Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-07-15

was the actual battle area under
bombardment, but towns and cities
far behind the lines were made
targets for great ten and twelve
inch pTojectiles fired from what
appears to be naval siege guns
brough up behind the German posi-
lions.
Most Ambitious Drive
Official reports relative TO the
grand offensive begun this morning
against the allied positions show
that it is the most ambitious stroke
since March Il, when the Germans
launched their assault against the
British lines from vicinity OF Arras
TO La Fere. The front in the Marcn
2I offensive was reported to be
about fifty miles in length. The
one over which the Germans are at
lacking today is approximately fifty
miles from Chateau Thierry on the
west, to Massiges, in the Cham
payne, on the east.
The Germans followed their most
recent tactics of beginning an Of
fensive. There was a brief artil-
lery preparation of greatest vio-
lence and then came the advance of
assault troops.
Use Big Naval Guns.
There seems, however, to have
been a new feature in this attack.
Great naval guns had been brought
up behind the enemy lines and
towns and cities far behind the
actual battle area were taken I'M
der bombardment. The violence of
this cannonade is evidenced by the
fact that the city of Meaux, % miles
west Of Chateau Thierry, was under
fire of great projectiles during the
night
The apparent purpose Of the Ger
mans attacking from Chateau
Thierry eastward to Massinges was
similar to that in the great attack
along the Aisne late in May. They
evidently hoped to find the allies
less well prepared in this sector
than elsewhere. In spite of the re-
pulse of the Germans before Reims
early in June, it may be that the
allied line eastward from Chateau
Thierry had been more thinly held
than that from Chateau Thierry
north to the Aisne and thence
through the Picardy sector to
Ypres. & -
Hope to Force Retreat.
German assaulting troops thus
might expect to encounter less vio-
lent resistance in the sectors east
of Chateau Thierry and the Ger
mans possibly hoped for gains
which would compel an allied re-
tirement from the Verdun and st.
MihieI sectors.
The north bank of the Marine is
held by the Germans for 20 miles
east from Chateau Thierry. A sue
cessful attack in the Reims area
might force the allies back on the
Marine still further east and give
the Germans command of the com
munication system by which the
French and American troops at Yer
dun and St Mihiel are supplied with
food and munitions.
In this district is the city OF
Chalons, which is reputed to be an
important supply center. 1t is ap-
proximately eighteen miles back OF
the line WneT6 mighty armies al
locked in a death struggle today.
100000 Yankees There.
Americans are engaged in the bat
tie at Chateau Thierry and east
ward along the Marine for some
distance. Their positions extend
northwest of Chateau Thierry to the
village of TOrCy on the Cligno1
river and eastward along the
Marine to Jaulgonne, where they
have been engaged in local fighting
recently General LIggett has about
! 100000 men, the First army corps
in this sector. So far as known nc
American troops are in the neigh
| borhood of Reims, which seems tC
be the center of the tremendous
storm loosed by the enemy at dawn
/ today. There have been Italian
! forces OF the line to the southwest
of Reims, under attack in the pres
ent drive.