there's in bulge which included
that town, and which was held by
the British, and from Armentieres
southwestward, generally parallel
with the river, to Neuve Cha
pelle, and the neighborhood of
Givenchy. The enemy's observa-
tion posts, looking down from the
Aubers Ridge to the plain, saw be-
fore them the weakest part of this
line so far as the British were con-
cerned-to wit, the flat ground be-
tween Armentieres and Givenchy,
where there was no rise in the
ground that could be defended. 1t
had indeed certain natural
strength from the multitude of the
small dykes which cut it up and
each of which formed a sort of for
tification. AS everywhere else in
the trench line, it was organized
into three defensive zones, the last
and strongest of which was not
much more than a mile south of
the river.
This sector between Armen-
there's and Givenchy was matter
of about twelve miles. 1t was gar
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21

Tuesday, April 9. In the first five
days concerning which detailed in
formation is now available there
had been thrown in by the Ger
mans altogether upon a front of
some forty kilometres, or twenty
five miles, from the village of
Hollebeke, near Ypres, to the ruins
of Givenchy, thirty identified Ger
man divisions. The reader will
at once notice that the weight
of this attack is far less than
that of the main effort from
which the Germans had hoped to
obtain decision three weeks ago.
1t has apparently involved so far
heavy fighting on the part of only
half the number of men who were
engaged in the great southern ac-
ton in corresponding period of
time. There between sixty and
sixty-five divisions have appeared
in the first five days.
To understand the action so far
as it has proceeded we must have
some idea of the ground over
which it is being fought. The plain
of Flanders in this part is trav-
ersed by the little sluggish,
muddy river of the Lys, which
runs in very winding channel
through Merville, Armentieres and
Warneton, with perfectly fiat,
marshy banks on either side and
flanked by wide dyked fields. It's
direction is nearly northeast. Out
on this plain, as you look south
eastward from the river, rises a
long lump of land which would be
insignificant elsewhere, but which
forms distinct ridge in district
so flat as this. 1t is called in this
war the Ridge of .Aubers and lies
about five miles from the river.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21
Drive Aimed
At the junction

To reach those functions of the
Allied communications in time is
still the enemy's object in this Sec
ond offensive; to accumulate re-
sistance rapidly enough to check
him is the corresponding object on
our side. In this connection it must
be noted that the enemy depends
very much for his success upon the
superiority of his railway COM
munications in this particular Sec
tor. The journey by which relief
can come up, for the Allied armies
is much longer than the journey by
which German reinforcements can
be brought. In other words, the
enemy has the advantage of Gin
terror lines"
He also has the great advantage
that there is but little space here
over which the Allies can mannu-
vre heavy forces behind their lines
because of the proximity of the sea
coast. 1t is impossible for them to
withdraw any considerable force
overseas rapidly, because sea COM
munications depend upon highly
localized evacuation points. But
against this is the compensating
fact that the enemy has chosen to
attack on sector where reinforce
ment from the British Islands is
much more rapid, just as reinforce
ment from the southern part of
the line on the Continent is slow.
Boulogne, Calais and Dunkirk are
Immediately in the rear Of the field
of operations, and they are on the
three shortest lines Of communities
ton between the Continent and
England.
The second German offensive
opened early in the morning of
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21
Blow Felt at
Unexpected Point

This second blow of the Ger
man offensive, for which the Allies
mad been waiting ever since the
nrst great movement was checked
On the front near Amiens, was de-
hVered not, as had generally been
expected, by a renewed assault
upon the point of junction between
tne British and the French, but
zone seventy or eighty miles to
li'e north, Immediately in front
OF Lille. What remains to be
Seen at the moment of this writing
IS whether the initial advantage of
the Germans, which proceeded
rapidly during the first few days
ana continued to progress through
1ne third day and half of the
fourth, and which in general has
now been checked, can or can
nU be developed with suffi-
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21

front of Ypres, captured in the
fighting last summer and fall.
Any one who looks at the posi-
tion of Lille on the map and fol-
lows the old Allied line down from
Nieuport, east of Ypres, passing
Lille and on to near Bethune, will
see that if the enemy could effect
a rupture in front of Lille, thrust
ing northwestward, he would, by
cutting the railway and the road
functions, not only destroy all the
Allied armies in the angle between
the rest of the line and the sea, but
would also uncover very consider
able part of the coast, including
the port Of Dunkirk.
His real object in this attack
was therefore first to reach these
points of junction in communica-
tion, notably Hazebrouck, through
which all railway communication
from the Channel ports passes, and
to do so before any considerable
Allied reinforcements could arrive
to stop his push. He saw that he
was confined to a somewhat narrow
front of effort unless he could
carry Givenchy, upon his left, and
reach Bethune at once. For upon
his right he was held by the for
midable Messines Ridge, which he
might hope to turn after he had
pushed over the Lys, but which he
could hardly hope to take in the
first blow by assault.
Bethune, therefore, was the Sec
ond part of his immediate objec-
tive. It was the comparative mar
rowness of the front he had
chosen for attack which made this
second initial object of reaching
Bethune at the first blow SO i'm
portant. Such success would
have had the further advantage of
cutting the shortest railway COM
munication between the Allied ar
mics in the north and those in the
centre of the line. Upon this rail-
way -Bethune stands as the point
where the track bends nearest to
the enemy's lines.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21

clent rapidity to imperil the con-
siderable forces of the Allies
which are being held north and
east of the Observation-Disclosures
Hazebrouck-menaced by the Ger
man advance.
IT it cannot be developed, that
is, if the enemy cannot find REIN
forcement more rapidly than the
. Allies can within the next few days
for the whole thing is a question
of numbers), it is clear that this
second German offensive will have
failed and that the result will be
negative to the enemy. This is
true because the total losses to the
side which takes the offensive in an
attempt Of this sort must always
be much higher than those of the
defence, when the attempt fails,
and it is the relative numerical DO
, sition of the contending armies at
the end Of such a movement that
counts for the future of the war.
Precisely as in the case of the
much larger German effort further
south, in front of Amiens, the very
high expenditure of men which the
enemy is deliberately incurring
will be we'll worth his while if he
can get through to the British juno
tions and cut off a considerable
body Of Allied troops. Such a sue
cess, though it would not lead inn
mediately to decision, as might
have been the case with a corre
spending success in the big effort
on the south, would be very seri-
GUS blow to the Allies. 1t would
Immediately change the balance in
numbers of the opposed forces; it
would heavily handicap British
communications across the Chan
mel and it would half strangle the
supply of the armies on the north
ern part of the front.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21
Holding the Ridge
Determined Plains Battle

This ridge was held by the Brit
ish during all Of Thursday, Friday
and Saturday, and it's successful
defence, in which, among others,
Scottish troops of the Black Watch
especially distinguished them
selves, had determining effect on
the struggle raging in the plains
below.
The Germans by Saturday night,
the 18th of April, had in their
centre progressed far, for they
covered between four and five
/ miles from the crossings of the
Lys, and the salient at it's deepest
point was no less than seven and a
half miles deep on total front of
only fourteen miles. They had
great local successes, including the
surrounding of Armentieres and
the consequent capture of it's gar
rlson of 5000 men, with general
officer at their head. They claimed
a total Of 10000 prisoners and
more than 100 guns. They had ex-
tended in a sort of mushroom
shape westward as far as Merville
ana within five miles of Haze
brouck Junction, though with a
difficult obstacle Of the Nippe For
est in between.
But they had not in all those
flve days, of which, as 1 have said.
detailed reports are available.
reaped the fruits of their original
success. Reinforcements had had
time to come up, and the Brit
lsh line f1uctuated without ad-
vance on the part of the Germans
during the whole fifth day, includ-
ing the recapture at one point of
Neuve Eglise, all of which results
turned upon the holding of the
Messlnes Ridge on one side and
the continued resistance in the
neighborhood of Givenchy on the
other.
The situation, then, at which we
leave the action on Saturday even
ing, April 13, the fifth day of the
battle, is as follows:
The Germans, having brought
into play altogether thirty and
possibly more than thirty diyis-
ions, had created breach in the
old defensive zone fourteen miles
broad. Beyond this, in direction
perpendicular to the old line.
thrusting, that is, northwestward.
they had occupied an area some
what wider than the breach itself.
running from Merville to the foot
OF the Messines Ridge, a distance
OF eighteen miles, while the ex-
treme front to which they had
pushed ran in a slight curve out
side Bailleul and Neuve Eglise. So
the whole area which the advance
had occupied during the five days
is like capital letter 3D." Sc
drawn as to bulge slightly to the
left or western end and of such
dimensions that its extreme depth
is half it's length.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21

Blocked From Original Objects
of Messines Drive, Despite
Tremendous Losses
By HILAIRE BELLOC

Author of elements of the Great War; Most
Military Critic
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21


pH ant od nation depend
serious dp o
Ab1v"e b ompa.
he
.
nance l lonianb
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21
Succeeded in First
Part of Plan

In the first part of this pro-
gramme the Germans thoroughly
succeeded. They broke through all
three of the defensive lines on the
flat, marshy plain during the
course of Tuesday morning, and
they reached and crossed the Lys
River in at least two places within
the first twenty-four hours-that
is, by dawn on Wednesday. But
they failed to seize Bethune in this
first blow, and it was this failure
which moulded the future battle
and modified and is still modifying
the Germans success. They were
stopped in their stroke at Bethune
by the Lancashire division holding
the almost imperceptible rise of
land on which stand the ruins of
Givenchy. A very great weight of
men was thrown against this iso-
lated division, which the breaking
OF the Portuguese line on the east
had left unsupported; but thew
held fast, and in counter attacks
even took seven hundred prisoners
The consequence of this failure
on his left was that on the second
day, Wednesday, although the en-
emy continued to cross over the
Lys and to push further north
ward, he was cramped in his ef-
fort and had to try to get elbow
room on the other side-that is. his
right fiank-by seizing the Mes
sines Ridge.
AS / have said, this ridge was
too much for him to take with his
available forces by direct attack
alone, and he was compelled to try
to turn it as well from the south
and west. This he did, getting well
around the corner of it by Selling
the big Ploegsteert Wood, at the
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21

"HE second German offensive,
which may be called the
Battle of Messines Ridge,
is now in its eleventh day, and
the Germans, despite their tre-
mendous losses and their very con-
siderable gains of ground, have not
yet been able to reap any real
fruits as a result of their efforts.
The original object Of the enemy
on this, the Lys front, was to
reach as quickly as possible the
vital British railroad functions,
Hazebrouck and Bethune. That
would have cut off supplies from
all the British forces to- the east of
these points, and would have given
him an extremely important result.
He has failed to reach these points
and has been held in front of the
second from the very first day at
the ruins of Givenchy and in front
Of the first from the fourth day at
Merville.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-21
Defensive Has Time
For Reinforcement

The defensive armies have now
had time to reinforce continually
at the threatened points. Mean
while, finding himself held on the
chief side, the western one, from
Merville to Givenchy, the German
has diverted his attack, to seize, if
possible, the northern side. Here
the British line after retiring from
the Messines Ridge is strengthened
by the chain of hills running from
KENNEL to Cassel. If the enemy
were to get these hills he would
not even then have decision, but
the whole British front would have
to swing back so as to uncover
Dunkirk.
No retirement from the Ypres
district could have any effect on
the fortunes of the war until or if
Dunkirk is so uncovered. But
with Dunkirk uncovered, the Ger
mans at once become far stronger
by sea and might even get within
range Of Calais. The enemy can
hardly take these hills by direct
attack, SO he is working to get east
and west of them and turn them.
he is working eastward by way
OF a gap behind Neuve Eglise and
westward by way of Meteren. Up
to Friday night he had been held
at both of these points. The test
OF his initial success here would be
a decision on Mount KENNEL.
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1918-07-28

ORDER OF UNLOCKED FRUIT OR CEREALS.
YOU MUST NOT USE CANE oR BEET SUGAR FOR THE PREP ARA OF sYRUPs.
e" coNs yRrPs ETc MAY b USED ANY QUANTITY IN EPARAr OF FOOD.
orr Even with tn. ae restrictions consumption cane and beet sugar @na ek ptw within
tain The mount of um wh you are using Zach lay check with the number" meals served ana "-
e. no. far the nreoumu rule will permit you to go. An occasional check of this sort Will en-
m on To void the unMasahn necessity of closing your place business for %k of sugar nrh end
m the nh
The Aberdeen weekly., 1918-12-20
ENDORSED AT HOME.
Such Proof as This Should Com
vince Any Aberdeen Citizen.

The public endorsement OF a local
citizen Il the best proof that can be
produced None better. none stronger
can be had. When a man comes for
ward aud tpstifies to his fellow -citi-
zens, addresses his friends and neigh
bors, you may be sure he is thorough
ly convinced or he would not do so.
Telling ones experience when it is for
the public good il an act of kindness
that should be appreciated. The fol-
loving statement given by resident
OF A berdeen adds one more to the
many cases of Home Endorsements
which are being published about
Doan's Kidney Pills. Read it
n. W. Webb, prop. of blacksmith
shop, Commerce St. says: Several
ears ago | used Doan's Kidney Pills
| noticed for qnite awhile that my
kidneys acted too freely. causing my
rest TO be broken at night. My back
also hurt ana panied ross nv kid
neYs | got box of Doan's Kidney
Pills and after taking them according
to directions, | was rid of the trouble
entirely.'
Price 6Oc a all dealers DON'T simply
ask for kidney =aaedy-get Doan's
Kidney Pills--rhe same that Mr.. n
w Webb had Foster-Milburn Co..
Manufacturers, Buffalo, n. Y.
The Aberdeen weekly., 1918-12-20
THE RED CROSS GORDON.

An American Red Cross worker who
was among those volunteering to help
in the hospitals and at the station
where the hospital trains arrived, over
heard some of the wounded talking
about the American Red Cross.
Gee We'd a starved if it hadn't
been for tho Red Cross - said one boy,
and then. laughing at his own eXagger-
alton, he went on to explain the cir
cumStances under which the Red Cross
representative with his division had
done some timely service. Tho Ger
mans, of course were to blame, for
they retreated so rapidly that it was
practically impossible for the supplies
TO keep up with the pursuing Ameri-
cans
I'VE cleaned up seven kilometers in
Jess than two hours" another reclining
figure explained, and they We're still
going when | was knocked out. For
three days I had had nothing to eat
but hard tack, and for some DAYS be-
fore the food had been monotOnous-
TO put it mildly So you @an imagine
what it meant to US boys to have the
Red Cross Gordon come up with a sup
ply of chocolate. canned peaches and
ether good things Ii was a life-saver"
The Aberdeen weekly., 1918-12-20

conditions of employment and to
modify the initiation of the cost ot
living caused by the war. They
have resolved to keep their employees
at work at their old jobs with their
old wages while at the same time
seeking to effect substantial price
reductions in the necessities of life
To this end they have had the price
of milk reduced by l cent quart by
agreement. the price of shoes by 10
per cent. and the price of coal by
from to 5 per cent, or to figure
The Aberdeen weekly., 1918-12-20

the government has no idea OF dump
ing hundreds OF thousands of men baci
into ;he United States after they
have had nothing 10 do but loaf fcl
months To do this would be to ere
ale very unhealthy social and indns
trial condition IN our own country
There are drills and discipline and
for many, the work of helping 10 put
France on her feet again. At the
same time, the men have more lei
sure ald more chances 10 buy things
than they had before.
One OF the most important things
the Y. NJ. c. A expects to do during
the rehabilitation period is to enter
into active competition with the
French wine shops. No, the Red Til
angle is not going into the saloon bust
ness. Ii is planning to fight alcohol
with sugar. According to medical ex
perts, this is the best kind of amniu
milton 10 use in a battle against the
more or less weA-known Demon.
Heavy drinkers don't care for sugar
and heavy consumers of sweets usu
ally pass up the booze" So by ply.
ing the soldiers with candy, chocolate
chewing gum and cookies, the Y NJ
c. A. expects to reduce the consump
ton of alcohol very materially.
The Aberdeen weekly., 1918-12-20
"Y'' To Use Candy
To Fight Alcohol
"Over There
Association Men VIII Fight Demon Rum With Proper
Method-The Sweet Tooth Compete Against
Wine Shop

Paris.-CBy Man)-A sugar-coated
American Expeditionary Isgrce is the
ideal now being striven for in the
mark-lime period Of the armistice and
demobiiization. with fighting gone and
the American fighting men suddenly
turned into "a uniformed tourist-seeing
France. Peace, as has been quoted
often, has victories. and one Of them
Is TO be the victory over tie evil in
huences which besiege an idle army.
In this campaign the Y NJ. c. A.
has planned the drive and the sol
diers are executing it. Incidentally.
the Y. VI. c. A. has gone into compe-
ution with the wine-shop, as this story
viii relate
During the period OF demobilization,
the \. ~ C. A. will have an even
greater responsibility than il has had
v lie the war was on The soldiers
then had the inspiration of being in
the fght--or backing up the fighters
To spur them on. They also were ex-
tremely busy and their time for recre-
alton and for spending money was
limited But there has been a let
down since the aTmistice was signed,
and the men In olive drab are w Ill
ing for transportation home.
IdIeness always means trouble and