Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-21
ALL HUN LINE SHAKEN;
FOCH'S MASTER STROKE
Most Vital Blow Yet Delivered
by Allies. Says Expert of Yes
terday's Fight.

expert summarizes the war solutionas
follows:
The French delivered another crush
ing blow at the Germans yesterday, the
hardest blow administered since the be,
ginning of the last allied offensive ana
the most dangerous Germany has yet
received. The number of prisoners
taken, while large, upward OF Soo
men, was exceeded in the two blows
which preceded But neither of the
first offensives held the possibility of
such results AS that which struck the
German lines Yesterday morning
The entire German line is shaken from
the North Sea to Rheims. The vital de-
fenses of this line are found IN the
southern sector from LaSsingy to the
Aisne. If this section of the hne held,
both northern and southern wings could
retain their present position But II
this section failed, both wings would
have to readjust themselves IN new po-
Sitions
The reason for this ran be found in
the general nature of the terrain. ne
section west of the Oise known rs Little
Switzerland is generally well under
stood as a result Of previous discussions
The territory between the oiSe and the
Aisne. however. i fully as important
L
tcrdcpcndcnt To lose one Is to lose
both. since with one gone the other Is
outiianked and must fall back
p1rrIcrIr COUNTRY TO DEFENp
eli we examine the territory between
thc,,. rivers, west OF SoISsons, we hnd
= land cut up with deep ravineS, banked
ON either side by high hills with very
high sides. Each ravine is lined with
l. ND h, inf dot cd with
heavy wood patches 1t i IN admirable
territory for dcteusc until We get 10
within three miles of the OIsc. where
the country fattene out into a broad
unhrohcn plain. bounded hy the woods
of Carcpout. the Disc River and the
Ol~o-A Aisnc Canal There are IN this
stretch several small bits Of woods. but
the country l. completely level, and Is
consequently most difficult country 10
defend.
Germany has not had an opportunity
to construct behind the lines she held
before the French attacks any material
lclcn~cS y a matter ot tact, np 70
month ago there was no necessity for
such construction as the Germans were
then figuring on going forward and not
backwards The French therefore have
tins distance of three miles to cover be-
tore hey reach the southern bank OF the
OSa river, thrusting the Germans OF
course back 10 the north bank II they
can do this, and il seems entirely rca-
>onablC that they should be able 20 do
50. the onlv barrier between them and
the eastern bank of the Olse bend will
he the two forests o. Carlepont and Of
Durschamp which will be completely
,rned and will nave to be evacuated
almost without a tight.
Will FORCE BocHE RETREAT.
This Will place the French on the out
skirts ct Novon. which IS on the north
bank q The river and will automatically
force the retreat OF the Germans from
that part Of little switzerland which
they still hold.
'iBut this is not all The French drive
OF YESTERDAY has enabled them 10 estab-
lish their lines almost due north from
the Aisne from Courtil to Nesponia, q
distance Of nearly four miles. This
threatens TO turn the entire Aisne line
and thus force a retreat heyond the
Aisne to the Chemin-deS-DameS
1t Is BY no means the intention Of the
allied commander 10 permit the Ger
mans TO get behind the Alsne river and
settle down into good defensive posi-
tions. Under such circumstances, the
-AIsne would be an almost lIlllbOSSIitt
barrier TO force.
The result would be that the southern
German wing would be just as securely
locked as was the entire line IN the old
Hlndenburg positions. This latest sue
cess puts this plan beyond hope. When
the Germans begin to fall back from the
Nese they NAV make a temporary
halt at the Aisne. bur must IN short
time continue TO the Chemin-des-Dames
or some other position north Of the Alsne
river
THE northern wing Of the German
army which viii shortly extend from
Noyon to the North Se Will also be
vtaIlH affected by continuation Of the
present offensive Here we will have
another right angle IN the line with
Novon as its apex Here also the danger
will be too great for the Germans TO
take q chance OF holding on. The result
~ further east. must be q retirement
~ least behind the \eye Canal as far
north IS Nesle. and behind the Somme
from Nesle northwTd
Never have the Germans been IN such
an uncomfortable position. Foch Is
jising his reserve strength with ire
nendous driving force He Is catching
the Germans al pumber Of points,
sometimes widely separated. sometimes
close together Il Is never known Just
where he will stricke next But he has
furnished US with something that was
lacking up 10 the time of this last at
tack-the connecting link between his
joined up ana the general plan has