Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-06
EVENTS OF WEEK

EVENTS. OF A WEEK
The great. German drive against the British and
Hit rsnch lines has entered upon its third week, and the
gyFEsaak5erman forces have been checked without accomplishing
kIei1heir object that of breaking through the lines of their
IrssSppponents and separating the two great armies from, each
The fighting has by no means ceased. In places
brand at times it is as desperate as ever. but the great mass
s1alaaSimovement has long since worn itself out. The Germans
Hndaave occupied some miles Of captured ground. They
IL YYr1have captured some thousands of prisoners and a guam
aIsuxity of material which the allies were obliged to leave
Il hehind in their retirement. But on the new lines which
EtoIshave been established they are confronted by the same
lhuarmies that barred their progress in the first place, rein
IEncGtorced by reserves which had been held for this purpose,
Inland which have not yet been permitted to deliver the
aEFrsasmashing blows for which they have been held in readi-
] r'''. ......
1foos There is no exact knowledge available as to the
ssthlosses which the Germans have sustained in this des-
lESsssperate movement. Estimates place them at from 2oo,-
Hthi000 to $780, 900 men, and it seems that in view Of the
n vast number OF men engaged and the manner in which
fssMMatheir attacks were made against the whitening fire Of
fAasmachine guns these estimates must be fairly conservative.
e3,po:.No statement has been made of the losses Of the allies.
faavbut the purpose of the commanders of the British and
ftyn1aaFrench forces was to inflict on the enemy all the dam
I'll age possible and at the same time to save their own men.
E1is In such an operation it is necessarily the attacking party
Effrawhich suffers the most severely, and when the balance
GACois struck it will undoubtedly be found to be vastly in
Eaggnlfavor OF the allies.
IA ~ 'S'@E4#F' . g - . . 4" 2" ' "Hlf~f
The great battle at this time has the appearance of
eaMlanother verdun. 1t will be remembered that when the
[HMiattack was made on the French before verdun similar
III 1M''tactics were employed by the Germans. Men were
III thrown forward in great masses, wave after wave. and
H NJ the attempt was made to overwhelm the French by sheer
81 AZ weight Of numbers. The French did give ground, but
ii & they fought all the way and they INFLICTED tremendous
III damage on the advancing foe. In that enterprise the
4sntCermans did just what, thus far, they have done in
asSrTsP icsrdy.~ They gained ground. They took prisoners.
They captured guns. But they were obliged to stop be-
II wfore their objective was gained, and they quit with an
z alert and unbeaten French force before them which has
4 IS snee regained practically all Of the ground which the
III IHGermans took at that time. The attack on verdun is now
Ia everywhere regarded as a costly and useless enterprise
on the part Of the Germans.
1t is too soon to say with any degree Of positiveness
u that the history of Verdun will be repeated in this in
4 stance. The Germans have met stiff resistance, and they
have suffered from counter strokes which, in places
a has compelled them to give ground. Except on a few
sections Of the line they have not yet been able to bring
tI up their artillery and get it into action. They are strik-
ing often and striking hard, but practically all along the
b line they are held fast. Their own papers say that they
have been checked by rainy weather which has made
the ground impossible for heavy guns. It may be that
further knowledge that the advance is not to be resumed.
and an excuse for failure. Or we may find that within
: few days the attack will be resumed on a large scale,
Is in which case we may look for some further retirement
~ the allies. unless General Foch and his associates be-
Mevs that the time has come for their own great counter
EI# offensive. the plans for which, We may rest assured, are
carefully prepared and ready to be acted on when the
copditions are right.
5I$ No detailed Information as to the activities of. the
/ American troops has been given out. 1t is known that
i3 they are being amalgamated with the other allied forces.
Sd8 and # is possible that many of them are now in the
ssg neIshborhood Of the great Picardy battle. On the short
jI sctors held solely by Americans toward the south end
Ia OF the line there have been the usual skirmishes, and
4Ia4E coasderabie artillery action, but no important infantry
lsnxsxemsnts.
49@isSs while there has beep1 a slackening of activity in
11131Fance,5 there are Indications OF preparation for a vigor-
t@a0ns909enadye ny Austrian troops on the italian front
a883lSAppassntiy the Teutons have abandoned for the present
1MAz4ksatAsnshs Il IN advance into italy BY the way OF. the
NslTsev&sa ~ have been anassing forces IN the noun.
NdJ3xth IGts5ek 1STther west. and II is expected that blow
y1SSsRs1n. from inst direction. The 1taltan troop.
SfsSS1s q tseeir lines well during the late winter months
8fSs5skeas sthsrs. y: 81 as$~e nav. kno.isdseso
b44S ulfss news comes ont % Russia indicates thai
nSSnaF Tor tho Geemans tsS make hasteS Il
~ ~ 6s1SI apsssfsssuAAsr " stlsAl a&y.asass from