The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-06-04
6rrmam Junk

W !"
Various German journals repro
duce from Politiken, OF Copen-
hagen, an account OF the prepara-
tlons for the German offensive,
which was provided by the German
general staff to Danish corre-
spondent called Carling, during
visit TO the western front. This
account is interesting, If only be-
cause it must have been provided
when everything seemed to be goS
ing well and the need to minimize
German intentions had not arisen.
According to the reproduction in
the Frankfutter Zeitung, the Dan
ish journalist was informed that.
whSn it was decided that there
should be "a great offensive" Hin
denburg sent Ludendorif all along
the front from north 10 south TO
find "the best point for a break
through" Ludendorff decided that
the attack should begin on the
English front, and "as in view of
the time of year an attack on the
Flanders front seemed unsuitable,
the area OF the OLD Somme battle
was selected Tor the attack in
spite of all the difficulties involved"
The Germany story proceeds.
The preparations we're begun
at the end of January. They were
not easy because they had to be
concealed as much as possible, so
that the English might not suspect
anything. In the first place the
army command had accurate maps
prepared on which every road and
its condition were shown. The
next thing was to construct and inn
prove roads. New parallel road,
were laid and care was taken TO
make at least two highroads avail
able for every army corps. When
this engineering work, which had
TO be carried out largely by night
had been finished, a book OF 100
pages was prepared, which. with the
inclusion of various sketch-maps,
gave instructions as to how the Of
fenSive was to proceed. In spite
of the risks involved in the issue of
this book, it was decided to supply
it to all officers down 10 the rank
of company commander. The book
contained a quantity of important
information
In march we quietly began the
bringing up of munitions as near as
possible to the enemy lines. Al
that time the English must have
noticed that something was happen
ing, for during the following nights
the area was flooded with airmen,
who tried with the help OF lights
TO find out what preparations were
being made Here and there they
succeeded in hitting munitions
transport, but the great majority Of
the dumps remained uninjured.
Nevertheless, increased uneasines
then showed itself in the English
camp, and the London press began
to publish statements to the effect
that the Germans were planning an
offensive between ArraS and st.
Quentin This was accurate in it.
self; the English were mistaken
only about the date. For some
reason or other they Thought that"
the attack had been fixed for the
night of March 10. and consequently
the English guns operatcd with full
force during that night against the
German positions
"a few DAYS later the real move
ment of German troops began; il
took seven nights OF marching. At
this time the heavy guns and mine
throwers had already been brought
up TO the front The English now
understood that we were in earnest.
but English general staff maps
which we have captured show that
the extent of the danger was not
realized The fact. however. that
the English understood the sipnifi-
cance of the intended attack is shown
by the fact that thev began at
certain points to withdraw their
artillery Thev were. however. in
terrupted in this work when the
storm broke on the morninc Of
March 2l This date had been fixed
full month before and was known
to thousands Of the initiated Rut
they all kept the secret and so on
the historic morning Of March p
the whole enormous machine could
be set in motion with complete sue
cecs"