The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-04-09
Weekly War Review Summarizes
Operations Along the
Western Front.
HUN PLANS WERE FOILED
Prisoners Taken Say That the
kaiser's Troops Expected to
Gain the Line of the Somme
on First Day.

Washington, April 8.-French and
British tenacity has upset the ambi
tious plans OF the German high com
mand for the battle OF Picardy, says
the war departments weekly military
review, and now the enemy, determ-
ined TO gain some sort of success at
any cost, is throwing fresh forces
into the battle in an effort to secure
limited objectives. Because Of this,
the situation is expected to remain
uncertain for sometime to come.
General improvement in the strate-
gic positions of the allies is noted
and the review declares that under
General Foch the allied military ma
chine is working smoothly and eff
ciently in stemming the German as
sault
There is no mention whatever of
the American troops reported hurry
ing to the front to join the British
and French.
Enemy Still Short.
AT the opening OF the tihr week
of the German offensive, we find that
the enemy is still short OF attaining
his principal objectives," says the re-
view in part
1t is now certain that the German
high command contemplated over
| uh hal lrnin p~k&
between the Disc and the Sensee and
driving a wadge into the Franco
British forces.
The enemy fully expected to
achieve a decision in the field in the
course of one great battle The sue
cess of this plan depended on being
able to obtain a break-through of the
British front and advance so rapidly
that neither the French nor the Brit
lsh reserves could come up in time to
close the breach in the line.
What Germany Hoped.
Evidence of prisoners tend to
confirm that the enemy hoped to
gain the line OF the Somme by the
evening OF the first day OF the often
sive. AS a matter of fact it took the
Germans ten days TO cover the
ground they expected to overrun
within 48 hours.
THE German high command Is
now throwing fresh forces into bat
tie in an effort to secure some of its
more limited objectives.
The German offensive has not
spent itself and owing to the determ.
ination displayed by the enemy to
gain some sort of a success at no
matter what cost. the situation will
continue uncertain for some time to
come. However, the general strate-
gic and tactical position of the allies
is becoming more favorable Fierce
nghting continues and hostile units
, have penetrated westward to within
five miles of the main line of the
Paris-Amiens railway.
Allied Forces Masses.
"ANed forces are massed to
check ae invaders in this area. The
French have extended their lines
northward, which will enable the
British to secure greater depth of
conscription.
There has been relatively less ac-
tivity north of the Somme though
the Germans have made a number of
serious attempts to encircle Arras.
Allied aircraft has been particu-
larly active throughout the week,
not only in maintaining superiority
In the air and keeping the skies clear
OF hostile craft. but more especially
in bombing enemy dumps. conveys,
trains and railroads. British esca-
drilles did fine work in dispensing
German units going into action with
machine guns.
"A number OF American transport
sections have taken an active part in
the battle and the American aviation
service is cooperating with the Brit
ish.
American Forces Busy.
Our own forces engaged have
been relatively busy. Under the
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