The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-08-20
The Week In the War

and may prove far reaching I'm results as develop |
ments continue can be clearly seen in retrospect
OF the events of the past week on the Western
front WHICH continues to be the chief center of
military activity.
Fundamentally important is the fact that Gen
cral Foch is able to continue his armies the i
offensive and to keep the enemy in state of des-
perate defensive. With orders to hold ground at
all hazards and at any cost it was but natural that
the foe should be able to achieve slowing down
in progress by the Allies especially as the earlier
advances were so rapid Human strength and
human ability does not permit of continued as
saults and advances such the Allies had scored
up to the first of last week. Munitions and artil-
lery must be brought up communications estab-
lished and there must be recuperation to some
extent after immense strain and intense endeavor
Yet General Foch keeps on hammering, keeps on
nibblng, keeps on driving wedges now here and
again there, weakening the foe and resulting in re-
tirenents more or less extensived. These wedges
and salients are being after another pinched
out and the positions of the Teutons being con-
stanty made difficult of maintenance and
general retirement is becoming immi-
nent.
Thus is Foch pursuing practically the same tao
tics he did in the Aisne-Marne salient when his
offensive in that sector had slowed down some
what He is pursuing series of heavy attacks ,
for important individual posts which he subse-
uuently connects UP and thus makes the advance
general when judged from the total result
achieved.
Another outstanding feature of the news has
seen the reports of the weakening of the morale
of,sAe Germans. News reports tell of their read-
ness to surrender and the remarkably small casual
ty lists of the Allies in proportion to gains and
results achieved bear out the reports Of the weak
ening of the Boches. 1t has been reported that
in the Aisne-Marne offensive and in the Pcardy
offensive to this time the enemy loss in prisoners
alone has been as large the entire casualty list
Of the Allies. s,.,sA.tyss ,tS .
In the week that has just passedsthere have been
several voluntary retirements by the enemy in the
face Of the tEsatening advances of the Allies and
i in Flanders shifiA seonditons have prevailed for
the reports have several occasions told of
falling back on the Lys salient This evacuated
territory is quickly taken over by the Allies and
consolidated with the gains that in the
actual fighting.
News of Saturday night and yesterday indicates
that the retirement of enemy may be materially
precipitated by most recent gains. These gains
were in the vicinity of Autreches, about ten miles
northwest of and equal distance south of Noyons,
point that may be termed the hinge between the
Aisne and the Oise fronts. Yesterday the Au-
treches heights were taken which gives the Allies
dominating position at this point.
But far important than the length of the
gains is the fact that the foe is given no oppor-
tunity to reCuperate, to reorganize and to assume
the offensive again. From March Fl to July II
the Allies constantly the defensive and
then of a sudden when the Germans believed they
q had the spirit and the man power Of the French
broken, offensive that has spread and
grown and extended over more than month
There are indications that most of the Neutral
nations have believed that Germany would win
and the hour Of Teuton victory could not be long
postponed and have governed their course accord
ingly This sentiment has quite evidently changed
recently and clear indication of the change is
found in the firmer front Spain presents in dealing
with submarine atrocities Spain no longer asks,
she announces that she will take from Germany
ton for ton interned German craft, to replace de-
stroyed Spanish vessels. The moral effect upon
the Neutras of the successful Allied offensive is
already great and, if continued, will become enor-
nous
Military observers and editorial writers be-
coming more than ever agreed that the tide has
really turned and the events of the past week have
gone to strengthen that belief The Prussian war
lords have been unable to strike again. the entire
4 plan of their offensive with Paris and the Channel
Ports OBJ ectives has been shattered. The vic
y tory promised to the German people has evapO
rated and like smoke before breeze has been
sspated No longer the tide sweeps toward Paris
4 and the Channel Ports, it has set Berlinward
III Claims of the Teuton party through the
press are often amusing as is evidenced by at
tempts to belittle the success of General Foch. A
Berlin publication undertakes to prove that FOCh
has not victory and uses his book to
prove it. This publication says General FOCh
maintains that victory has not been secured un-
iii the enemys line has been cut through and he
has been attacked in the and that having
failed to do this General Foch has failed in his
4 ,,rDnSa