The Washington herald., 1918-03-29
HUN DRIVE Continues
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

airmen report that the whole of the
enemy front areas is black with
troops.
Twenty-miIe Wedge.
The southern side of the huge
wedge. between Montdidier and
Noyon. is twenty miles long, sc
that a French break through al
Noyon would mean tackling the
Germans twenty miles in their rear
By administering to the foe his owr
poisonous medicine of Cambria
fame, the allies. It appeared to-
night, plan to turn the Somme bat
tlefield into the grave of the main
German army in the very moment
when the German press pictures
that field as the scene of victory
which will bring peace"
A battle greater in scope and fury
than the Marine RACES tonight along
front of nearly sixty miles, between
Arras and Noyon. 1t has all the
aspects of a decisive combat. 1t con-
sists of a series of interviewer and
interdependent fianking attacks and
counter-attacks. Foremost in i'm
portance is that now being launched
by the French.
Like a half-opened umbrella, a huge
German wedge has been thrust into
the allied lines near the Franco
British junction. The head of this
| wedge is northwest OF MontdIdier.
The northern side of this salient Is
about half the length of the southern
one. From Montdidier to Noyon ii
is ten miles.
French Counter Blow.
The French counter blow fell
against little more than one-third
of the southern side. Upon the furth-
er development of this counter often
sive depends not only the success OF
failure of the whole German drive,
but the fate of the entire French
| battle line to the Swiss border, as
well as the fate of Paris.
But to the British, in the meantime,
new menace has sprung up in the
form OF a German drive against
Arras. launched primarily to extend
the battle line and bring the German
northern flank to a level with the
center, and secondly, for the purpose
of drawing British reserves away
from the Somme where Haig's front
has stood like granite for forty
eight hours.
Penetration of the British defense
zone before Arras by the initial
German onslaught was admitted by
the war office late today. The
Germans are driving on the big
base in a converging movement
from the northeast, east and south,
trying to envelop the town.
The French counter offensive in
the south must have an immediate
effect upon the situation in the
north. Unless Hindenburg has a
tremendous reserve force collected
behind the Montdidier-Noyon line
! ready to parry the French counter
! blow, he will directly be forced ia
thin his lines in the north to back
up his hard-pressed legions on the
left, and his pressure upon the Brit
ish will subsequently decrease.
Counter Thrust by French.
At dusk yesterday, after an all-day y
battle, which is still in full swing, the
situation stands roughly as follows:
Just as the German center was
| dashing beyond Montdidier, the big
| rail head half way between Amiens
] and Compiegne, the French reserves
struck the German flank between
Hainvillers< 90 miles southeast of
Montdidier) and Pont-Leveque, just
southwark of Noyon, pushing the Ger
mans back nearly two miles on a
front of IA miles.
1t was the first large scale counter
thrust delivered by the allies and con-
stitutes an important victory which,
II followed up, threatens to turn the
whole German center unless the
crown prince draws 1t back at least
thirteen miles to the Roye-Noyon
front to bring 1t on a level with his
right flank.
The French pressure here con-
| tinues," reports the British Office af-
ter accounting the French success.
Meanwhile the Germans, to prevent
similar onslaught by the British
| on their (the Germany right flank,
have extended the front of attack at
least four miles to the north, in front
OF Arras and have penetrated the
British forward zone opposite Arras,
the British war office admits.
South of the Somme the British
| were admittedly forced during the
| nights fighting to fall back toward
Hamel, some twelve miles east OF
! Amtens, for the Germans effected a
crossing Of the Somme from the
north near Chipilly.
Hold Firm North Of somme.
North OF the somme, however, the
British line held firm throughout the
day. Effective counter attacks net
ted Haig's forces prisoners and ma
chine guns.
The loss Of Montdidier is admitted
by the war office, but the French
counter offensive now under way to
the southest, holds promise of fore
ing the Germans back again to the
Roye- Noyon line. Montdidier lies
nity-nve miles northeast of Paris.
intense interest now centers upon
the outcome Of this French counter
orlVe, and upon the new battle for
Arras. The Germans are about three
miles to the north and east of that
town. They are trying to turn the
famous Vimy Ridge.
The Arras battle is bound to affect
the 6r1tish line northward via Ypres
TO the coast. The French port of
Dunkirk has been under German long
range bombardment for several days
the Paris war office announced yes.
terday.
Both in Paris and London conf
dence Is unshakable. The strongest
belief prevails that the initiative will
be wrested from the foe when the
allies counter offensive which ha,
now set in with the French thrus,
on the Hainvillers-Pont-Leveque line
gets fully under way,
Berlin's Claims.
Berlin In its day bulletin claimed
no new captures of prisoners OF
guns. 1t asserts the British and
French have been driven back into