New-York tribune., 1918-08-09
Conclusions Drawn From
Analysis of Important
Attacks and Defeats
actics Change Fast
Explanation Offered for Early
German Victories and FocI,'s
Brilliant Success
By Arthur S. Draper
lSDcctdI Cnhle To Tho T,.A.


copyright. 1918. by Tie Tribune Association,
LONDON, Aug S.-From = close stu
deh' o1 the war who has access to most
OF brtaln's military information |
nave obtained some facts which show
now dangerous it is to underestimate
the cnemy's strength and skill and how
easy and fatal it is to excuse defeat.
Many months ago the Germans won
an easy victory at Riga, which was ex-
planned away by the declaration that
the Russian army was shaken in morale
TO the core. But really what happened
was that the enemy introduced a new
style OF offensive Then came the
Caporetto disaster and the flood Of
stories about the collapse of the Ital-
IAN morale, due to the success of the
Austrian propaganda.
Next we had Byns's clever thrust at
Cambria and the enemy's counter
thrust which neutralized Byng's gains.
Poor intelligence is shown in the ex
cuse tor Byre's defeat, but all these
explanations fall short of the truth.
1T is worth while examining the
facts in the battle of Cambria, for thev
furnish the real answer for the re-
verses at Riga and Canoretto. and the
results at Lys, the Chemin des Danes
and to ioch's successful counter thrust
against the Germans on the Marnc.
ne Germans made two attacks at
Nambral-one againsg Bourbon Wood
and the other against the southern
-lery attack according to old tactics,
which failed. The second surprise
thrust was without the usual heavy
gun assault, and it succeeded, though
the defensive force faced the attackers
IN the proportion Of three 10 four,
IN the sumner or carly fall Of 1917
the German General Staff hit upon the
idea OF substituting the quick thrust
1or the battering tactics they en-
ployed az Nerdun and those similarly
employed by Haig along the Som1ne
and at Ypres. The Germans made the
Ilrst test at Riga, and nothing pleased
them more than to have the Allies
swallow the stories of the demoraliza-
tion Of the Russian forces.
Caporetto was the scene of the sec.
ond test made on a larger scale In
stead of facing the facts, the Allies
WHY SotlSIcQ " lUluK Lfc WORST ABOUT
themselves and charge that complete
defeat was due to enemy superiority.
| don't want 10 minimize the effect
OF these battles in their relation tc
Russian oralization, Austrian prop.
aganda or poor British intelligence, but
l SIMPLY want to put them in thei1
proper perspective as secondary fac
tors.
The Germans won chiefly because
they "crossed" the Allies-surprise ed
them. The Allies first discovered the
enemy's tactics at the Battle of the
Lys and hit upon a method of defence
that prevented the Germans flooding
Ger the Ypres plains. The Grown
Prince won a great victory because OF
the very daring of his attack on May
~, which swept over the Chemin des
DANES and down to the Marne When
he tried to extend his success on july
Is the French had solved the problem,
of defence, as events have shown. They
yielded ground and wdened "No Man g
Land Then Foch struck.
Foch and Petain have been misers
when dealing with men. Foch con-
serves his strength with wonderful pa
thence, and when he does invest it it
is evident he has examined every prop
osition from every side.
The recent phases of the Second Bat
tie of the Marine haven't been costly
successes for the Allies because Foch
has been cautious and patient. On the
other hand. the Grown Princes army
has suffered heavily and it no longer
carries sting
Americans would be wise not to un-
derrate their own army or that of the
enemy. In this war skill and ingenuity
rather than mere numbers or so-called
insidious propaganda win battles. Gen
orally the fighter with punch in each
fist can floor his opponent, however
much the crowd roots against him.