South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-09-22
pEPCLITMC'C RIQTI4DAV At ct NH ITET
L. WHB
BY FRANK H. SIMONDS
NewS-rimeS and Associated Newspapers
War Expert

the Germans TO retire salient but he ooul
not advance Ia enough fast enough 20 block the
retreat and therefore OF the Germans IN "a
Marine salient got away.
AS II turned out the Germans prepared 20 aul
the salient whenever serious attack should
made; they had withdrawn some Of their heavy gun
and they were expecting attack but they were nc
prepared Tor so heavy an attack swift push
ward, for when American troops got rtsd the
broke all records IN the they dstanc
they covered without any real pause Thus ali thi
sure upset, many thousands OF prisoners an 4
many guns were captured But on the other hand |
certain number OF Germans escaped because BLAND
had been made for a prompt retreat
After midnight Thursday sept y. our artiner
preparation began, and at O'Clock our troops weni
in on the whole front from Xvray 10 Fey-en- HeyeI
south OF the salient and q shorter front on m 4
north side. Rather less than later the Ell
tacking from the two sides OF the salient rneJ
the village OF vigneules; the salient was thu |
abolished; all the German troops OF this noos
were either prisoners destined become prison
The American line Strengthened out facing east
ward toward Metz, well beyond Thiaucourt all OF n
German positions the heights OF the Meuse Ia 1
been taken; the line straight the height
Of the Meuse. near Vigneues. 70 the Mosene well be
low Pont-s- Mousson.
LARGER PHASE OVER
ON SECOND DAY.
Up to this point local operation the whole va
had been a more complete SUCCESS. American troop
had shown a certain Overeagerness which carried
them beyond their detectives the Germans had dis
a lack determination which made the amer
lean over-seaI advantageous rather than costly
Seven German and Austrian divisions, upward Il
10000 had been engaged nearly $4,000 NOR
than quarter. had been captured the total Ger
loss must have exceeded 10000 men, thus putin
all divisions affected the reckoning for
long period OF time. since their loss Ia
been above so per cent
larger phase the St. Aiihsl battle was over
the second day. although the Americans Etil
pushing out toward that line which the Germans ne
constructed the base the Mihiel salien
against just such an emergency as had now arrived
Meantime French and American troops inside the ne
mai mo an
in the old salient, whose road OF retreat had dsap
peared. So rapid had the retirement Fritz
that practically all OF the 80 villages in the salient
intact Sec'y Baker and Gen. Pershing with Gen
Petain, able ST. NIIhiel the FRIDAY
Pershngs birthday, there 10 be welcomed by inhabl
itants who had been prisoners for four years.
Such in it's vaaSueSt outlines the battle 81 II
Mihiel, in which Americans fought side BY sid
than in any battle in history; in which me
engaged both sides than in any battle Il
which American army under American genera
had ever fought, in which larger uninterrupted ad
made in day than In any day Of thi
years Of the front which NOR
prisoners taken than IN any % hours OF the va
the French front in which larger area Frenc
territory liberated than in any equal period sine
the lines stabilized in 1914
We shall do we'll to recognize the whole truth W.
did not encounter picked German troops we did mol
confront such obstacles Nfangins army hghtin
before St Gobain. The enemy had prepared TO lsav
the Mihie district when he attacked. and "
to conclude that troops henceforth d
prove irresistible wherever they strike that they dil
played a final mastery OF modern warfare. To reach
such conclusions is open the way for future dsa 4
pOintments establishments. But did tha
any military man. German or allied. would have ex1
pected OF American army at this time last yea
more than they expected when the PLAN
ned did all that could be expected bound
AS they say in the newspaper world. there I'd
second day story the thing was complete in the IRE
chapter perhaps the best short story Of the whole fou
OF