Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-26
French, With Our Troops, Open Attack on Wide Front
Probably From Rheims to Verdun in Champagne
Sector; Aim to OuAank Laon and St. Quentin; Foch
Plans to Break Communication Line Between the
Two Points
MAY SPLIT GERMAN
ARMIES IN TWAIN
Germans in Death Struggle TO
Keep Allies From Crashing
Through Defenses.
ny Associated Press 10 Every Evening

ny Associated Press 20 Every Evening
Paris. Scp, 26 D. m.
French and American troops began a
Joint attack this morning on the Cham
pagne front and in the region beyond it
on the east, tOday's war Office statement
announces.
The statement says the French attack
was launched in the Champagne IN co-
operation with the American army, which
is attacking farther 20 the east.
With The French Army in France.
Sept 2e French troops today attacked
in the Champagne in thick fog after a
period Of artillery preparation which
terminated in hours Of most intense
drum fire.
The early Indications were that the
attack was progressing most favorably.
The Franco American attack on the
Champagne front is the first allied thrust
made on that sector since Marshal FOch
assumed the initiative in July and is the
logical result of the allied success in
Picardy in driving the Germans back 20
the H,ndenburg line from Arras to Iaon.
A drive northward in Champagne
threatens the communication lines in the
rear Of the Hindeuburg defense system.
where the Germans are struggling 10
keep the British and French from break
ing through. White the length Of the
front Of attack is not disclosed, Il is
probable Il extends a great part Of the
distance from Rheims TO Verdun and
probably beyond.
An advance Of some distance east of
Rheims would Outilank Laou and pos
sibly 81. Quentin. The communication
lines eastward from Laon. the pivot Of
the German defenses between Rheims
and Ypres. would be severed. An allied
break through might separate the Ger
man forces in the west into two groups.
Associated Press summary p. m.
French and American troops today
are stormlng the German positions y
Champagne and farther east % what
apparently another major stroke
by Marshal Foch The new offensive
Is progressing favorabiy according 70
early reports
s.. s.-FRENCH AcT m CONCERT.
The new allied thrust IN the west comes
on front which has not been very active
since the Germans failed 20 advance
IN Champagne n the defeated offensive
of July :. east and west If Rheims
French soldiers are attacking IN Cham
pagne, which runs from Rheims easJ-
ward 10 the ArgOmme, west of Nerdun
The Americans are moving forward
east OF the Champagne simultaneously
with General PetaIn mon.
Great possibilities might result from
successful Ali advance on the front
east Of Rheims. rs the German communi-
cations would be severed and the for
mldable euemy position from Arras 70
Laon endangered with the important
southern Il outfanked
In local operations between Cambrai
and St Quentin on the western front the
British are pushing farther into the
Hlndcnburg line and capturing points
vital to the defense Of Il. Quentin. West
and northwest Of St. Quentin the Fritlsh
have advanced ia the regions ii SeiencS
and Grlcourt
ALLIES SW EErING MACEDONIA.
In Macedonia the allies are advancing
all along he I30 mile, N-shapcd front
between Alonastir and Lake Dora0.
The bulgarian first army on the allied
left has been placed IN "a dangerous posi-
ton BY the cutting Of the Prilep-Neles
road NJ lzvor while the Serblans are in
the outskirts ot lshtb, eighteen miles
east Of Neles, and one oi the bases Of
the bulgarian second army apparently
the Neics-lshtih line the most formidable
for the enemy south OF Oskub, VII prove
untcuable
Northeast Of Lake Dciran British troops
have crossed the frontier into Bulgarian
Macedonia threatening the extreme enemy
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