Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-05-25


army succeeding in sustaining the
shock, while Coughs army was thrown
back on the Crozat canal, between Saint
Simon and Tergnier, which was captur.
ed by the Germans.
Morning of the Second Day.
Following the initial success, the
Germans remained quiet during the
night Of tie 2lst, while reinforcing
their divisions and preparing their
second attack against points IN the
British bne which had ahown weakness.
The battle was resumed on the morn
ling of the 22d. in the presence of the
kaiser himself. This rimc Won Below 3
army to the north met with a greater
degree of success, capturing the
heights about Croissilles, penetrating
into the British second position, while
in liaison with Won der Marwitz' IS army
at its left, the British second and third
positions were attained through cap
ture of Gouzeacourt, Heudicourt, vii
lers- -Faucon, Roisel, Epehy and Yer
mand, forcing evacuation Of the Cam.
brai salient. In the meantime Won
Huitcr's army, which was conducting
the southern attack, penetrated the
British third division, crossed the
Crozat camel, and forced the passage of
the Disc west of LaFere.
French Armies Intervene.
During the afternoon of the 22d, in
the face Of this situation south of the
iSomme, 4 French army was ordered
forward to relieve the British divisions
engaged al the extreme end of their
broken line, and keep up the liaison
between the French and the British
armies. The result Of this interven,
tion was noticeable almost immediate,
ly. During the 21st and the 22d, the
various advancing German armies were
marching with the unmistakable inten-
tion of filtering into the valley of the
Disc as quickly as possible. q. From the
moment they encountered the determ-
ined French resistance, they were
forced one after another to change
their direction toward the west.
Battle of Ncyon.
The most desperate fighting followed |
for two succeeding days, the main OBJ
ject of the French being to retard the
German advance at all cost. To this
end Noyon, after being defended for a
time, was abandoned and the French
retired back of the city, where, taking
up their positions on Mount Renaud,
they We're ale definitely to check on
March 25, any further advance of the
Germans into the Valley of the Disc
and force them to change their advance
to the direction of Montdidier. Despite
the fiercest fighting since for the pos
session Of Mount Remand this position
which folms the pivot of the French
lines has remained in allied possession
barring completely the route to Paris.
Battle of Montdidier
In the meantime the British army,
which after being thrown back from ,
St, Quentin had been able to maintain
Itself on the Somme, was forced on the
of the Gath to fall back in
he direction of Roye and Nesle which
we're successively lost, until finally on
March ~ the Allied line crossed the !
Avre between Roye and Montdidier.
By quick marches the Germans again !
,ndeayored to- break the British and
French line at their point of juncture,
'ut the allies fighting with their =
packs to the wall, sacrificing Mont !.
iidier but keeping up their contact,
we're able on March % by magnifi-
ent counter-attack to throw the Ger
mans back from the villages they had ?
aiken ela5 of Montdidier and definite $
y establish, line which all succeeding e
Ittaeks of the Germans have failed to i
weaken.
Battle for Arras and Amiens. t
In the meantime north of the Somme, i
'etween Peronne and Arras, second O
errific battle was in progress with b
Arras and Amiens for its objectives i
nd with the Third British army de- t.
ending them. Progress was made by
he Germans, but in the end here too
hey were finally checked. }
German Tactics. e
Immediately there were put into ef. s
eet by the Germans tactics which it 3
as since been established as planned p
o characterize the German offensive \
This provides that the f
one of their drives is checked p
t any point, it is to be bandoned
emporarily and new drive started in
new sector. This is for the purpose, !,
irst, of avoiding useless losses, and, :,
econdly, of engaging the British and d
'rench armies on such an extended "
ront that all of their reserves viii be i,
allied into action, rendering it pos.
ible for the Gemans at the last mo.
lent to stike a decisive blow at any :
avorable point that may develop. h
Battle for the Northern Points. q
With the checking of the German f
rive bo.h north and south of the Som. Il
ne, this operation, in accordance with
he above tactics, was temporarily
bandonsd, and fresh drive started G,
orth and south of Armentieres. with :
he French channel ports as the ulti- d
late detectives. After more than d
Teek of fiercest fighting. hardly had
he Allies begun successfully to check M