Mexico Missouri message., 1918-08-08
Fifth German Offensive, on the
Marne, Quickly Checked by
French and Yankees.
START DRIVE OF THEIR OWN
Line North Of Chateau Thierry Pushed
Esstward--Huns Lose Heavily in
Fierce Fighting East and
West Of ReIms.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARp.

Up to the hour of writing, Germany's
supreme effort" to win Teutonic
victory by smashing through the al
lies lines has been a dismal and costly
failure. The Huns had gained nothing
worth mentioning, and had lost perhaps
100000 men. More than that, 1t ap-
peared they had lost their last chance
to demolish- the defenses of the allies,
and had sustained defeat that would
play havoc with the morale Of their
troops and with the support Of the
civilian population of Germany.
As soon as the German offensive
seemed safely checked, General Foch
took the initiative and put on a drive
of his own that sent a thrill through
nll the allied countries. French and
American troops, secretly and careful
ly concentrated, were launched in a
great attack on a twenty-five mile
front between Belleau wood and the
Aisne river. The enemy was taken
completely by surprise, and the allies,
following a tremendous rolling bar
rage, advanced swiftly taking on the
first day more than twenty towns and
villages, many cannon and large num-
bers of prisoners. They then were
close to Soissons, commanding it with
their guns, and were In the outskirts
of Neullly st. Front. Culchy, the key
to the Chateau Thierry sector, was
threatened; many of the railways and
roads of supply for the German armies
in the south were cut or under shell
fire, and 1t appeared that Ludendorff
would have to act quickly and power
fully or be driven entirely out of the
Chateau Thierry salient II not back
to the Aisne.
AS this is written the battle in that
region is still going on, with the Ger
man resistance stiffened by the bring
ing up of fresh troops. The Franco
American drive at least served to les
sen the Hun pressure on the defensive
lines about Reims, though 1t was pre-
mature to say that the ancient cathe-
dral city would not have to be evacu-
ated, or that the Germans In the
Marine district had been beaten to n
standstlll., Severe as was their check,
they still had great forces in reserve.
IA
This latest German drive, directed
by Ludendorff, opened early Monday
with a tremendous attack at nearly
all points along 65-mile front from
Chateau Thierry to Main de Massiges,
east of Reims. The immediate
defenses Of Reims were not assaulted,
g& 80, he khA lat ~
the Huns to squeeze the allies out of
that city and to eliminate the sail
ent there, and then to force their
way on to Epernay and Chalons. The
onrush of the first day bent back the
allied line in places, but nowhere was
II broken; much of the lost ground
was speedily regained, and when the
second day came to a close 1t was
considered that the offensive had been
definitely stopped. None Of its OBJ
jectives had been attained, though the
German commanders employed about
10000 mtn in their fierce attacks.
Won Bernhard, the famous Prussian
strateglst. .bnce said an offensive which
Is brought to a standstill is con-
auered offensive. and the allies took
that view Of the situation.
Ia
with pride and qualification Amer
ica learned of the splendid part played
BY its soldiers in this third battle OF
the Marne. Some 10000 Of them
were involved, holding especially the
sectors Just west and east OF Chateau
ThIerry. and they acquitted them
selves In a manner that. won the un-
qualified praise Of the French com
-snanders. In the first place. they Sus-