Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-23
BRITISH AND FRENCH
STOPPED HUN DRIVE
Americas First Notable Contribution
to War Made In Second
Battle OF Marnc.
ALLIED LINES HOLD INTACT
Marshal Foch Launched Great Allied
CONFERENCE.-The July 10, Followed
by Second Smash August on
Ancrc Front.
Try Associatedpressl

Ancrc Front.
fBy Associated Pressi
Six months ago Saturday the great
German offensive began FOR weeks
victory seemed about to perch on the
German banners. To-day The allied
star Is in the ascendancy
Anxiety and ENCOURAGEMENT dcprcs-
sion and JOY. have succeeded each otner
since at dawn on March u the great
est battle OF history began. II mas
lighting and OF bewildering changes IN
the situations that developed from Gay
10 day and from week TO week
| The allies knew they faced Ger
! but stood unafraid. Released by tho
power, vast numbers OF German vet
! Grams had been rushed 10 the western
/ front. and been. give Intensive train
/ ing for the offensive by which tho
/ Teutonic war lords dreamed that they
! might force upon the world a German
peace; Germany made 40 secret OF
where the Germans would launch their
first attach q, and for weeks before
been fixed on the long. curving line
from LaFere to Arras as the stage
| where the first act OF the great drama
Moving with swiftness that carried
! concern TO every entente nation. tho
. German forces swept over the British
! like tidal wave during the closing
days, of March until at last the British
reached positions where they could
stand at bay. and the French had como
TO form a living wall before the gray
clad host OF the German Emperor.
Then the offensive stopped
Hardly had its rush been checked
than the line between Lens and Ypres
was attacked by the Germans. ana
ward. This advance OF the enemy went
on until it reached the high ground
to the southwest Of Ypres and then II.
pause followed for nearly a month.
and then. on May -. the Germans sud
denly broke through the French lines
their way southwark until they haa
reached the Marne over q wide front
east Of Chateau-Thierry.. No sooner
had the momentum OF this drive been
taken up by the yielding defense OF
the French troops than new assault
was made by the Germans. who this
time tried to break the French lines
between Montdidier and Noyon. and
link up the Picardy and Marine sec
tors.
II was here that the world had tho
first intimation that the allied armies,
which since late in March had been
under the supreme command o. Mar
shall Foch. had been pursuing n def
mite policy and had conserved their
strength against the time when II
German attack east of Montdidier came
10 pause after six days OF terrible
fighting, in which the Germans sur
fcred friEhtful losses and the French
for the first time since the German
offensive began. struck back at the in
vaderS.
AMERICANS HELP STOP
GERMANS on MARINE
American forces had taken part in
the final phases OF the battle along the
Marine. and had been instrumental in
stopping the Germans at Chateau
Thierry. In this battle came the first
notable contribution OF America TO the
military fortunes OF the allies. Since
March. however, there had been Il flood
Atlantic and during May. June ana
the first part OF July they rapidly
moved up 10 the battle zone.
man offensive east OF Montdidier gave
the allies hope that the German tide
would be safely Steamed. and this
feeling was heightened during the
succeeding three or four weeks by L
series of local actions along the from.
from scissors to Chateau-Thierry, by
which the Germans we're driven back
steadily from points OF tactical vaius.
/ What was not known by the lay world
was the fact that. by these very ac-
tons. Marshal Foch virtually forced
the Germans TO attack somewhere In
the Marine region. where preparations
were made for new phase Of the
On July IL the Germans made a new
drive. called by them the offensive
OF peace from Chateau Thierry east
ward far into the Champagne sector.
No sooner had the news OF the attack
reached the word rs1 than the ,dings
American lines subject 10 assault were
standing firmly in every vital part or
he een s eor that that was only BY h
pounded their way ahead in the region
southwest OF Rheims and stride the
known that the allies had solved the
German system of onense and were
able 10 hold their GROUND.
an attack which has changed the
whole complexion OF the situation.
From Fontenoy. on the Aisne, west OF
Marine, the German lines were torn
to pieces and the Marine salient threat
ened TO collapse II was only by the
mans succeeded in saving their army
from disaster and finally succeeded In
retreating across the Fesle River.
on August S the French and British
from the Ancre River to Moreuil, north
Of Mon, "l. and SCI; sent g the enemy
next day the French crushed in this
German front south of Montdidier, ana
then linking their lines with those or
the British farther north. forced the
invaders back 10 the eastward.
Less than two weeks later the Ger
man lines southwest OF Arras were
forces holding them Joined heir COM
rades farther south in n retreat which
has now virtually reached the German
lines as they We're March 81 from
Arras TO the Chemin -des- Danes. soutn-
west of Scissors
While this retreat was going on, the
Germans began withdrawal from the
Flanders salient and to-day they are
nearly back to the lines from which
they rallied TO their attack later III
April.
Thus far the allied drive might have
been considered in the light OF defen
sive operations. but the work has not
Ia Icn ne
enemy. His positins along the linden
burg line. east OF Arras. ha- been
wrestod from him, while farther south.
near ST. quentin, the British have, IN
recent days, fought their way into
the cncmy's lines where he had planned
TO stand on the defensive
Tho First American field army has
obliterated the ST. Mihiel salient and
Strengthened the line east OF Yerdun
LIZ