Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1918-06-07
Germans Start a New Drive on
Paris, Striking Lines of the
Allies in Champagne.
ADVANCE, But LOSE HEAVILY
Toch's Reserves Come Up and Huns
Are Checked North Of the Marine
Americans Carry Out Offensive
in Gallant StyIe-Italians
Win Two Victories.
BY EDWARD w. PlckARD.

Last week witnessed renewal Of
| the kaiser's drive on the west front,
but to the surprise Of everyone not in
| the confidence of the German high
command, the blow was directed, not
against the allies In Flanders, nor
against their lines in the Amiens re-
gion. but in Champagne. His appar-
ent intention was to rush his forces
swiftly on Paris. breaking through
where the allies were weakest. The
location was we'll chosen and the prep
arations made with wonderful secrecy,
but up to the hour of writing the re-
suits WERE as in the former drives, not
comparable with the losses sustained.
The apex of the drive had advanced
some Is miles beyond the starting line,
reaching Vezilly, six miles from the
Marine and A miles from Paris. The
famous Chemin des Danes had been
taken, as had Craonne, Vailly, Fismes
and other towns and villages. and
finally, on the west side of the new
sons. But by that time General Foch's
reserves were arriving in large num-
bers and the desperate efforts of the
Germans to widen the salient were
stubbornly resisted and virtually
|. checked. In the suburbs Of scissors
the French were holding onto the west
ern outlets from that city, and north
west Of Reims, on the east side of the
wedge. the Franco-British forces were
repulsing every Hun assault
The commanders of the allies viewed
the situation with calm confidence and
seemed to have no doubt that they could
stem the onrush of the Germans long
before they reached the neighborhood
of Paris. They were not yielding a
foot of ground easily or cheaply, but
were pursuing their former policy of
retiring in good order before vastly SUI
perior numbers. maintaining their line
intact and sparing their reserves as
much as possible.
The German armies selected for this
third drive were those of the crown
prince, though they are commanded
really not by that degenerate son of
the kaiser but by Generals Won Boehm
and Won Below. About thirty divisions,
with large droves of tanks and much
artillery, were brought up to the Che
min des Danes front in the nights and
| kept concealed in the daytime so that
| the allied aviators had no inkling that
| the long expected attack was to be
vie
| were nine French and four British di-
| visions to stop the Germans when they
| began their attack on Monday between
| Coucy and Reims, after a terrific bonn
| bardment with gas and high explosive
| shells. They forced their way down
| TO the Aisne the first day, and even
| crossed that river at some points.
| Next day they made a further advance
| of some five miles, reaching the Vesle
! river and forcing a crossing at Fismes,
but already they were being slowed up,
| and on the TANKS they were able to
| make little progress. Wednesday they
| directed great masses Of troops at Sois-
sons, and the French and British there,
after exacting a fearful price in lives,
| withdrew to the western envirOnS.
| Meanwhile the German center was
| pushed forward to Fere-en-Tardenois
| and Vezilly. On Thursday the entire
allied line was reported to be holding
we'll, and thereafter the Huns made
| slow and difficult progress, or none at
all.
| -
| Foch's arrangements for handling
! his reserves proved excellent, and the