Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-15
HUN aim NOT
WON is VIEW
OF DEPT.
Foe Falls Short of His
Mark-Turning Point
Being Reached.

Washington, April 15.-The turn
ing point in the battle on the west
front is being reached, says the war
departments review of the military
situation for the week ending April
13 published today. The Germans
have failed in their purpose to
achieve victory in the field, the
statement says and soon will be
forced to resume their old tactics.
I'VE must bear in mind" the re-
view says, that the enemy is wag-
ing battle of annihilatiOn to
achieve victory. He is fighting to-
day with the sole aim of annhilat-
ing the British armies Thus. terri
tory conquered, counts for little.
Hun Aim Not Attained.
while it must be admitted that
German operations since the be-
ginning of the present offensive has
resulted in more than a mere plow-
ing up of part of the allied trench
system and the capture of local OBJ
jectives along a wide front, never
theless, the aim of the German
higher command to obtain a decis-
i've strategic success by these as
saults has not been attained.
THE turning point in the west
is being reached. The Germans
have scored a distinct advantage
which it would be unwise to en-
deavor to beIittle. Yet they have
failed in their purpose to achieve
victory in the field and soon will
be forced to resume their old tao
tics, seeking to gain limited objec-
tives, striking first at one point,
then at another in order to render
the allied position untenable and
give themselves greater security"
Strikes at Weakest Point
The review of operations says:
"As time passes it becomes evil
dent that the enemy is striking with
renewed vigor at the weakest point
he can find.
"In the offensive in Picardy the
Germans sought for rift in the
line where the French and British
forces Joined.
Failing to achieve any definite
far reaching results from this op-
Grafton they promptly returned to
the assault elsewhere and plunged
forward hoping that by driving a
wedge into the sector along the
front held by Portuguese and Brit
ish units, they would be able to roll
the British towards the sea and
effect break through.
This is the operation attempted
this week in the region of the fam
GUS battle-ground of the early days
of the war in front Of Lille.
Here on a frontage of 10000
yards stretching from Armentieres
to the Lebassee canal, the segment
held by the Portuguese troops
fanked on either side by British
divisions. was penetrated after an
intense bombardment.
Weather Aids Attackers.
"The hostile attack was favored
by a thick mist and in spite Of the
fact that the British fought tenac-
iously they were compelled to give
after the Portuguese positions had
been broken through and have since
retired, abandoning Armentieres
and other points.
'"rhe enemy has made headway
along the Labassee canal TO within
the immediate vicinity of Bethune
while other points northwest OF the
city of considerable tactical i'm
portance have fallen into the hands
of the enemy.
"The enemy now finds himself
within 40 miles of Calais. The main
lines of communication to channel
ports radiate vertically from this
battle front and thus facilitate the
German advance.
VIII Try to Wipe Out British.
"If the enemy can muster the
driving power, he will in all prob
ability continue his assaults. hop
ing that by an enveloping attack on
an obIiQue front, to use the classic
Prussian definition, he may score
a complete annihilation victory,
There has been less activity
along the southern flank of the
Picardy salient. Here the line
taken over by the French is now
fully consolidated.
1.-THE German higher command
maQS desperate dlLSLuplS W Cildi 80
its gains in the area stretching
from Montdidier to Noyon, and i'm
prove the position in this vicinity
but they were everywhere repulseo
by the French.
North of the Somme, the British
their line in the
Aveluy woods and took a number
of prisoners.
T.. s. Front Active.
"In the sectors where our own
forces are fighting. considerable
activity prevailed After protracted
artillery preparation the Germans
launched an attack against our po-
sition northwest of Toul.
THE regrouping of forces has
been going on and the continuation
of concentration of hostile units is
The probability of an en-
emy offensive in this area taking
place as soon as the weather be-