Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-11-19
AMERICANS GAVE
 HUNS DEATH BLOW
historic Battle Ground Proved Germans
 Docwnfall.
(By the Associated Press !

l ny thc ASSOcldtcQ Press
 farls, Nov. 1S.-Out of the coi,. i iuslon and daze of the crownine mi | litafy events on the western battle inc slnce late in September. when 1 battle followed battle until from | Flanders to Verdun, there was cease less action, it is now permissible tc | outllne to a certain extent the part | played by the American armies in l 'ue flnal decisive battle of the war winch ended with the armistice las4 Monday
 1 Military reasons heretofore have | prevented accentuating the accom- l plisbments of the Americans eycent ill most general manner. But it now may be stated that 21 American divisions, totaline more than 73o.00O American combat troops. participated in the action heginnina September 26. known variouslv as the battle of the Argonne and the battle of the Mouse. but which his tory may call Sedan-the battle that brought Germany to her knees and as far as human foresight goes. end- cd the worlds bloodiest and costliest war.
 In order to understand the miii- tary situation which made the Ar 2onne operations the crrX of the war. it is necessary to go back to the reduction of the St. Nlihiel sali- ent in the middle of September. This brilliant American accomplishment IS still fresh in history It cut off at one stroke an enemy projection to- ward Verdun and weakened the en- emy's defensive by threatening Metz one of Germany's two greatest ad- vance railways centers for distribut- ting troops and supplies along the lNontmedyS line
 Metz the Pivot.
 Metz also was the pivot on which the enemy swung through Belgium into France and therefore obviously it was the pivot on which his re- tirement must hinge The Argonne, the next step below here, threaten ed the great railway arteries run ming westward from Metz.
 With the conclusion of the St Mi- hiel action. the steady inflow of American forces caused a displace-
 
 and German armies. Thus it no long CT was necessary to pursue policy of reducing salient or nibbling at it. The American troops had shown what they could do.
 A broader policy of general attack along the entire line was then adopt ed and the high command called up- on General Pershing to take the Ar %onne, admittedly one of the most, if not the most. difficult Of the whole front. The broken terrain, the to- pography and the lack of roads made a problem difficult to describe. Ger many had in four years fortified it to the last degree of military skill. with superb roads. both rail and mo- tor. connecting up 10 the rear posi- tiCns and bases.
 German "Life Artery" Cut.
 From the edges of the Argonne for est. where the resistance was vici- ously strong the enemy possessed in- numeralle flanking positions. But ''cyond this difficult region lay the Montmedy- Sedan line. which was recently captured. A German order described it as "our life artery" It represented one-half of the German lail supply cn the western front. It meant death if cut
 The high command told Pershing to cut it. The American First Army was put in motion from St. Mihie' Tn nine days it was on the Argonne line ready for an attempt the failure of which might mean disaster and the success of which would give un- told results. This quick movement of an enormous body of men. the establishment of new line of sup ply and all the complicated military preparations was regarded with pride by the American commanders.
 The Americans knew what con- fronted them. They realized that this was no second St. Mihiel, but an enterprise at which other armies had baked for four years. They knew that here was 10 he fought 2 fight to rank with the first battle of the Marne;: with Verdun. with the Somme and the Chcmin des Danes; and they knew that on them de pended the fate of the great attack on the rest of the front, If forced back here the enemy must give to the west. If he held he could hold elsewhere.
 Attack Begins Sept. 2G.
 It was at daybreak of September 26 when the Americans went 1t. us-' ing nine divisions for the prelimi- nary attack and under vigorous ar tillery support they advanced five kilometres the first day But the enemy was not taken wholly by sur prise, The second day he threw 'n- to the line five counter-at tack divi- sions he had held in close reserve.