Arizona republican., 1918-06-10
OFFENSIVE ARMY
 WILL MIN FOCH
 SAYS ID PRESS
Commander Writes We Must Not Be Deceived By
 This Or That Battle; De cisive Attack Tells Story
Republican A. p. Leased wire1

LONDON, June 9.-That battles can he won in the end only by the army which takes the offensive is the significant declaration made by Gen oral Foch, commander in chief of the allies. in an article contributed by him to the weekly journal, "The Field" in which he discusses the problem of the soldier and the way Co victory.
 Modern warfare to arrive at it's end and to impose it's will on the enemy says General Foch. "rccog- nizes only one means-destruction of the enemys organized forces.
 War undertakes and prepares this destruction by battle which brings about the overthrow of the adversary, disorganizes his command. destroys his discipline and nullifies his units so far as their fighting power is con- ceruod.
 "Our first axiom must be that com pletely to achieve its object. a battle must not be purely defensive. A purely defensive battle. even well con- ducted, does not result in a victor and a yanqushed. It is simply a same that must be begun over again.
 Offensive at Finish
 From this it is an obvious corol- lary that an offensive. whether started at the beginning of an action or whether it follows the defensive. can only give results and in consequence must always be adopted at the finish.
 To maintain our position is not synonymous with being victorious and even prepares for a defeat. If we remain where we are and do not pass to the offensive to fix the direc- tion of attack. to guard against the plans of the enemy and prevent him p tF1rr out hn we must undertake to carry on and sustain numerous combats. each with @ determined aim.
 But since there remains no doubt that decisive attack is the very key stone of a battle, all other actions which make up a battle must be en- visaged. considered. organized, pro- vidfd with forces in the measure in which they will prepare. facilitate and guarantee developments of a decisive attack characterized by it's mass, it's surprise. it's speed and for which. in consequence. it is essential that there shall be the maximum reserve force possible of troops of maneuver. The reserve-that is to say,the prepared hludgeon-is organized and kept care fully instructed to execute the single act of battle from which results are expected, namely, the decisive attack
 Bludgeon Must Be Strong
 Preserves must be husbanded with the most extreme parsimony so that the bludgeon may be strong enough 10 make the blow as violent as pos sible. Let loose at the finish, with out any lurking idea of saving them with a well thought out plan of win ming the battle at point chosen and determined. reserves are thrown in all together in an action surpassing in violence and energy all other phases of battle, an action with proper char acteristics-surprise, mass and speed All our forces really participate.
 Tn this our supreme aim. we must not be deceived by appearances. AL though theory fails when applied by feeble hands and when accessories obscure the main principle, history and reason show us that in battle there is a single argument which is worth while. namely. decisive attack which is alone capable of securing the desired result-the overthrow of the adversary"