The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-07-15
AMERICANS IN THICK OF
NEW GERMAN OFFENSIVE

energy and the battle continues. The
struggle is proceeding on a front of
so kilometers, approximately 80 miles.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY ON
THE MARINE, $40 a. M, by The As
sociated Press.-The Germans at day
light today launched violent attack
against the American positions west of
Chateau Thierry, especially near Vaux.
The attack came after most violent
bombardment of high explosive and
gas shells throughout the night. The
American troops took shelter wherever
it was available.
When the enemy infantry appeared
the Americans swarnhed out and met the
attackers with rain of machine gun
bullets. The Americans wore their gas
masks as they fought the attacking
Germans. The latest reports say the
Americans are holding their own in the
fighting, maintaining their positions.
An enemy bombardment of towns in
the rear of the line began shortly after
O'Clock this morning. Heavy she'll
from German naval guns are falling in
regions far behind the actual battle
area Many of these projeetiles have
fallen in the city of Maux, % miles
from ChSteau Thierry. In many of
these towns the German shellfre is con-
stant, the projectiles being from To-
and 12-inch naval guns. Reports from
American advance positions said that
the American troops were handling the
enemy well in the desperate fighting
which is continuing.
! At 8 clock this morning it had not
been determined how the struggle in
the vicinity of Vaux was progressing.
The whole line in both directions from
that town was dense with smoke and
gas fumes. The roar of the cannonade
was punetuated in the few intermis-
sions with terrific din of machine gun
and rifle fire, which seemed of the hot
test character in NauX itself.
In this locality it was not known
whether the Germans in this attack had
begun another offensive, but the inten-
sity of the fighting Indicated to those
near the scene that the operation was
/ Il renewal of the general attack that
had been expected.
The American forces on this front
delivered a counter attack upon the
Germans in the Vaux region this morn
ing and drove off the enemy. 1t is re-
ported that the Americans have ad
vanced their own lines a distance OF
several hundred yards, but this has not
been confirmed.
1t is clear that the German attack
in the Vaux region completely broke
! down under the American counter at
tack. Further sharp fighting is likely
to develop in this area at any time
however.
Shortly after IL o'clock one of tho
American infantry regiments launched {
counter-attack in the region of Conde
Reports received here shortly after l.
a. m. of the fighting to the east OF
Rheims said that the enemy up to about
an hour previously had made no prog
ress whatever there. In the Conde re
gion. however, before the American
counter-attack the German advance ap
peared to have eliminated the rive
| salient.
The operations at Vaux appeared t
be feint for soon after 1T began tn
Germans attacked all along the Marn
where they were gallantly opposed b.
more of the American troops and b,
the French. The first crossing was mad
at the peak of the river bend
The American machine gunners an
linfantrymen fought and died where the
stood- Others of the American troop
withdrew strategically as the enemy al
tackled from cast of Chateau Their
, along the Marine east of Dormans, max
ing additional crossings. At 11.2
: o clock this morning the long rang
bombardment was becoming more IL
| tense. The day opened sunny, but To-
clouds are now scurrying over the ba
tlefeld threatening rain.
In their attack on the Marine froT
held by the Americans the German
threw many bridges across the rive
Y Over these the Germans are passing Ill
n der a whitening fire from the artiller,
German progress is being stayed by Il
machine gunners. The Americans al
Il their French comrades have resisted Il
C enemy to the utmost and are eontin
- ing this character of resistance Wol
received here shows that the enen
launched an attack east of Rheims, b
a on the sectors on that front on viii
French and Americans are fighting 81
= by side the positions are reported intal
= The American machine gunners here
i the enemy come close to their positio
l and then opened a deadly fire into t
advancing close formation of German