Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-09-13
Americans Strike Their First
Independent Blow in France
Against German Army on
ST. MihieI Salient,
YANKEES SUCCESSFUL
EVERYWHERE, REPORT
Cooperating With French the
Famous Pincer Tactics Of
Marshal Foch Are Beingl
Used on Lines Of Huns. |
rs, MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wsrl

tst MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wtPEl
Washington, Sept. ~. - Sixteen
months of vast war effort by tho Unit
ed States reached its first goal today
when General Pershings forces struck
their first Independent blow In.
France against the German army
Reports tonight show that success
was meeting the American command
er's effort to fling the enemy out Of
the sharp salient thrust in behind the
fortress of the war in the first gear ot|
the war. But even greater signifi-I
cance to government officials was the
fact that the all-American attack
meant that the months of ceaselessI
toll and effort have brought forth a.
third great organized army, backed by
its own supplies and millions more SOL
diers if needed
Up to a late hour no official report
from General Pershing had come.
General March, chief of staff, and his.
officers were gathered about the
great war maps, however tracing out
the lines of the conflict from press ac-
counts as they were received.
First reports were vague. They told
merely that the American army had
launched an attack arohnd the st Mi
hiel salient, that only sharp thrust to-
ward the heart of France that re
mained to the German leaders to show
for their offensive efforts since the
war began. 1t seemed possible that
the objective of the attack was Metz,
just beyond the German border on the
Moselle river.
Pincer Tactics Used.
Later accounts made il clear, how
ever, that for his first blow, General
Pershing had determined to employ
the pincer tactics Marshal Foch has
used with repeated success in hurting
the foe back from the Marne and out
of the Picardy and Flanders salients.
The chance lay ready to the American
leaders hand.
Almost due south of the war
wracked fortress of Verdun, which has
defied every German effort, the towB
of st. Mhiel stood at the apex OF q
great enemy wedge driven into thu
French lines and which all but cut
Verdun off in the first German rush
toward Paris. At the eastern curve OF
this salient American troops havs
stood for months holding the lines.
Americans were on the line between
Verdun and St Mihiel. but st. Mihiel
itself was held by the French. for the
fate of Verdun rested upon that line.
Surging forward on a twelve-mile
front to the east of st. Mihiel, Per-
shing's men have rolled over the COM
plicated defenses of the enemy all along
the line and thrust a steel-shod jaw
out into the territory behind the enc.
my forces that hold the town. From
the other side, another American
trust has carried the lines forward tc
meet the bulge from the east and a
grim trap is being drawn about the
enemy forces that remain in the sali-
ent. It was only twenty miles across
the mouth of the pocket and the re"
ports tonight showed that this had
been closed in less than fifteen miles.
Narrow Gap For Escape.
Through that narrowing gap the
German forces in the depth of the sali-
ent must escape: and to withdraw
with confusion that might turn the re-
treat into a rout, they must shake off
the French forces which are battering
them all along the St. Mihiel front.
On the face of tonights reports, Of
ficers here believed there was good
promise that General Pershing might
succeed in closing the neck of the bag
and trapping a considerable force.
The American attack, as 1t now
shapes up, is a major action, 1t is said,
and there is no doubt that the strong
est American forces yet employed are
engaged Possibly a quarter of mill
lion American troops either are in ac-
ton or in close reserve.
Harder Blows to Come.
The advance of the eastern jaw rests
on a wide base. Reports indicate that
it had broken through at the first rusu
until General Pershing could fling out
cavalry on both sides to prevent coun-
ter-attacks on his flanks. The very
width of his battle line. however. tends
to protect him and also to give his ini-
tial thrust the power that will carry
il across the road that is the only line
of retreat for the Germans in st. Mi
hiel.
To many officers, the action start
ed today is but the forerunner of
greater blows to come. They antici-
pate that General Pershing will follow
up without delay the clearing out of
the st. Mihiel salient with actions of
greater scope, probably directed to-
ward the capture of Metz With such
an advance, it is said, French thrust
from Verdun and along the front be-
tween verdun and Rheims would go
naturally and the great movement tol
force the enemy out of all northern
France and much of Belgium would
v.e Ali Arx