The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-18
The War for the Week

bloody repulse of the last German assault
on the British lines near KENNEL hill
During that time the German forces
have undertaken no offensive movement Of
Importance, in either Flanders or Picardy,
their activities being confined to trench
raids, artillery duels, and aircraft fighting.
The Allies, on the other hand, have
strengthened their lines in several places
by vigorous but limited attacks.
But the conviction that the Germans
will make another desperate effort to take
either the channel ports or break the AL
lied lines and take Amiens, grows stronger
rather than weaker. The position of the
German forces in Flanders especially,
makes such an offensive imperative. Here
the Germans have driven a deep salient in
to the British line. The salient is too mar
row at it's base in proportion to it's length.
Its sides are high ground held by the Brit
ish. The deeper the salient is pushed, the
narrower it becomes, for the hills con-
verge to point. The German forces in
the low ground of this salient, are exposed
on both sides to British artillery fire, and
their lines of communications are con-
stantly threatened. They must widen the
salient at the base, or retire from it, for
the cost Of holding it indefinitely will be
out of all proportion to it's value.
In Sight of Objective.
Again in Picardy, they are almost with
in sight of their objective, Amiens and the
Paris railroad, but they are checked by
the numerous rivers which traverse the
battlefield. These rivers converge as they
flow toward the coast. The Germans are
astride all of these streams but the Noye,
which is too close to the railroad to be an
effective line of defense, but the rivers,
nevertheless, are of assistance to the allies
in defending Amiens. To be successful in
this theater, an attack must be made in
great force and along very wide front,
for the Allies are now holding in great
strength. Such an attack calls for the
most careful coordination between all the
attacking forces. The French rivers in
this district run between high banks, and
they effectively split the attacking forces
into various units.
The Likely Point.
The point at which the next attack is
most likely to take place is generally con-
coded to be the district just north Of Ar
ras. There is a front here of from twenty
to thirty miles which has not been moved
for more than year. An advance on this
front would straighten the whole German
line from Ypres to Montidier, remove the
dangerous salient south of Ypres, and
leave the Germans in position to choose
the point for their next drive along front
Of more than 100 miles.
Many signs point to this, district being
the choice of the German high command!
The greatest concentrations Of troops have
been reported by Allied airmen in this dis
trict There has been the most intense
aerial activity, showing the eagerness of
the Germans to prevent inspection of their
movements, and the artillery duels have
been terrific.
The Germans still possess sufficient re-
serves to make a new attack on a scale
equal to that launched in March, and it
undoubtedly will be made before many
days. It would be foolish to underestimate
the seriousness of the situation. The Al
lies are much better prepared for it than
they were two months ago, but on the
other hand the Germans have a much
shorter distance to go to win an important,
though not decisive victory. Both the at
tack and the defense will be ruthless, and
the battle may well be the crucial one of
the war.
Many events Of interest have transpired
during the week. The report comes from
Russia that an army is being modified
there to resist further aggressions by Ger
many. The Germans show no disposition
to halt their advance into Russia, and
there have been riots in Odessa and Kiev.
It is Germany's evident intention to drain
the resources, Of men, food and supplies,
of the Ukraine, Lithuania and all other
border states. The Kaiser is said to con-
idently count upon troops from the
Ukraine for the western front.
The New Alliance.
The new alliance between Austria and
Germany contaminated during the week,
is reflection Of the disordered conditions
in Austria. The monarchy was too weak
to cope with the rising spirit of revolt,
without German aid. In return for this
aid, Emperor Charles has turned over his
kingdoms to the : Prussians Austrian
troops will be used on the Western front,
and the Austrian attack on Italy, long de-
layed, is likely to occur. ...-
MI