The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-03-30
TUESDAYS GREAT BATTLE.
BRIEF OUTLINE OF EVENTS ON
BATTLE FRONT.
Sector Taken by Enemy Valuclcss for
Military PurpOses-Sevcnty Divis-
ions Employed in Drivc--LOndOn
Confirms Statement of American
Troops i'm Action.

After six days of terrific fighting
the German offensive i'm France is be
| ginning to show signs of losing its
momentum. The plan Of the enemy
has materially slackened and the form
Of the dent made in the allied line
west Of Cambria has begun to resem-
BILE the familiar wedge-like salient, in
stead of the broad straight forward
movement of an offensive which car
lies all before it:
At its apex this wedge has gone
beyond Albert and is to the westward
Of the old allied line as it stood a
year ago when Won Hindenburg be-
san his strategic retreat"
From this point the line runs off to
the northeast at a gentle angle, with
the line to the south running back un-
I'll 1t reaches the Disc River.
In spite of the tremendous exer-
tons and terrible losses, the German
efforts to widen the tip of this salient
were defeated on Tuesday. The Brit
ish lines have stood firm to the north
and have forced the Germans 10 turn
southward towards the point of least
resistance.
Official statements issued at Lon
don confirm the report from Berlin
that American forces are engaged in
the struggle. There has been no Of
fetal report to Washington as to the
identity of these troops who are taking
part in this great battle in history.
With the slackening of the German
pace there come indications that the
allies are ready to strike back some
where along the front. Just where
this blow will be launched will not be
known until it is struck, but it may be
expected that its impact will be ter
rifle.
Each succeeding day reveals the
plan of the Germans absolutely to
crush the allies lines west of Cam
brai, terrain which could not be de-
Tended by Won Hindenburg a year ago
Each official report shows that this
sector Is valueless from military
standpoint and that the Germans have
paid a terrible price for their advance
to the lines established by the allies
during the first two years of the war.
1t is officially reported that 70 Ger
man divisions, or $4,000 men. have
taken. part in the fighting.
Observers at the front say that
the German losses have been fright
full. and that the enemy has lost from
10 10 20 per cent. of his men by the
most conservative estimate
The situation as it stands Stems to
ne a reptition of the dash OF General
Won Kluck on Paris on 1914, when the
German artillery and transports
could not keep up with the infantry
and the French were able to turn back
the invaders ut the Marine.
Reports from various sectors in the
last two days have indicated that the
German infantry, relying on its mass
attacks, has fought without the Gus
tomary assistance of artillery. To
bring up heavy guns requires time and
the German advance will steadily be-
come more painful and costly.
While the German line of commu-
nications has been growing longer, the
British have constantly moved near
or their base of supplies.
There has been continued activity
on the Italian front but no attacks of
importance has been made by either
side in this theater. The American
lines in the Luneville and Toul sectors
have been bombarded once more, but
no infantry fighting is reported there
North OF the Somme battlefield
| ther have been no engagements OF
| significance. The British troops in
Palestine have captured the village OF
Es-Salt.
The Russian Bolsheviki are report
ed to have recaptured the city OF
Kherson from the Germans.