The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-12-13

Out of the confusion and daZe of the
crowding military events on the west
ern battle line since late in Septem-
Der, when battle followed battle until,
from Flanders to Verdun, there was
ceaseless action, 1t is now permissible
to outline, to a certain extent, the part
played by the American armies in the
final decisive battle of the war, which
ended with the signing of the armis-
tice.
Military reasons heretofore have pre-
vented accentuating the accomplish
ments of the Americans, except in a
most general manner. The dispatches
from the field have been necessarily
fragmentary and possibly were over
Swallowed by the accounts of the more
dramatic operations over the historic
battlefronts to the west.
But 1t now may be stated that twen-
ty-one American divisions, totaling
more than 10000 American combat
troops, participated in the action be-
ginning September 26, known various
ly as the battle of the Argonne and
the battle of the Mouse, but which his
tory may call Sedan-the battle that
brought Germany to her knees and, as
far as human foresight goes, ended the
worlds bloodiest and costliest war.
In order to understand the military
situation which made the Argonne OPP
erations the crux of the war 1t is nee
essary to go back to the reduction of
the st. Mihiel salient In the middle
Of September.
Bring Threat to Metz.
This brilliant American accomplish
ment is still fresh In history. 1t cut
off at n stroke a menacing enemy
projection toward Verdun and weak
ened the enemy's defensive by threat
ening Metz, one of Germany's two
greatest advance railway centers for
distributing troops and supplies along
the Montmedy-S Sedan line.
Metz also was the pivot on which
the enemy swung through Belgium in
to France, and therefore, obviously,
1t was the pivot ON which his retire
ment must hinge. The Argonne, the
next step below here, threatened the
great railway arteries running west
ward from Metz.
With the conclusion of the st. Mihiel
action the steady inflow Of American
forces caused n displacement Of power
as between the allied and German
armies. Thus 1t no longer was neces-
sary to pursue a policy Of reducing
a salient or nibbling at 1t. The Amer
lean troops had shown what they could
do.
A broader policy of general attack
along the entire line was then adopted,
and the high command called upon
General Pershing to take the Argonne
sector, admittedly one of the most, IL
not the most, difficult Of the whole
front. The broken terrain, the topog-
raphy, and the lack Of roads made
the problem difficult to describe.
Germany had In four years fortified
1t to the last degree Of military skill,
with superb roads, both rail and motor,
connecting up to the zeal positions
and the bases.
Physical Conditions Terrible.
The outstanding features of the Ar
gonne forest Is a long chain of hills
running north and south, covered with
n dense growth Of trees and UNDER
growth. making an advance difficult
and offering superb defensive quail.
ties. Virtually nc roads exist In the
forest except for q few traversed
passes running east and west. The
soil is such that the least rain cor,
verts 1t into a slippery, miry mess.
In other words, the physical condi-
tion is such that the line of attach.
FOR an advancing army Is limited to
valleys, chief among which is that OF
the Aire river.
From the edge Of the forest, where
the resistance was viciously strong, the
enemy possessed innumerable thanking
positions. But beyond this difficult re-
gion lay the Mohtmedy-Seda line,
which was recently captured. A Ger
man order described 1t as "our life
artery" 1t represented one-half Of
the German rail supply on the western
front. 1t meant death If cut.
The allied high command told Per.
Ghing to cut 1t. The American First
army was put in motion from st. Mi.
hiel. In nine days 1t was on the Ar.
gonne line ready for an attempt, the
failure Of which might mean disaster
and the success of which would give
untold results. This quick movement
OF an m body of men, the estab-
lishment of a new line of supply and
all the complicated military prepare
rions, was regarded with pride by the
American commanders.
The Americans knew what confront.
ed them. They realized that this was
nc second st. Mihiel, but an enterprise
at which other armies had baked FOL
four years. They knew that here was
to be fought a fight to rank with the
nrst battle Of the Marine. with verdun