The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-23
BREAK BRITISH


Continued from Page One.l
hours last night on the whole battle
front. During the afternoon powerful
hostile attacks delivered with great
weight of infantry and artillery proke
thru our defensive system west OF ST.
Quentin.
s.Our troops on this part of the bat
tie fronts are falling back in good or
der across the devastated area TO pre-
pared positions farther west
"Our troops on the northern portion
of the battle front are holding their
positions.
VERY heavy fighting with fresh
hostile forces is in progress.
Not Clear Thru Defense Zone.
The statement of the British war
office that the troops west OF ST
Quentin are falling back to prepared
positions indicates that the Germans,
aItho they have broken thru the Brit
ish defensive system, have not pierced
the entire British zone of defense. The
allusion in the British statement to
the defensive system may be only TO
the main battle front system. behind
which other lines have been prepared
If that is the case the Germans have
done little more than repeat what the
British did in~the battle of the Somme,
when they pierced the Hindenburg
line and captured long stretches of it,
forcing the Germans to retreat to pre-
pared positions in the rear.
The experiences of the attacking
forces in other campaigns show that
the Germans as they progress are like
" to find their movements more diff
cult and the resistance of the British
more effective. The more deeply they
strike into the British lines the fur
Their they must move from their bases,
entailing increasing difficulties in pro-
viding supplies for their troops. They
must move forward over a devastated
area while the British will have the
great advantage of good roads and
railroads.
Can Huns Move Up Big Guns?
Perhaps the greatest problem of the
Germans will be to bring up their
heavy artillery. In every previous
campaign of this nature 1t mas oeen
necessary for the advancing forces to
halt frequently while bringing up the
heavy pieces. The extent of the Brit
ish defenses has been subject OF
much speculation but it is known they
have been vastly improved during the
last winter. Earlier in the war, when
the offensive rested with the French
and British. less attention was paid to
positions of the rear. The British in
particular were said to Scorn elabor-
ate defensive zones such as the Ger
mans constructed. After the detection
of Russia and consequent increase of
German strength in the west, however,
it became necessary for the allies to
consider defensive measures, which
were carried out during the winter.
First Time Break Thru.
For the first time in the war on
the western front since the opposing
armies established themselves in
their trench systems, the defensive
zone has been broken thru. In other
great attacks the British, French and
Germans have been able to bend
back the lire but not to strike thru
the zone of defense. Many military
critics had reached the opinion that
on account of the strength of the
lines, it would be impossible to break
them until one side or the other had
been worn down to such a point that
it would be no longer able to man
| il strongly
Unless the British are able to re
store the situation by a counter at
tack, a withdrawal on a wide front
may be necessary with open field
warfare.
Near Sector Defending Paris.
| Tie point at which the British line
| has been broken is near the southern
! end of the German attacking front
which extends from Arras to Lafere,
low this sector is the great arc in
the front, where the line, approaching
nearest to Paris, turns sharply to the
east.
Inc German OFFENSIVE mas developed
with almost unparalleled rapidity.
| One reason for this is indicated in
| Field Marshal Haig's reports showing
| that the Germans are consta ntly
| bringing up fresh bodies of troops.
Hurl Nine Divisions Again Position.
| Field Marshal Haig has deemed it
expedient not to divulge the exact To-
| cation of the British battle line but
the most intense fighting has been
around Croiselles on the north, and
Leverguier on the south. In the CEN
| ter of the northern half of the fifty
mile front near the Bapaume-Cambrai
high road the British have held against
| the enemy. Near Croiselles the Ger
mans used nine divisions in their at
| tack and south of ST. Quentin they
used six divisions. Here the British
retired to the protection of the Disc
| river and the flooded ground near it,
Berlin in announcing the capture of
$4,000 prisoners and 290 guns does
not locate the fighting areas, nor does
| it specify the sectors of most intense
/ action. 1t. places the fighting as
along a front between Arras and
LaFere
The initial German efforts were
aimed at Lagnicourt, at the northern
end of the sharp Cambria salient and
at Goheaucourt, at the southern point
| of the salient. After the frs. assault
the Germans, firing great quantities
of shells into the British positions
heightened the attacking fronts sew
| of nf