The Washington herald., 1918-08-10
The Results Developing.

II is the American army which has made posi-
Bile the simply astounding shift of the situation in
France '----
Not that our army is large Not that it is in
itself, exerting dominant influence in the fight
ing. 1t is not. The great bulk of our combatant
troops on French soil are being ripened in train
-Sisg behind the lines or are held in reserve
,. What we mean to say is that the combination
of circumstances, plus slight numerical supe-
shorty, which Ludendorff possessed when he
struck last March and April, has been completely
overturned by the accession of less than 100000
American troops the firing line and far more
than that number held in reserve
: For instance. Secretary of War Baker stated
yesterday that the British armies in Picardy, now
conducting such brilliant offensive had been
greatly strengthened by the American troops in
reserve of training behind their lines. These SOL
diers not yet ready to go into battle themselves,
have released an equivalent number OF Britshers
who otherwise would have been held for reserve
purposes in the rear
= Within another month, at the outside there
will be vast accession to the American strength
con the firing line, and then, if Foch still has the
S5offensve-as he unquestionably willis it too
much to believe that the allies will then be in a
position to make the enemy retreat until he is
driven back far beyond the Hindenburg line, and
possibly to his sono
= What is the matter with the German army2
Is it on the point of collapse?
Six weeks ago it seemed at the zenith of its
power. Lloyd George warning the commons of
The anxious two months" ahead of u.s. telling of
the tremendous blow which the enemy was pre-
pairing. The blow fell, and its force was spent in
two days. Within the following week the whole
drive collapsed, and the weeks OF great preparation
ior it went for naught And following upon that the
British have made thrust in Picardy which gained
moro ground in twenty-four hours that the great
battle OF the Somme OF 1916, hitherto the high
water mark OF British military effort gained in four
weeks. The drive is still going forward at undi-
minished speed No one knows how far it will
60 1t threatens to wipe out the whole Picardy
salient, and even than that Won Hutier
has been out-Hutiered The clever offensive method
which he elaborated out of the Byng method at
Cambria has been adopted by Foch with results
almost as brilliant those which its creator at
hrst obtained, but which he failed to obtain when
he faced such clever strategist as Gouraud in
the Champagne
Now the British striking in Flanders also
and the French pressing along the salient near
MontdIdler, and the pressure of the Franco
American divisions along the Vesle is unbroken
Many Of Crown Prince Ruppercht's divisions were
transferred from Picardy to the Marne-Vesle saIi-
ent when Foch began his counter blow. If they
are shifted back now it will make the progress OF
the armies of De Goutte, Mangin and Petain so
much the easier.
This system of Simultaneous attacks is one
which Foch be trusted to utilize to the highest
advantage. and it will perhaps harass the enemy
into wide retreat from all the saients he has es-
tabished the result of four months hard work
The allies have control of the air; they can con-
eentrate their troops at various points without the
enemy's knowledge. 1t is possible now that they
possess a substantial numerical superiority.
Whatever the cause, it is clear that the Ger
mans are resisting the blows raining upon them
fsebly. The next few days may bring glorious
news to the world