The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-07
WASHINGTON WAR COMMENT.
EXTENT OF VICTORY NOT YET
CLEARLY SHOWN.
General Foch known, However, to
Have Done Very Good Days Work
and One That Places Crown Prince
in Very Unenviable Position.


Washington, Aug. 2.-The collapse
of the German defensive positions just
north of the Ourcq forced by the dash
by American troops in the center and
the brilliant French and British flank
operations following is sweeping the
Snemy swiftly back out of the Aisne-
Marne salient. The rush forward to-
day came so swiftly that it was diff
fcult for army officials here to ap-
praise the full extent of the victory.
AS they understood from reports late
tonight, however, there was a strong
possibility that the Germans would be
unable to hold the Vesle line towards
which they are hastenir and would
be driven to the heights north Of the
AisRs.
Tonight's official report from Paris
carried the most startling message
from the battlefield in several days.
scissors, the key Of the German right
flank in the whole Aisne-Marne posi-
ton had again been entered by the
French At the same time the British
announcement that Thillois west of
Rheims had been taken, showed that
the jaws of the great trap created by
General Foch at last had begun to
close. What the final result will prove
to be can not; be foreseen at this
time.
The reentry into SCISSORS is note
worthy The French were forced out
of the front in the first German as
sault on the Chemin-des-Dames last
May. It's capture by the enemy was
a long step on the road to Paris which
was in fact definitely checked only
when the Germans met American
troops northwest of Chateau-Thierry
weeks later and were hurled back. To
many officials here the little stretch
of line, where the first two American
divisions came into action below the
villers Cotterets forest, will mark the
German highwater mark.
OF great military significance in
tonight's report, however, is the ad-
vance of the other jaw Of the trap at
Thillois This, was taken to mean the
French are pushing in to the north
and west of Rheims an advance
which may well force the enemy to
continue his hurried withdrawal to
the Aisne without a chance to stand
along the Vesle. The, left flank of his
line at the Vesle is in danger Of being
turned before his forces south of that
river reach it.
If the advance OF the French on
this line confines. It may well become
q race for the Aisne with the enemy
forced into line beyond the river be-
fore they are cut off. The picture OF
a struggle to the death between the
two armies drawn by General March
recently, is being revised sharply.
The greatest value seen by many
officials in all that has happened since
the counter blow was launched is that
a precedent Of victory on the western
front has been established. It has
been fully demonstrated already that
the enemy scan be fought extensively
and there are many sign that his
punishment is just beginning. Gen.
Foch holds the initiative firmly and is
master of the situation. He can
choose the time and place Of fight, for
the enemy is compelled to act on the
defensive and to give ground to save
his forces from annihilation.
General March has seen in the fiat
tening out of the Aisne- Marine salient
where the Germans we're able to hold
open the scissors and Rheims jaws,
the vanishing of any reasonable pros
pect of bagging the German armies.
Other officials thave deep conviction
however that the Germans would not
escape from that salient without Sc
rious losses and tonight's develop
ments added to their certainty. There
are renewed possibilities of a coup Of
a decisive character, it is believed.
Among many officers there is a
strong feeling that operations on 9TH
er fronts of the western line are i'm
pending. They believe that blow
by the British to obliterate the Flan-
ders salient may come at any mo-
ment There have been hints that a
Kreat concentration of British forces
has been completed, probably in prep
aration for decisive battle on the
western front and to observers, the
time now seems to have come for the
launching of this assault. They be-
lieve it certain that such a stroke will
be ordered by General Foch before
the fighting in the Aisne-Marne field
has been stabilized