Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-16
AMERICANS BREAK
ATTACK Of ENEMY
SOUTH OF MARNE
Compel Germans to Retreat
To Right Bank Of
River.
TANKS AND NAVAL GUNS
USED IN GIGANTIC DRIVE
Immediate Objective of Foe Be
lieved to Be Capture
Of Rheims.
BRITISH MAIZE GAIN AT YPREs
L. S. Soldiers. After Brilliant Coun-
terattack, Capture Thousand
or More Prisoners.

tUndatcd war Lead by Asso, iated r-essl
The expected renewal otNhe German
offensive in France has beEus,. Eicrce
battles are in progress on both sides
of the famous cathedral c!t2 of4AlhetIhs,
which. since the last Of nsive ~ loH8
the Marne has stood ,aa apexSSs TAG
sharp salient into the German lineS &sS
West of Rheims the Germ ans, with
! the pressure of largo numbers4.aSI
troops. the unlcashinE Of whichs WAsS
preceded by veritable hail of hish ef2a
plosve and gas shells. have been snSS
abled to cross the Marne at seversI L.
places. East of the city, however,!
they have been held for the smallest
OF gains by the tenacious resistance of
the defenders of the line. Altogether
the two battle fronts aggregate about
sixty-fve miles in length.
American troops arc lighting valiant
~ on the sectors they have been hold
ing and at two points have met with
notable success. Al Vaux they not
alone broke down violent attack by
the enemy, but drove him back several
hundred yards and only returned TO
| their formdr positions when tho ADJ
vance Of the Germans southeast of
Chatcau-Thierry. across the Marine,
made the reoccupation of their trenches
OF strategic value.
Along the Marne. between tho town
| OF F'ossoy and the river Surmelin,
where tho Germans crossed the Marine.
the Americans in a strong counterat-
| tack forced back the enemy to the
! right bank Of the stream. g.
AT other points along the river they
used to the greatest advantage suns
against enemy elements which wore
crossing the river on pontoon bridges,
killing or woundinS many OF thcm.f
In the counterattack near Fossoy, bs-
tween 1000 and 1900 Germans were
made prisoner by the Americans. Tho
captured contingents included conl4S
plcte brigade stafr. The french EeH.
eral in command on this scctor sc5iJ a..
congratulatory message to tho genEral;,
in command OF the American trocyhs. -
The Germans, in adj lion to- their
tremendous expenditure of OK nlosiye
and gas shells. used numerop3 tanks
against tho lines OF the dcferders md
also opened with numerous naval guns
bombardments of towns and cities far
behind the battle lire, dropping upon
them shells from zen and twelv Inch
pieces. ~4u
DETAILS OF STRATEGIC
PLAN NOT YET REVEALED
The details OF the strategic scheme
the Germans have in view have not.yet
been nnfolded. 1t seems apparent,
however, that the main objective ; In
the first stages Of the offensive Is the
throwing of their lines southwark on
9th sides OF Rheims. envelopinE that
city and forcing it's capt. :lation The
gaining OF tho southern bank OF the
Marne and the Strengthening out east
ward of their battle line toward Yer
dun also may be in the program OF
the German high command. Success
In these movements would be of great
strategic value to the Germans il it
is intended by thcm ultimately TO at
tempt TO drive on to Paris. @
Whlie the Germans are making their
drive in the south. the British around
pres are pccking away at the Ger.
man lines With success as regards the
gaming or ground and the taking OF
prisoners: the French and Italians in,
Albania arc kccpiaS up their spcctacu-
lar drive against the Austrians. and
the French and Italians In the noun
tain region of the Italian theater daily
are harassinS the enemy with pa,rn,
attacks OF considerable violence ana
homhardments. In the few instances
where the Austrians in this region
lately have tried to take strategic DO
sitions they have met with almost
instant repulse IN Palestine. Turkish
and German troops penetrated british
positions north of Jericho, but almost
Immediately were elected with the loss
OF more than SEQ men made prisoner
including $50 Germans