Bisbee daily review., 1918-08-03
WASHINGTON
solssoNs IS KEY TO ENTIRE GER MAN RIGHT FLANK IN AIsNE- MARINE POSITION AND CAPTURE PROVES THAT JAWS OF FocH's GREAT TRAP ARE CLOSING
CBv Review I.eased 1Virel

WASHINGTON. Aug. 2.-The
 collapse of the German defensive
 positions just north of the Ourcd.
 forced by the dash of American
 troops in the center and the bril-
 lian French and British flank Op-
 erations, is sweeping the enemy
 out of the Aisne- Marne salient.
 The rush came so quickly it was
 difficult for army officials here to
 appraise the extent of the victory.
 There was a strong possibility the
 Germans would be unable to hold
 the VeSle line toward which they
 are hastening and would be driven
 to the heights north of the Aisne
 TOnight's official report from
 Paris carried the most startling message in several days. Soissons.
 the key of the German right flank
 in the whole Aisne-Marne position.
 was again in French hands. At
 the same time the brief announce
 ment that ThillOis, west of Rheims
 had been taken. shows that the
 jaws of the great trap created by
 General FOch at last had begun
 to close.
 The re-entry of SOisSOns is nOtewOr- thy. The French were forced out or that city, the largest on that sector of the front, in the first German as- sault of the Chenin Des Danes last May. Its capture by the enemy was a long stride on the road to Paris. a stride that was in fact definitely only when the Germans me. American troops northwest of Chateau weeks later and were halted in their tracks and hurled back To many officials here the little stretch of line. where the first two American divisions came into action below the Villers-COtterets forest will mark the German high water mark.
 Of greater military significance in tOnight's report. however. is the advance of the other jaw of the
 trap at Thillois. This was taken
 to mean the French are pushing into the north and west of Rheims an advance that may we'll serve to force the enemy to continue his withdrawal to the Aisne with out a chance tO stand along the Vesle. The left flank of his line at the Vesle is in danger of being turned before his forces south of that river reach it.
 If the advance of the French on this line continues. 1t may well become a race for the Aisne with the enemy forced to abandon heavy material in a desperate at tempt to get his forces into line
 beyond the river before they are cut off. The picture of a struggle
 to the death between the two armies drawn by General March recently. is being revived sharply. The greatest value seen by many in all that has happened since the counter blow was launched is that a precedent of victory on the western front has established. It has been fully demonstrated already that the enemy can be fought extensively and there are many signs that his punish ment is just beginning General FOch holds the initiative firmly and is mas ter of the situation He can choose now the time and place to fight. for he enemy is compelled tO act on the defensive and to give ground to save his forces from annihilatiOn.
 General March has seen in the fattening out of the AisneMarne salient while the Germans were able to hold the SOissons and Rheims jaws fast the vanishing of any reasonable prospect of bag ging the German armies. Other officials have had a deep cOnvic- ton. however. that the Germans would not escape from that salient without serious losses and to- nights developments added to their uncertainty. There are re-