Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-07-21
Chief Of Staff, in Review of
War Situation in France,
Says Initiative Is Passed to
Allies and Yanks.
SIX AMERICAN DIVISIONS
FIGHTING WITH FRENCH
At Least 10000 Doughboys.
Are in the Battle; Two Regi-
ments of Negroes Are Known
To Be Fighting Huns.
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Washington July 20.--The high
water mark of the German offensive
In France has been reached. The in
itiative is passing to the Allied and
American armies.
General March, chief of staff, told
this TO members of the senate military
committee. Later he announced that
the American troop shipments now
had exceeded 100000 men. insuring
the man power to hold the initiative
on the western front
The direct objective of General
Fochs counter stroke, General March
told newspaper men in his weekly
conference, Is the railway that feeds
the German forces in the Chateau
Thierry region. Already it has been
attained, for the French and Ameri
can forces are either astride the line
at certain points or have it under di-
rect gunfire at short range, rendering
II unusable.
Even as General March spoke, un /.
official reports flashed over the cables
indicated the German withdrawal
from the sector south of the Marine
had begun under the threat of Gen.
eral Mangin's attacking army in the
enemy's rear. The withdrawal wal
foreseen by General March when
raining on the railway.
The American chief Of staff told
with evident satisfaction of the fact
that six American diyisinns are bat :
Ting with the French and for the
first time revealed their identity. They
either are on the advancing lines in
the Soissons and Chateau Thierry or
on those that are pressing along the
Marne front where there Is reason to
believe the Germans may suffer SER
ious losses In men and material be-
fare they reach safety. Still another
division of Americans is with General
Gouraud, the French leader who COM
mands east Of Iheims, where the enc
my assault hit against a stone wall
defense.
Negroes Are I'm Battle.
Two regiments of negro troops also
are known to be engaged. One Is east
Of Rheims, where the Americans held
the right flank of the whole front OF
attack when the German assault be-
gan, just as the Americans at Chateau
Thierry held firm on the left flank.
The other Is with the attacking forces
on the Soissons- Chateau Thierry line.
General Marchs explanation of the
disposition of the American forces in
dicates that at least 10000 American
fighting troops are in the battle and
probably the total force is nearer 3OO.-
00O than 100000. Each division has
fighting strength of $4,000 men and
each of the two detached negro regi-
nients a strength of $500. The full
strength of each division with auxil-
ia;y units Is $4,000 men.
General March's Statement.
General March said:
Since / last talked with YOU the
field of interest has shifted from the
Italian and Balkan front to our own
sector in France. Last Monday. the
18th, the Germans began an attack
which covered 6O-mile front. one
half of which covered the very hilly
ground between Chateau Thierry and
Rheims, the other half the plain of
the Champagne between Rheims and
the forest OF ArgonHe
In the Champagne district the
position which was heid largely by
french troops. with Tho assistance of
oae American divis.on and a regi-
rent OF United State, tolored troops,
was penetrated only a short distance
ut q few points. The Champagne dis
trict is under the command Of Cen
eral Gouraud Of the French army.
Gouraud Is one Of the MOST striking
personalities In France among the
army commanders. He is man
about SO years Of age. as he seemed
to me. erect and soldierly. He has
been in action all over the world and
has on his sleeve. the five wound
stripes. He has lost one arm and
man Of less determination and force
could never have survived. The
French call him tres soldat'--'every
inch soldiers He is man of such
determination and, force that in any
German drive against his troops his
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