The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-05-17
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SUMMARY OF WAR

America is contributing to the stiff
fening of the allied line not only in
Pieardy, but in Flanders.
American troops, today's dispatches
report, have arrived on the British
front and are finishing their training
among the troops holding the line
which bars the way Of the Germans
to the English channel, their objeo'
tive in the north.
So far as is known, &he Americans
are the first troops to get into the
fighting zone as units brieaded with
the British. They are part of the
force which has been dispatched from
the United States coon after the Ger.
man offensive was started in March.
It seems improbable that there will
be a renewal Of the German thrust in
the Flanders area shortly, either aP
separate operation or in conjunction
with a reopening of the offensive on
a great scale all along the battle line.
GERMAN GUNS ACTIVE.
The German guns have been per-
sistently active all around the Lys
salient, where the enemy wedge pro.
trudes toward Hazebrouck, the rail.
way junction which is the key to the
transportation system in this whole
area, and an increase in the intensity
of the hombardHent there is reported
by the London war office today.
On the Somme front the chief ac-
Sivity continues to manifest itself in
the vicinity of HaiIes, where tho
German salient in Picardy has ito
| tip. The French have been cutting
into the German advanced line +1era
recently, and the guns of the oppos.
ing artillery forces are again ham
merins hard at each others posi-
tions.
Except for raidnq operations, there
have been no inf try actions on
either of the bait .ronts. The air
forces, have been extremely busy,
however, and incidentally the Ameri-
cans are showing some effective work
in this branch Of the fighting service.
Thus, closely following the bring
ing down of three airpIanes in one
day the American aviation force has
added another German machine to it's
list Of victims. The latest enemy ma
chine to fall before an American at
tack was brought down this morning
| in the sector northwest of TouI.
| Germany still hesitates to renew
heavy fighting on the main battle
fields of the western front, but the
| increase in aerial and artillery actiV-
ity indicates that infantry fighting
on a larger scale than in the last
two weeks soon again may Re in
progress. 8. .a-
Allied and German eunners are
harassins the opposing lines with
shell fire and this fighting continues
most marked on the front north of
the Lys, in Flanders, and south of
the Somme, in Pieardy. II has been
the German policy to preeede a
strong infantry operation with few
hours of the most intense artillery
fire, but the enemy bombardments
have not yet reached the highest
pitch, though it is believed the Ger
man preparations for another offen-
sive move are about completed.
Recently British and French air.
opposition in dropping bombs on
railway stations, troop eneampments
and other military targets behind the
German lines. Now the enemy has
become most active and has attempt
I ed bombing raids behind the allied
lines as we'll as trying to prevent the
allied bombers from carrying on
their work. Fifty-six German ma
chimes are reported accounted for by
London and Paris. OF these 43 ma
chimes were destroyed by allied avia-
tors. Berlin, on the other hand,
claims the destruction of 80 allied
airplanes.
After a battle with German air.
planes, British armen on Thursday
dropped bombs on Saarbrucken, Ger.
man Lorraine, causing at least one
fire. The British then attacked the
German airpIanes anew and destroy
ed five Of them while losing one of
their own number.
There has been no infantry activ-
ity, except for patrol raids, on all
the long fronts from the North sea
to Switzerland, including the Ameri-
can sectors. American artiIlerymen
in Picardy again have caused fires in
Montdidier.
! Between Lake Garda and the Piavs
the italian troops are giving the Aus
trians little rest. The success in
! gaining the summit Of Monte Corno
south of Asiaso, has been followed
by an operation against Monte Aso-
lone, just east of the Brenta. At two
places the Austrian trenches were
entered, the part Of the garrison not
killed or captured fleeing, Vienna
says the Italian activities spread 20
Monte Pertioa, east of AsoIone. Both
these heights are outpoats Of fhs
formidable Monte Grappa.
Along the front from the SteIvio
pass to Lake Garda enemy patrols
have been repuIsed by the Italians
Between Lake Garda and the Brenta
and on the Asiaso plateau the artiI.
Iery fire has increased.