The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-29


many respects their most powerful
offensive, although It's extent was
much less than that of the Somme.
In a day they swept over the Chemin-
dcs Danes, on the heights north OF
the Aisne. and crossed the river in a
rush. .Sext they took Suissor1s and
reached the Vesle. On they went TO
the Marine, extending their front on
the river from Chateau -Thierry = to
Verneuii. and threatening RheirlA in
their advance. The drive was halted
with the Germans occupying front
sixteen miles wide on the Marine. The
path to Paris had been blocked, hu.
II was admitted that the situation WAS
critical
In the meantime the Americans had
won attention on May % by taking
Cantigny. on the Pieardy front In a
brilliant attack The Germans made
several determined attempts to retake
Cantigny, but failed
On May IS German U-boats began
operations of the coast of the United
States. sinking eleven ships. AT the
same time Admiral Sims reported the
sinking of the transport President
Lincoln. with the loss of twenty three
members OF the crew
Our Marines al Cnateau-Thierry.
The German drive for Paris was
resumed. but the turning point was
reached when on June 8 and Amer
lean marines were thrown across the
path OF the advancing army at
Chateau 'T'hierry The Americans
not only stopped the Germans. but
Ing several hundred prisoners. Heavy
counter attacks broke down under
the machine gun fire of the Yanks,
and the road to Paris was again
blocked The marines suffered severe
" in the terrific lighting, bu, they
made Chateau Thierry a name that
will live long in American history.
In an effort TO unite the Somne sal
lent with that of the Marine, to pro
vide base for another move toward
Paris. the Germans launched another
neavy attack west Of Nogon, On June
10, They made considerable gains on
a twenty mile front, but the drive WAS
halted within two days
ON June IL Washington announced
that the United States was then rep
resented on the battle dne by 700. 900
men.
Attention was transferred from
France to italy when, an June ! 5, the
Austrtans opened an offensive on the
Italian front from 4AsiaEo plateau to
the sea- The attack proved Il com
plete tiasco. II was repulsed at all
points. and the Italians pursued the
fleeing Aus'rians across the Pave,
rTkfrg ST, uUG rrfsonsrE,
The German commanders made one
last effort tn break through TO Paris
when the crown princes army group
IN July Is, the morning after the
French national holiday, launched an
offensive along "a front from Chateau
Thierry 10 Masslges. thirty miles east
OF Rhsims.
This fifth and last. phase OF the
great offensive failed most signaiiy.
being stopped on tbe third day. The
Ameriran forces played . big part
in this second decisive battle ef the
Marine, East of Chateau-Thierry the
Germans forced a passaga~ acr0ss the
N8rne and the Americans wio oppos-
Cd tfen were forced TO fall hack
rorarily. Then. in a brilliant
counter attack. the Americans drove
the Germans back across the Mn rrss ,
taking ! 500 prisoners including A.
complete brigade STAFF. Not a single
German remained on the south bark
of tbs Marine in the American sector.
East OF Rheims the French also netd
like n stone wall and at that moment
the menace OF TIE German armies
was ended forever.
Foch Assumes Offensive.
on July IS. General F'och assumed
the defensive and hes;4n developing
the magnificent strategy which en-
ahteo tho allied arngIes, within three
plonths' unie ,to slaagter the German
#s=useS aud Je~f. ftsa -.ssfc>si2ssi .f'hsaf
slFrrlfS,isr OF CserrnarFT and 1er-allfc5,
General Fdch@ struck the crown
princes right flank a vital blow aud
thu Vt he French sAssa
Arlericaps fought their way for six
miles along the Aisne.- reaching the
outskirts of Scissors. The advan q
WAS SO rapid that cavalry WAS thrown
into action for the first time. For
two weeks the great counter-ofensive
continued. The Germans threw l0o,-
600 reserves into action south cf
Scissors but they were oEtfought and
out generaied by The French, British
and American forces and were threat
ened with disaster AZ the Allied forces
narrowed The opening af the pocket
in which the Germans were caught,
The Germans managed tn extricate
themselves bat were forced into "A
disastrous retreat in which they were
reported to have lost 220. 600 men, or
more tran one-qsiarter OF their troops
engaged, On July /, General Pei N,
ing reported 1900 prisoners ana 500
gums captured by the Americans. On
Jus rs, the Americans mel the crack
DIVISIONS eff German guards and de-
feated them in stubborn batter at
Sergy, scissors fell - the French on
August ,, and by fi,e following day
the entire Sessions Rheims salient
had been wiped out.
The indignation of the British
people aroused by the U-boat OUT
RACES rerpe;rated hy> the Germans,
WAS intensified early In July, when
news was received of the sinking by
"A submarine Of the hospital ship
Llandovery Castle, carrying wounded
men and nurses between Canada and
England. causing loss OF ass per-
sons. Including twelve nurses. The
United States continued to speed up
its war activities during July and
early in the month it was announced
that Americans overseas or on the way
numbered l,ol9,Ii5. On July 4, tho
American independence day was cele-
hratea generally in England, France
and italy. President Wilson, in an
address at Mt. Vernon, declared that
the nation would not sheath the
sword until the peoples of the world
were assured of liberty.
The United States on July agreed
30 allied action in Russia ard prepara-
tons were begun for an allied mill
tary expedition into Serheria. On the
same day Count Won Mirha oh. German