Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-15
DEFEAT BEFORE PARIS PROVES
ALLIES STRATEGIC POWERS
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Continued from PAGE One
are so weakened that the central coup
de grace" may be launched with better
possibilities OF success than now? That
is the whole problem to which the COM
ing weeks will give the answer.
Meanwhile the gaps in the Allied line
are being more than filled by the SOL
ders of America. to whose superb spirit
and physical fitness is being added the
battle training they needed. What does
II profit Germany If a hundred square
miles of ground are won in strategi-
cally Improbable area? More precious
time has been wasted. but the hour for
a victorious decision is no nearer. And
Germany cannot wait. Letters found on
the dead and prisoners show that the
home population. faced by three months
Of starvation, Is unimpressed by any
victories that are not the victory.
Odds Against Germany
Yet II Hindenburs decides to concen-
trate his forces for a last despairing
drive on Paris. the odds are against
him. The bloody check the enemy suf-
fered in the last week has weakened
his morale and steeled Allied resistance.
The success of the big French counter
stroke points the way to similar opera
tions on a vaster scale. in which the
lack of modern war training of the
Americans will not be a handicap, but
an advantage. War of movement re-
quires strong. young. dashing troops.
whose accuracy with the rife is superior
to their utilization of grenades. A
leader OF Foch's quality will not shrink
from a bold course. If the enemy cares
to put the matter to the supreme test.
It may well happen that the American
army will be the big factor in his de-
feat.
Secret Of Petain's Success
1t has been said that the secret of
Petain's rise in three years from the
position Of colonel to comma nder in
chief Of the French armies Is his knowl-
edge of when to launch counter-attacks.
The ability to select the right place and
time for a sudden stroke which nullifies
the enemy's gains has been the attribute
Of great captains throughout history,
and Is one of the cardinal bases of sue
cessful strategy. In that one word.
counter-attacks, lies the explanation of
the triumphant French resistance in the
present battle against vastly superior
numbers-7that and the indomtable cour-
age Of the defenders.
The master tactician commanding the
army whose sector has been assailed
has so imbued his subordinates with his
own principles that there is hardly a
position in the whole range of opera
tions that the Germans have not been
forced to take two or three times over
For 1t is not only the counter-stroke
on a grand scale like that which has
won back nearly all the Germans gains
on the left wing. which counts in a
struggle Of this kind. where the losses
inflicted on the enemy are far more
important than hill or a village saved
or abandoned.
1t Is the united change from defense
to attack at the psychological moment
that has maintained this spirit Of the
French troops and smashed theil
weakened assailants just as they were
thinking their success was assured.
Again and again tiny band of de
tenders. holding out in central redoub
Of some unshattered house have beef
encouraged to supreme resistance by tn,
thought that a counter-attack may brint
rescue at the eleventh hour. Again ant
again that counter-attack has succeeded
Just because the enemy was hampereC
by their resistance in MS midst.
CourcelIes Retaken
What happened at Courcelles Il
typical The village Is situated on
commanding hill. Early Sunday morn
ing, after a short, heavy' bombardmen
the Germans advanced up the hillside
green with wheat which Is now shoulde,
high The expense presented a splendi,
field of fire" for the defenders machin
guns: but the willy boches tied grea
| punches Of grass around their helmet
and crawled unseen through the gree
| cover until the Village was almost withi
their grasp
Then a sudden rush of greatly superio
numbers surprised the defending bat
talon and captured the position. Be
| fore they could consolidate their hold
| the French countered and retook tn
village at $3.50 o'clock capturing 20
men and two officers.
Twice more the enemy attacked tina
morning at 1890 o'clo~x and a quartz
of an hour later, But now the whea
had become trampled and cut by tn
streams of bullets which bloodily re
pulsed each assault. Again at o'cloc
| came still a stronger attack
This time the slaughter of the assai
| ants was such that the enemy adopte
new tactics and, leaving Courcelles fo
the moment, passed on toward Merry an
Belloy. whose. capture with that {
Reasons epabled them to enclrc
Courcelles. on three sides Only ives
ward there remained a narrow strip {
communication between tne shIiisoh al
their comrades. At 1880 o'clock Monda
morning the enemy attacked, after al
other violent preparation. The hghtir
was furious and prolonged. but at
o'clock the assailants gave way reluc
antly and 1t was not until an hour ar
a half later that the outer defenses wei
finally cleared.
All the morning the Germans tgh
ened their net around the beleaguerf
stronghold. and in the afternoon
tackled three times. at 1850 o'clock, 7:'
and 10.
A attempts failed, though the la
| penetrated the village, but was throw
out again by the dash Of the FrenS
grsnadiers.
/ On Tuesday the big French counte
stroke on the left developed, .sd b,
: tanks, The huge machines. rolling al
pitching through the sioping cornfiel'
WITH groups Of foot soldiers. looked &
I.