Arizona republican., 1918-11-18
AMERICANS WON
 SECTOR THAT |S CREDITED WITH ENDING II ALL
Pershing Given Orders to
 Cut Line-Most Difficult
 Undertaking On West Front t-Overcomes Ter rife Obstacles Breaks Through-F Fighting Hike Hell" Up to Last Minute

PARIS, Nov. 11.-(By the Associated Press )-Out of the confusion and daze of the croWding military events on the western battle line since late in Sep tember, when battle followed battle, until from Flanders to Nerdun there was ceaselcss action, it is now per missible to outline to a certain extent the part played by the American ar mics in the final decisive battle of tho war; which ended with the armis- tice of last Monday.
 Military reasons heretofore have prevented actuating the accomplish mcnts of the Americans, except in a most general manner. The dispatches from the field have necessarily been fragmentary and possibly were over shadowed by the more dramatic opera tions over the historic battle fronts to the west.
 But it now may be stated that q American divisions, totalling more than 100000 American combat troops participated in the action beginning September 26, known variously as the Battle of the Argonne and the Battle pf the Mouse but which history may pall Sedan-the battle that brought Germany to her knees and, as far as human foresight goes, ended the worlds boodiest and costliest war.
 Metz -Argonne the Crux
 In order 10 understand the military situation which made the Argonne operations the cruX of the war. it is necessary to go back to the reduction of the St. Mihel salient. in the middle of September. This brilliant Ameri- ran accomplishment is still fresh in history. IL cut off at one stroke a rfi Nerdun and weakened the enemy's defensive by threatening Metz, one of Gcrmany's two greatest advance rail- way centers for distributing troops and supplied along the Medy- Sedan line.
 Metz also was the pivot on which the enemy swung through Belgium into France, and therefore obviously it was the pivot on which his retire ment must hinge. The Argonne, the next step below here, threatened the great railway arteries running west from Metz.
 With the conclusion of the St. Mi hicl action, the steady inflow of Amer ican forces caused a displacement o' power as between the allied and Ger man armies. Thus it no longer wal necessary to pursue a policy of reduc- Ing a SdIlenL OT nlbDtluS dl It. IN American troops had shown what the! could do.
 Assigned Difficult Task
 A broader policy of general attacl along the entire line was then adopted and the high command called on Gen eral Pershing to take the Argonn' sector. admittedly one of the most diff ficult of the whole front. The broker terrain. the topography and the lacl of roads made a problem difficult t describe. Germany had in four year fortified it 10 the last degree of mili tary skill. with superb roads, both raj and motor. connecting up to the req positions and bases.
 The outstanding feature of the Ar gonne forest is a long chain of hill running north and south, covered wit B dense growth of trees, and under growth, making an advance difticul and offering superb defensive qualities Virtually no roads exist in the forest except for Q few transversal paSse unning east and west The soil i such that the least rain converts 1t int a slippery. miry mess. In other word the physical condition is such that tn line of attack for an advancing army limited to valleys, chief among which hat of the Aire river.
 Pershinq Told to "Cut lt"
 From the edge of the forest. wher he resistance was viciously strong, tn enemy possessed innumerable flankin positions. But beyond this difficult re zion. lay the Mont Medy- Sedan line which was recently captured. Ger man order described it as 'our life ar tery." It represented one-halt or th Grman rail supply on the western Iron lt meant death if cut.
 The high command told Pershing { cut it. The American first army va but in motion from St. Mihiel. nine days. it was on the Argonne lint ready for an attempt, the failure c
 Continued on Page Two)