The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-08-24
French Force River Divette and Hold
 Strong Positions
(Continued from Page One)

T On the north, having hurled the Germans from more or less important positions on a 30 mile front, the Brit ish are nearing Bapaume and threat ening the outlying defenses of Pe- rome. The fall of Bapaume, 1t is said, would be a disaster to the en- emy. Field Marshal Haig's men now are but little more than two miles away on the northwest, having taken Achiet le Grand and Bihuoourt In de- termined fighting.
 West of Nihon the French have forced a crossing of the Divette at Evricourt, three miles from Noyon. and they maintain their strong pres sure from the south and east. Be- tween the Aisne and the Ailette, north of Soissons, Gen. Mangin's troops are pressing close to the heights dominat- ing the Chemin des Dafes from the west, increasing the menace to the German positions along the Vesle. From Chaulnes tp south of Rove the battle line remains unchanged. French and British guns are pouring a heavy fire in and behind the front here, the stability of which is seri- ously shaken by the Allied progress to the north and south. Noyon still Is in enemy hands but its usefulness wanes as the French artillery bonn bards 1t and the armies of Generals Humbert and Mangin move toward 1t. On the front north of Soissons Gen. Mangin apparently Is giving most at- tention to sharpening the salient which has it's apex immediately north of Soissons. He has gained more ground east of Bagneux and west of Crecy au Mont toward the Soissons- Chauny road. Any advance here adds to the vulnerability of the German line eastward from Soissons
 Fires are reported burning behind the German position north of the Vesle and 1t is believed that the en- emy may be preparing to retire. In Efantry and transports have been ob- served northward from the Vesle in the last few days. American and French pressure continues along the river and the Americans have gained some more ground in the area about Fismes in local action.
 Everything is going well. We have begun our action and we shall Marshal Foch, whose strategy has placed the Germans in their present unenviable position. While the fighting has been raging on the front from Ypres to Rheims, the stretch of front from Rheims to Switzerland, where American troops hold many sectors has been quiet. A blow by the Americans on the line east and south of Rheims would not surprise some observers in Washington.
 For five weeks now Marshal Foch has held the initiative and the Ger mans have suffered probably the most | severe setbacks and have lost more ground in that time than in any like | period since 1916 on the western front The sixth week has begun suspicious ly with the German line from Arras to Soissons wavering under Allied
 blows and unable to retire without inviting disaster. In the last week more than 20,000 prisoners not count
 ing Fridays captures have beer taken, more than 50 towns and will
 lages have been regained and the Al
 lies have pressed on unchecked. London, Aug. 24-The ultimate ain , of the strategic plan which Marsha Foch is working out in the presen = series of battles is the subject of mucf
 speculation both in London and II
 Paris Broadly, the military expert: , are divided into two camps.
 P Some believe Marshal Foch is strlk l ing several hammer blows with thu Z object of weakening the enemy nu | | merically and, as regards position , and morale, preparatory to a decisiv' blow at some absolutely vital spot
 Others think the generalissimo a
 present is trying to disorganize what i
 really a great German retreat or in = tention to retreat on large sectors, be o ing content to reap the rich fruits o l this disorganization in the shape o big hauls of prisoners and materia = and to allow later results to guide hin
 iii the matter of more decisive actio
 this year.
 = As regards the latest development L. of the fighting in France one of tn
 most important is the British threa 5 against Bapaume, the fall of whic f would be a disaster for the enemy
 The desperate German resistance g Achiet le Grand, where the main de L. fensive positions of Bapaume wer
 placed, shows that the enemy realize
 this. Official announcement wa
 made Friday night that British troop
 were cast of Achit le Grand.
 Rome, Aug. 24-Italian troops hay ,n captured the village of Rivalta an
 the height of Sasso Stefani north l. Valstagna on the Brenta, the wa