South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-29

Tn these two phases there certain clearly de-
fined periods There are the three German blows that
- March u. which a stupendous success. almost
decisive, that Of May q. which hardly
less threatening than that OF March and fnay that OF
July To- which ended complete defeat TIRES
days later, when FOCh the German blow parted
passed 10 the OFFENSIVE and threw Nranyir with bi.
FraucO-Amercau forces against IUdendorfCs flank and
began the march which has n decent days ended at
the Rhine only 10y allied choice the 10 Ber-
lin lies open. Germany has been conquered. was con-
quered between July and November
ALLIED RESISTANCE
FOILED LUDENDORFF.
Looking backward how shall assess the causes OF
German failure and aied success Both sides pos
sessed great commanders. although superiority
rcoutestible The first German blow was one
Of the most perfectly planned thrusts military
history 1t surprised and almost destroyed enemy,
who could and did rely the fact that four
OF the warfare of positions there had been
successful break through in the west Iudendorff
brought secretly point
he his great battle but the battle failed deci-
7ife NANNY because aimed resistance continued beyond
the calculated point and the German striking force
exhausted before the actual knockout could
efeo Ana OF the Flanders strike the same is 10 ne
The second German blow that above the Aisne was
less heaFy despite IT'S initial success but X too IT.
self out without attaining a decision.
blow could DE delivered the Germans were
suddenly confronted in the first days Of June by a
offensive recalling momentary venture
at Guse in 1914 where ne suddenly turned and won
n considerable victory su uyvarnod rlden5orfr mr.
sued his strategy the rislIed all on
battle calculating as oItke calculated in the
DAYS of the first Marine that the French .ere exb,s
ed and the British Of again an amazed Ger
comman der in chief saw enemy. already ont
of the battle by all the military text books re-
turn to the offensive advance, succeed. French ana
British morale had Outlasted Germany by July ard
thereafter it was merely question OF how long
man morale would last in defeat
OF Foch's strategy It IS too early 20 speak with
eXactness. His method the opposite the
German He did seek gather up an his energies
and resources and deliver single colossal blow, which
II successful war but II unsuccessful
would paralyze him for long period while he
reconstructing his thunderholt. Rather has method
of swift blows each light but each followed
promptly by another at point. from the moment
that the Ludendorn lost the second Marine the
he never able TO reconstruct his armies or
escape from the mastery OF Fochs plans. Ia o
meet one thrust after another conform 10 his foes
strategy until his cracking army abandoned boy
civilian populace, which had completely collapsed.
The last blow on July - Of TudendorY was a.
great a gamble Napoleons OF the old guard d
the closing OF waterloo. Had Iudendorn re-
tired rather than advanced IN July reganed strategic
might have escaped final disaster for the campaign
Of 1913. But this his last chance is inn
probable that in doing this ne would have precipated
q collapse Of the German public, which would have
FASTENED rather than delayed the end.
AMERICANS SUPPLIED
MORAL STIMULUS.
March the British beaten beaten they
have been beaten IN 500 years Of history. Even
shudders in recalling those terrible days In
May the French beaten. although a far smaller
fraction OF their main masses affected But had
there been rush % American troops 20 Europe be-
coming visible and in slight measure available by
the of June. the allied defeats might
have given German victory the continent chance
to write another treaty Of Tst such as Napoleon
wrote 1907 after Austerlitz Frfedlaud
before we gave military aid troops supplied moral
stimulus. became a vast balance In the bank
to become available at the moment when despair was
: abroad.
History viii believe reckon that tbs war wac
the day the Germans decided upsh their sub
marine blockade Of 1871 which brought the United
States the win reckoned fatal
10 Germany as was Moscow 70 Napoleon Napoleon
fought more campaign in Germany after his RUS
san disaster. great campaign which narrowly missed
victory certain moments but his doom was written
terrible events Of the previous year Tt was
beyond the resources Of France 20 supply him with
necessary continue his great victories. and
once he suffered q real defeat The French people de-
serted him
IT was the same with LudendorT. He and those
could be by the submarine and the army before
America could intervene. But when America inter
vened after the German campaign had failed
and on land. German people gave Do they
America az last correctly. and seeing. surrendered.
We Americans reaped where others sowed, vic-
tories were everywhere made possible 1v The eudur
ance of who had died in defeat or desperate
defense where attacked. We were stlI small
had behind numbers ineXhaustihlC. had been
supply precious. perhaps decisive handfuls ir
the worst DAYS and were sweeping before us the
remnants Of 90 German divisions who had sriven vain
ly check MP In the final act
In all ways the campaign OF 1918 was the greatest
in the war: the history Of modern II had an
the terrible fascination OF battle long in doubt r.
had the final lift ~ supreme victory ON the MILF
tarv side revealed the decisive between
great military systems each splendidy represented
TEN over the German was complete and the advantage
of Foch over TudendorT viii never be- questioned.
the saved az the Marine in 1910. co
fl seems 20 me IL was won al the stream IN 1915
memorable in the history Of human liberty,