South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-07-19
NATION s CAPITAL
IS EXU BE RAN 7
Heart OF Country is in France
As Gallant Americans
Smash Foe.

WASHINGTON. July 19-The
heart or the American nation was
IN France Thursday night II march
dand fought proudly with the boys
who went over the top this morn
ing and still were calamity smash
ing their way ahead beside their
French comrades late iu the day
II was tale o. splendid victory
and daring that news reports and
even the terse official statements
told Hour by hour the extent OF
tine victory grew What the fun eff
feet of the blow Will zee cannot be
estimated until details of the action
ong the whole -5-mIe front from
chateau Thierry TO scissors from
which the surprise attack was
launched are available.
10 WAS clear beyond mistake. how
e. er. that On the rush of the first
Gag of this answer OF Gen. Foch To-
German attacks east and west OF
Rheims. the enemy had been placed
lu a position from which he may
have great difficulty in eNtricating
himself Nots only may the German
enOrt west Of Rheims and south OF
all they have accomplished since
the battle Of the Aisne began months
ago may be overturned.
There was little effort here today
90 measure the scale Of the Franco
American stroke. IL was the instant
news tl.at held them, from Gen.
March 10 ,he junior staff officers,
and the war department was a place
of smiles and hand grips as the boys
overseas wrote new and glorious
pages ia American history
Officials Exuberant.
Sec'y Baker had difficulty in hold
ing himself 10 cool unhurricd eN-
preston as ne dictated TO the news
paper men late In the day a state
ment summarizing Gen. Pershing's
Irief reports Supplemented with
the new dispatches the official ac-
count gave the fun thrilling story
IF the dash against the enemy de-
itered with such gallantry and as
such complete surprise that il
swept over the first German lines
apparently without Ndvering and
rushed ON TO detectives deep i'm the
territory the Germans have held for
months
During the day Sec'y Baker Gen.
March and war department officials
generally. spent much time over the
maps. They read every detail OF the
accounts b. ought i'm over press wires
and time after time All other bust
ness halted while the swiftly chang
ing battle front was traced out. Until
late in the night officials were eager F.
D. receiving every report that came f.
in.
Reach Definite Turning Point.
The most promising consideration
Of the counter attack officers be-
Ieve, aside from renew ed proof OF
the lighting qualities of the new
American armies is the fact that
Gen. Foch has now sufficient forces
10 unloOse "A major counter stroke
for the blow today is nothing less
than that. however limited its hXed
U"jectives for today may have been.
The supreme commander now has
shown clearly that "a definite turn
ing point has been reached where /.
his resources in men and munitions I
are great cnoug. for him 10 assume /
$40 least an aggressive defense.
III the present Franco-Americau /
thrust should realize all the posi- +
uiiities seen i'm it 10y observers .
abroad and force the Germans out +
OF the whole Aisne- Marine salient. IL F.
seems highly probable TO officials f.
here that Gen. Foch might feel war
rautcd in expanding thar success I
through offensive operations on /.
other fronts.
Signs have not been lacking that 4
Gen. Foch had i'm mind some such .
enterprise as that launched today .
even before the German drive of I
last Monday began The front from f.
which lac struck covers that upon
hich French "uibblins" tactics .
have been steadily employed for sew
eral weeks with good local gains
Regularly recorded
similar "nibbliug" = going ON
along the British front at several f
places
Expect similar British Thrust
To was suggested tonight that 4
thrust from the British front ON "a
FAR wider scale than anything at
tempted there since the great Ger
man assault began last March might
devotion as 4 communion niece +, tI,. D