Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-11-18
2, DIVISIONS ARE ENGAGED
American Troops Break
Through Most Difficult
Part of Battle Front.
pERSHING ASSIGNED TASK
High Command Gives Our
Leader Job on Which Hinges
Success or Failure.


PARIS Nov. l7.-Out OF the con-
fusion and daze OF the crowning mil
= NAry events on the western battle
line since late in September. when
- battle followed battle until from
AFlanders to Verdun there was cease
= less action, It is now permissible to
outline to a certain extent the part
played by the American armies In
the final decisive battle OF the war
which ended with the Armisitice OF
last Monday.
Military reasons heretofore have
prevented accentuating the acoOmp-
ltshments Of the Americans, except in
q most general manner.
But Il may now be stated that 2l
American divisions. totalling more
than 10000 American combat
tro participated in the action be-
Etnning September 26, known vari-
ously as the battle of the ArKonne
and the battle OF the Meuse, but
which history may call Sedan--the
battle that brought Germany to her
knees, and as far az human foresight
goes ended the worlds bloodiest and
costhest war
In order to understand the mill
tary situation which made the Ar
Eonne operations the crux of the
war. II is necessary TO go back to the
reduction OF the st. Mihiel salient In
the middle OF September. This brill
Ia ~ AVNNn ANaNN nj N FNNA NJ q
. sdll fresh in history. II cut off at
one stroke a menacing enemy pro-
jection toward Verdun and weakened
the enemy's defensive by threaten
Ing Metz, one OF Germanys two
greatest advance railway centers for
distributing troops and supplies along
th Montmedy- Sedan line.
- Metz Pivot OF Action.
Metz also was the pivot on which
the enemy swung through Belgium
into France and therefore obviously
Il was the pivot on which his retire
ment must hinge. The Argonne. the
neIt step below here threatened the
great railway arteries running west
ward from Metz.
With the conclusion of the St
,MNhiel action. the steady inflow of
American forces caused n displace-
ment OF power as between the allied
and German armies. Thus IL no
longer was necessary TO pursue a
policy Of reducing a salient or nib
bling at 1t. The American troops
had shown what they could do.
A broader policy OF general attack
dong the entire line was then adopt
"a and the high command called
upon General Pershing to take the
Argonne, admittedly one OF the most,
u not entirely the most difficult, OF
me whole front The broken terrain,
he typograp ply and the lack OF roads
made problem difficult to describe,
0ermany had In four years fortified
to the last degree of military skill,
WIN superb roads, both rail and
motor, connecting up TO the rear po-
Stions and bases.
Held Thanking Positions.
From the edges OF the Argonne
roreSt, where the resistance was vici-
ously strong, the enemy possessed in
Vulnerable thanking positions But
beyond this difficult region lay the
hontmedySedan line which was re-
rently captured. A German order
Inscribed 1t as "our life artery" It
represented one-half of the German
rAll supply on the western front. I'll
meant death IL cut.
The high command told Pershing
70 cut 1t The American first army
was put In motion from st. Mihiel,
10 nine days 1t was on the Argonne
me ready for an attempt, the failure
" which might mean disaster and
inc success OF which would give un-
CONTINUED on PAGE SIX.