davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
..-- March sgazyys Au.. >.
blow in front Of Paris as in the earlier


blow in front Of Paris as in the earlier
time. so:
1t is impossible to undertake an often
sive from Nancy when the German will
be able to Undertake with superior num-
bers an offensive from Noyon, barely
fifty miles from Paris. When America
is ready the German will have to aban-
don his Paris menace. because he will
himself be threatened in his home terri
tory. But for the present year the
threat will hardly be grave. He can, if
he chooses, refuse battle and retreat to
the old Hindenburg line, from which he
can man@uvre, not with his troops but
with his statesmen, seeking not a Ger
man peace but peace which will leave
the military leadership in Germany, with
chance to claim that the present war
of aggression has added provinces as
has each Prussian war with few eXcep-
tons since Frederick the Great tore up
that other scrap Of paper, the Pragmatic
Sanction, and stole Silesia from Maria
Theresa century and a half ago.
The present IS perhaps good time to
pass in review the history Of offensive
warfare in the current struggle. All
the great nations were surprised in a
measure-and in a very large measure
by the sudden arrival of stagnation
and trenches in 1914 Certain observers
in each of the various armies had fore
seen something Of what would happen,
but none had made his voice heard and
no general staff had prepared to meet
the situation.
Between the close Of the campaign of
1914, with the termination of the First
Battle Of Ypres, and the Battle of Cam
brai, three years later, offensive war
fare was never able to pass beyond the
second of what may be called the four
stages in warfare Of positions: those of
preparation, attack, pursuit and march
of approach.
The object lessons which might have
served in each instance were not recog-
nized. All through this period a grow
ing tendency was manifest toward con-
centration Of artillery and of material
upon the preparation, at the sacrifice OF
the element of surprise, which alone
could make possible considerable vic
tory, bringing with it pursuit and for
the moment, and for the moment only.
and within very restricted limits, re-
turn to the old continued war Of move
ment.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

Louis XIV, will be left in possession of
certain conquered provinces of his foes.
In the spring the German undertook
to obtain an unlimited victory, German
peace on all fronts, with the domination
of Europe as the natural consequence of
the victory he sought. That victory has
escaped him. He has used up his human
material, and both in numbers and in
quality of troops the advantage is pos
scssed by his foe at the present moment
and will rapidly increase. But he can,
by retirement which will not surren-
der territory Of any Importance, avoid a
possible disaster this year, stave off the
full development of Foch's offensive
until next year and employ the time
gained in endeavoring to win the war
by a peace offensive which will leave
him some profit.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Cambria and
Its Lesson

On the German side the gas attack of
1915 temporarily laid the road open TO
Ypres, but in all four cases the chance
was missed. By contrast in Champagne
in September, 1915, and Verdun, Febru-
AIRY, 1916, at the Somme in the British
operation of July and in the French cam
pagn on the Asne in 1917, the surprise
was not sufficient to disorganize the
whole system Of defence before reserves
could intervene. and an effort on the
part of the assailant to institute a pur-
suit after only a partial reduction of the
enemy's line led to colossal casualties
and ultimate failure.
1t was not until the tank attack at
Cambria, 1917, that the element of sur
prise was even temporarily made use Of
Up to this time both sides had been null
tiplying their artillery preparations,
with ever lengthening periods of bonn
bardment, which served as an advertise
ment to the enemy Of the direction in
which the attack was coming and gave
him the opportunity to prepare line
after line behind his front. But at
Cambria there was only a brief artil-
lery preparation; the tanks went in and
cleared the wire acknowledgements, and the
British troops had before them a seven
mile gap through which, had reserves
been available, they might have ad-
vanced to Cambria.
The chance was lost. But the lesson
remained. The Germans were the first
to apply it. Tried first on the Russian
front above Riga, with the tanks left
out, but with brief intensive lombard
ment it brought immediate success.
Tried again on a very wide front in Pr
cardy on March 2l, it produced the great
est single success in line breaking on the
Western front. The British line was
broken on front Of forty miles. The
defending army was SO disorganized that
it was incapable of defending supported
positions until reserves could intervene
and the German advance became true
pursuit over more than thirty miles OF
undefended country.
Here at last, and for the first time on |
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
A Successful!
Maneuvre

Hindenburg's reasoning was in sub
stance this: II cannot afford the men for
another Somme battle this year and the
enemy is preparing to resume the strug
gle. But if l retire twenty miles to
good positions it will take him all sum-
mer to arrive before the new positions
with his communications, heavy artillery
and other machinery He will not be
able to attack the new line this year. but
will be compelled to attempt an offensive
on either side, where the new line re-
joins the old, that is, in Flanders and on
the Aisne. He will thus attack nv
tanks, when l retire my centre. but by
retiring my centre and devastating the
ground before it | shall be safe from an
attack there and can concentrate men
and guns on my TANKS and break the
attacks of the foe
This was exactly what happened. The
retreat to the Hindenburg line ended the
fighting between Arras and the Scissors
region for the year. Haig made a brief
effort in front of Arras, which conceded
with Nivelle's Aisne offensive. But Nj
velle's attack was wrecked because the
Germans were able to concentrate men
and guns on this flank. A similar fate
overlook Hsig's main offensive Of the
summer and autumn in Flanders for the
same reasons. Meantime Hindenbure
disposed of his Eastern difficulties for
the time being and was prepared to re-
sumo the Western battle this spring.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
A Refusal
of Battle

German retreat, then, viii bc dc
hberatc refusal Of battle, formal and
unmistakabc resignation of the often
s'vc, a return to Hindcnburg's strategy
Of 1917, with the realization that it is n
retreat without hope Of later return
to the offensive. The German will aban-
don a strategy which is based upon an
effort to obtain decision by one terrific
campaign in favor of strategy which
seeks TO avoid defeat by prolon2ing the
war until exhaustion compcls all Of the
conbatants tn stop. and William n. Ike
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

tails because it seems to me there
ought to be a more general understand
ing OF what is to be expected in the i'm
meciate future. The possibility Of
great captures of armies or return
TO war of the Napolconic sort is slight.
Our enemy has too many reserves, too
many prepared positions behind his
present front, to be in danger of disas-
Ter TINS year, and probably next
disaster of the sort that France suf-
Tered IN the opening weeks of 1870 and
Prussia at Jena in 1906.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Napoleonic Strokes
Unlikely

But If the German is driven from the
coast of Flanders he will presently be
found standing on the line of the
Scheldt. If he is driven from Cham
payne he will be found in position be-
hind the Meusc The whole country
behind him is cut and scanned with
switch lines and cross lines, constitut
ing alternative positions. No single
blow that one can now forecast can be
more than thrust which compsls the
evacuation Of one line for another
There will be flight and a pursuit
between the two, with the capture Of
prisoners and material. but in eacn
case the victor VIII presently encoun-
ter the vanquished in a new position
and have to begin all over again
dwell upon these rather dull de-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
The Parallel
With the Marne

In the following week there was slow
but marked forward movement south of
Chaulnes as Debenys first army, Hum
bert's third army, and finally the French
tenth army beyond the Disc moved up in
line and in turn reoccupied the old posi-
ton of July, 1916. At the moment when
this article is written, on Monday, Au-
gust 10, the line from the Somme to the
Aisne, from scissors to Chaulnes, coin
cides almost exactly with the familiar
line of two years ago, and the change.
that have taken place in the past week
are the logical consequences of the mi
tal victory on August and the follow
ing three days.
The parallel with the events at the
Marne is exact: all that happened after
July 19, when Mangin's thrust above
scissors was checked, was the natural and
inevitable consequence of the initial gain;
the Germans had to retire to the Vesle
between scissors and Rheims, because
Mangin's thrust had rendered the inter
Eening country untenable; in the same
fashion, Hutier and Marwitz were com
PEELED to retire along their entire front
because Of the successes of the British
south Of the Somme and toward Chaulnes.
In the same way, because the Ger
man tanks along the Disc and the Somme
held, the British advance was obliged to
halt as the Allied advance in the Marine
salient had been compelled to halt be-
cause of the success of Boehn in defend
ing the fanking positions about scissors
and north of Rheims.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

ing backward, we can see the process of
development.
Three times on the Allied side in three
campaigns the German was surprised.
and there was penetration of his lines
which might have been followed by a
pursuit had the opportunity been
grasped. At Neuve Chapelle, in Fcbru-
airy, 1915, the road to Lille was open for
hours. In Artois, three months later
the French opened a gap in the German
lines which might have been used to
necessitate a complete Encouragement
of the German front between the Disc
and the sea. A year later at the Somme
a similar success attended the first
French attack of July j.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Decisive Battle
Adjourned

A retirement to the Hindenburg line
Will be man@uvre not without grave
consequences for our allies. 1t will
probably adjourn decisive battle until
next year; it will probably balk Foch's
plans for an upward thrust between
Arras and Scissors, indeed, between
Ypres and Rheims, for the present year,
but 1T will be final surrender of the
offensive and an ultimate confession that
military victory is no longer possible for
the German and that his sole hope is to
hold out until exhaustion brings peace,
and q peace which leaves him some part
of his stealings.
1t is worth recognizing, too. that next
year the German can. if he chooses, re-
peat the H.ndenburg retirement in
France and in Belgium, withdrawing, for
example, to the line Of the Scheldt and
the Meuse. But this will be of less adj
vantage HeHL year, Wncn vast Amerl-
can army will be able to try the offensive
between Verdun and the Vosges. The
Lorraine offensive is little understood in
this country. 1t is impossible for our
allies as long as the mass of the Ger
man troops are in Northern France and
the Allies are unable to do more than
match these German numbers 1t is
equally impossible for the Germans. But
when we arrive with our great army it
will be possible for us to undertake
the same manpuvre Castelnau and Pau
undertook in August, 1914, and there
viii be no chance of a German counter
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Ludendorf VIII
Abandon Offensive

Now, it must be clear that Ludendorff
can, if he chooses, initiate the linden.
burglar strategy. He can retire to the
Hlndenburg line, and any serious attack
upon 1t this year will be out of the cues.
ton, because it will be impossible for
the Allies to construct railroads and
highways across the Picardy desert in
time for any serious attack before the
end of the campaigning season. Thew
VIII be left with the alternative of at
lacking in Flanders and in Champagne,
but the Germans will be able once mora
to concentrate all their reserves on their
TANKS and, by reason of their earlv
gains this year, their positions on both
TANKS are far better than they were in
1917.
1t Is clear that if Ludendorf decides
to retreat he abandons the offensive for
the campaign and for the war. Unlike
Hlndenburg in 1917, he can have no hope
OF renewing the attack after a DELAY.
There will be no new accession of troops
Tor the West such as the collapse of Rus
STA provided. Once on the defensive the
Germans can have no other chance of
winning the war than a long, costly and
terribly burdensomc defensive. But it
must be already plain that this is about
all that is left for them in any case and
that they may imperil the chances of de-
fensive warfare if they stay too long in
positions which are valuable only as
points of departure for an attack which
they can no longer expect to make.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25

position delay the British and French
approach to the new front render use
less all the vast labors of the Allies in
preparing the ground for continuation
OF the Sommc offensive and avoid anv
serious fighting on these sectors for the
year.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Successful
Surprises

All through this period there con-
tinued to be Q belief that one successful
attack followed by great break through
would lead to a return Of the war of
movement of the Napolconic sort and
the end Of the war of positions. Look
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Aoors of Allies
Made Useless

accordingly Hindenburg resolved To
~'he a renewal Of the Battle Of the
"'ne' for which the French and Brit
"ao made enormous preparations,
mira" his whole line between Arras
"'issons, and by devastating the Pi-
Ivy and Artois regions before his new
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
War of Movement
Not Reached

The same thing happened on smaller
scale in the Flanders offensive in April
1t happened again on larger scale on
the Aisne in the German attack on May
%. In all three the element of surprise
was present; the Allied lines were broken,
completely broken, on a considerable
front. There was a pursuit, but the
pursuit presently hurled itself against
new positions and had to be abandoned
Turning now to the history of the
recent Allied operations, we see two fur
Their examples Of an enemy taken by, sur
prise, of immediate and rapid pursuit
after successful attack and a termina-
ton of this pursuit before new positions
in brief period of time At the Somme
General Rawlinsons troops broke the
German line southwest of Amiens on a
front Of ten miles and advanced a dozen
miles, only to come in contact with the
Germans rallying in new positions and
to face restored front The victors
harvested great profits and unmistaka-
bic gains, but in no sense restored the
war OF movement.
1t seems to me manifest from the
progress of the campaign of 1918 that
we are not yet sensibly nearer to a re-
turn to the old style of warfare than we
were before. 1t is impossible, given the
extent Of the front between the Channel
and the Swiss border, to achieve a supa-
riorlty Of numbers on the whole trout
sufficient to organize an offensive calcu-
lated to overwhem the Germans or up-
set the equilibrium. Of the whole front.
Hutler's penetration in March was the
greatest in width and it was only forty
miles. In making this forty-mie gap.
and exploiting it, upward of a mill
ion men were used. A similar ATTEMPT
on the whole front would require not less
than ten million shock troops-a thing
neither side will ever have. On the
other hand, it is quite clear that by
breaking the line on considerable front
at one point a dislocation will be pro-
duced on both sides of the break. Thus
the Germans had to leave the Marine
following Mangins attack at Soissons
They had to evacuate the Montdidier
salient when Rawlinson advanced from
Amlens along the Roye road 1t is easy
to see by looking at the map that a sue
cessful drive eastward from Ypres
would compel an evacuation of the Bel
glan coast, while a drive northward be-
tween Verdun and Rheims might compel
a withdrawal Of the Germans behind the
Meuse. Successive dislocations follow
ing successive blows are what we have
70 expect as we pass more and more to
the grand offensive against the Germans
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-08-25
Lesson of the
Hmdenburg Retreat

Although the German lines have thus
temporarily stabilized themselves on the
I'D Somme front line there have con-
anued rumors Of a retirement by the
Germans on wide front, rumors which
persist and raise once more the question
Of future withdrawal of the Germans
the Hindenpurg line with a possible
Intermediate stop on the line of the
upper Somme, precisely as there con-
ahues the belief that the Germans at the
'esle will ultimately go back behind the
a'sne and reoccupy the old Chemin-des-
oaInes position. On the military side the
significance of such retirements would
0e simple and the reversion to the STRAIT
~ OF 1917 unmistakable.
Inc great Hindenburg retreat of 1917
vas very little understood at the time
a'A was hailed as proof Of approach
''s German defeat and expulsion from
france. 1t was nothing Of the sort.
's'rnany had still Russian problem on
~ hands, and she believed that one more
Nmpaign would suffice to abolish the
Nastern front. The experiences of the
WHINE had taught her the enormous
''s's Of defensive campaign of pound
~ COTS which she could not we'll afford
hpay.
The Washington times., 1918-10-14

SOLDIER OF FRANCE hopabed His shattered arm had
"A looked down the white
face I'm boy had to lose your arm ne Sai
The of the lad flashed No doctor didn't lose it, he sad i
France His head sank back his pillow and he whispered
"NIy France"
Americans! Here in YOUR liberty the furious
battles and the countless hospabeds of France what flame leaps
Country Thee Have the words filled
soul with love and ahoy zeal which make of country the
thing of life the only thing worth while in these days2 Are you
ready and enroll the twenty-five million men and women
summoned carry the Fourth Liberty Loan to victory?
Swift and the great events which will bring
triumphant America and to all the world plunge deeper
unenng General Persg with the First American Army
has struck heavy blow Our hearts thrill with an1cpa
after the long waiting We hope; look with proud faith to
armies and brave allies; expect the decisive victory OF
which President has pledged the nation But we cannot be
SURE of Of here home has himself and his
ALL without pause limit to make armies invincible
No such has been Initial success not decisive
early talk of the headong retreat OF the OF German mil
collapse The Psns beaten Their
~ar-macne destroyed Their fighting their endurance
devil
bred Kutur world They could
Russia the they conquered her the dark with soul
bribery treace and all forms of bedment the Huns
harvesting from that domain and supplies for the
And the Hun general Ludendo the
most Germany dhes the world and Our will
tor settled Russia We will settle the Americans
msoent Hun the
battlefront Their beginning mghy they still only the
beginning tumphanty They succeed But
million soldiers be joined by million looking
stakd lives We need tanks and
GUNS and Shells apanes without limit Unless send them
not win Liberty Bonds than dreamed of buying Don't
Our here will be HE'LL if stint
home
bateag the victory of Allies for
ped The blood of every American boy spilled that
sbo ground victory From hospabed
where lying gaed wounded from Ger
that holds brave American in cruel connenen from every trench
The Washington times., 1918-10-14

and camp in France in Italy in Belgium Russia
America which the telegram has
the demand for victory
that shall that sacrifice challenging seny each day There
be until such All work. thought
be dedicated this andeath need truly
the lives Of brave boys the dedicated to
Those devoted lives hands Shorten that casualty hist which
already reaches the hearts of thousands of American families
Lavish quickly and supplies which shall hasten
their and all casualty lists Pour in flood the pay
and the greater to be paid the lives OF cur
husbands brsthers and dearest riends
enemy and mercess beyond bee~e
need for his rreevab defeat
than have who learned before of the foul wells
from which the Of the Hun has been forced to
soldiers chapains Red Cross have could
Lacey employee LITERARY DIGEST with h65th
Il hardly still here thinking of the things have
I've been fighting have them have
chained to their machine and he Rev George Gf
with the 5 Field Artillery has told how the
tured them until their made the Scotch and Canadian soldiers
crazed that they rushed them only to fall into the nests
which the had been made to decoy them er sol
their officers keep them
needless slaughter length drove the end from their trenches and went
over. What they there too awful tor words
from daughters and
uns May
little cruced the doors of avaged honest
mpd bayonets and carried through
the shoulders of German soldiers!
MAKE 1T MPOSSBEl Make invncbe Insure
from the eakb Hun Liberty Bonds with
m-Liberty Bonds for million and who will
abtybey Bonds overbscibed with whr
wind patriotic eageness and determination s must be mm
date and the Turks the workers of abomnaon and
dhonorabe who hold bloody hands and for
Liberty Bonds and them;
them off Government
calls maturity They proud proof
vav an insurance hold dear Americans! In the full tide
your abundance with all God the
bitter cries outraged humanity God has raised America
His right of deEveance Save homes
loved world lying blood and tearsl Buy Liberty
Bonds svitha hand that will not stop, and
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-03-28
Anstria,s Version

Vienna, via London, March 2S.-'' Our
attack again won ground on the west
'front.'" the Austrian war office de-
clared today.
''In Venetia on the italian 'front.'
here was lively local artillerying.
The German Version.
Berlin, via London, March 28. -
Northwest of Bapaume we have driven
the enemy back toward Bucquoy and
Hebuterne," " the German war office an
nounced today.
'FSouth Of the Somme at many points
we drove the English and French back
into many regions untouched by the war
since 1914"
i'Our losses generally are within nor
NAL limits. At some vital points they
are heavier, the slightly wounded being
estimated at sixty to seventy per cent. -
(Note: 1t is not clear whether this
means sixty to seventy per cent of all
those engaged or that percentage of the
total easualties.)
'The crown prince pushed yesterday
as far as st. Pierrepont, possessing
Montdider,'' the statement continued
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-03-28
EIGHT LANGUAGES
Continued from page one.

their noon luncheon in large vacant
room in the federal building.
Nebeker announced today dismiss
al Of the charges against 26 OF the log
men and women originally indicted
last September. Nineteen Others have
never been arrested. Elizabeth Gurley
FLYNN, Joseph Baldazzi and Harry Trot
tier have been granted separate trials.
Two others will be turned over to the
immigration authorities for deporta-
Ition.
Loyalty will be the test applied to
each prospective juror by the govern
ment, Nebeker0 indicated today.