The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-07
MANGIN TELLS
HOW F0CH TRAP
WON VICTORY
Details of Battle Which
Turned Peace Offensive
Into Great Retreat.
GERMANS TOO ARROGANT
GOuraud's Firm Stand in the
Champagne Made Triumph
Of Allies Possible.
GERMANS TOO ARROGANT
BY GERALD CAMPBELL.

BY GERALD CAMPBELL.
Special Gable Despatch TO THE suS from fhe
london Times.
Copyright, 1915; all rights reserved.
WITH THE FRENCH ARMY, Aug. g.
The battle which began with attacks
by Gems. Mangin and De Goutte
against the German right flank may
now be regarded as ended. With the
capture of Fismes and the advance Of
the French and Americans to various
points along the north side Of the
Vesle 1t becomes more than ever prob
able that the enemy, though he may
put up a stiff fight at first, will even
tually retire behind the Aisne.
But in any event the pocket which
stretched below the Marne has been
otliterated and the victory OF the AL
lies so complete it is well worth while
to review the operations from the be-
ginning. Here then. is the story OF the
battle which began July lS, as told me
to-day by Gen. Mangin:
To begin with 1t was only part OF
the battle which Ludendorfr started
while he still had the initiative. On
July is the Crown Princes army was
hurled forward on a sixty mile front in
what was believed by the whole OF Ger
many as we'll as by the German armies
would be the final peace offensive.
Gouraud's stand Key to Success.
1t was the stand OF Gen. Gouraud's
army in the Champagne which made the
attack by Gen. Mangin and Gen. de
Goutte possible. II the first named Gen.
eral had fallen back not only would
Chalons and Epernay almost certainly
have fallen into the enemy's hands but
Verdun and Rheims would have been
enveloped so fast TO the south that their
evacuation would have followed OF ne
cessity.
But Gen Gouraud held fast. and that
was the beginning Of the enemys down
fall But even before that the Germans
out OF their arrogant belief in their own
strength and their contempt for the
French, had themselves taken a fatal
step which led TO their undo!ng.
1t is fairly certain that the objective
OF the German advance OF May 27 was
the Aisne in order to have the left bank
of that river for waterway defence
while renewing their march westward
Their offensive. however. proved so far
more successful than they had hoped, in
consequence OF the French being taken
by surprise, that they determined on
hand TO exploit their original advance
and 10 push on toward the Marne
1t is known that some OF their own
military authorities pointed out the dan
ger of a flank attack. but the German
high command was so convinced of the
feebleness OF the French armies that
they ignored the risk and pushed on.
From that instant dated the oppor-
tunity for which Gen. Foeh had been
waiting.
Three weeks before the Germans
launched their last offensive Gen. Man
g.n steadily worked his way into Ger
man positions along the gullies stretch
ing southwark from Ambleny to the
edge OF the forest OF Nillers Cottere,s,
his object being to get out OF the forest
clear start for mis- counter offensive.
Suspicions Disregarded.
Little by little this series of small
advances was carried out These ad'
vances raised the suspicion in the minds
of some OF the German commanders that
the French intended TO make a grand