Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-20
FOCH'S VICTORY
DUE TO SURPRISE
Germans Thought French
Reserves Exhausted. Says
Officer Captive
FRENCH WADED A RIVER
BY G.. H. PERRIS
Special Gable TO Esening Public Ledge

Corurioht. 1918. by Ncte York Times Co.
With the French Armies. July 20.
The French and American forces on
either side of the Ourcq made 10000
prisoners Thursday and took about
100 cannon.
German reserves have been brought
up in considerable number, and the
struggle is more severe. Neverthe-
less. further progress has been made.
The splendid Franco American ad-
vance between the Aisne and the
Marne was above all a victory of
surprise. This part of Boehms army
had recovered from a series of local
reverses, but it supposed that the
opening of the new offensive further
east on Monday relieved It Of ell i'm
mediate anxiety. The armies of Cen
erals Mangin and De Gouette would
II was thought. have enough to do to
hold the Crown Princes onset with
out conceiving operations of their
own.
Did you not fear a flank attack
a German officer taken prisoner was
asked
Attack with WHAT" was the reply
I'VE thought Foch's reserves were eX-
hausted."
Storm Helped Allies
The secret of the attack, which was
very rapidly prepared was perfectly
kent. violent storm helped our
! allies and amid the continuous roll OF
thunder the noisy approach of large
numbers of French tanks to their
starting place was unnoticed. At AIS
| a. m. French and American infantry
dashed forward behind a moving cur.
tain of fire from hundreds of batter.
les great and small, over front thirty
miles long. and enjoyed an advantage
| the thought of which must throw Nor
Hutier himself into a rage of envy.
So hard was the attack pressed tina
in some parts of the field the elemen
of surprise was preserved for severa
hours.
The best proof of the exceptiona
4 character of this success lies in tn,
fact that for the first time for man,
bng day the French cavalry cam,
into action, not as infantry, but a.
mounted troops: At IL a. m. SOM
squadrons We're reported to be II
Vierzy village, four miles east Of tn
much.contested Chavignon farm, ol
the old front. At 2 p. IN. the NOR
remarkable news came in that bod
; of dragons was lighting in tn
streets of the village, which was full.
six miles east Of their starting point.
Advance More Than Three Miles
e The most considerable , lvance ol
e the Allied line is on the north owe
the broad open plateau between III
v Reiz valley, whence the attack started
n and scissors, and the center alon
e bleny, Cettry. st. Pierre, Aigle an
a rapidly broke through the lines the
had faced for a month, crossed III
g Pernant and Saconin valleys and tn
y Paris.Soissons high road, and reache
: line on either side of Chaudii
e where they dominate the whole of tn
q plateau and closely threaten Soisson
IS The advance here amounts to and q
y points exceeds three miles.
Is Near Faverolles the French trooI
had TO pass the little River Saviers
and waded across up to their arm
pits. They then had before thel
Cresces Wood. which was strong
= held by the enemy with a good maf
> hidden machine guns. 1t was at la
!. enveloped by the north. and al abol
s 10 Z. m an American unit was left 4
clear the gFrison OFT y