The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-11-19

N'a'i siNtIoiI iut SttstUN eluHON III AlfteI-
lean forces caused displacement of
power as between the allied and Ger
man armies. Thus it no longer was
necessary to pursue o policy Of reduc-
ing Il salient or nibhling at it. The
American troops had shown what they
could do
broader policy of general attack
along the entire line was then adopt
ed, and the high command called upon
General Pershing to take the Areonne
sector. admittedly one of the most, if
not entirely the most, difficult of the
whole front The broken terrain, the
topography and the lack of roads made
problem difficult 70 describe Ger
many in four years had fortified it to
the last degree of military skill. with
superb roads, both rail and motor, con.
meeting up to the rear positions and
bases
The outstanding feature of the Ar
gonne forest is a long chain of hills
| running north and south, covered with
dense growth of trees and under
growth. making an advance difficult
and offering superb defensive qualities
Virtually no roads exist in the forest,
except a few transverse passes running
east and west The soil is such that the
least rain converts it into a slippery.
miry mess. In other words the phvsi-
cal condition is such that the line of
attack for an advancing army is linz
tied to valleys, chief among which is
that of the Aire river
From the edge of the forest, where
| the resistance was viciously strong. the
enemy possessed innumerable thanking
positions. But beyond this difficult re-
gion lay the Montmedy Sedan line,
which was recently captured. A Ger
man order described il as "our life ar
terry. 1t represented one half Of the
German rail supply on the western
| front. IT meant death if cut.
| The high command told Pershing to
cut that line. The American first army
was put in motion from st. Mihiel. IN
nine days it was on the Argonne line
ready for an attempt. the failure of
which might mean disaster, and the
success of which would give untold re-
suits. This quick movement of an enor-
nous body of men. the establishment
of a new line of supply, and all the
complicated military preparations We're
regarded with pride by the American
| commanders.
Realized It's Importance.
The Americans knew what confront.
| cd them. They realized that this was
no second st. Mihiel, but an enterprise
at which other armies had baked for
four years. They knew that here was
10 re fought fight 10 rank with the
first battle of the Marine. with Verdun
with the SOmme. and the Chemin- des
Danes; and they knew that on them
depended the fate of the great attack
on the rest of the front. If forced back
here the enemy must give way to the
west. If he held he could hold else
where.
1t was al daybreak of Sept. % wher
the Americans went in. Using nine di
visions for the preliminary attack, and
under vigorous artillery support, they
advanced five kilometers the first dav
But the enemy was not taken wholly
by surprise. The second day he threw
! into the line five counterattack diyi
SONS that he had held in close reserve
! They were his best troops, vet they
4 not only failed Ia push the Americans
i back, but failed TO check the gradual
Il advance of the Americans over the dit
fcult terrain
The first phase of the action ended
Oct. 81, during which the American
gains We're not large, hut they com
PEELED the enemy to use a large number
of divisions, which became slowly ex
hausted and thus were unable to parry
the hammering he was receiving from
the French and British on the west.
1t was bitter fighting in the woods
brush, and ravineS. over 4 region per
fectlv registered and plotted by tn
: enemy, where his guns. big and ittl,
could be used with the greatest efficiea
cv. The original nine American divi
sions in some cases We're kept in The
; line more than three consecutive weeks
The American reserves then wer,
thrown in until every division not en-
gagged on another part of the line has
been put in action.
1t is n fact commented upon Will
! pride by the American commanders an(
praised by the allies that seven of thest
. divisions that drove their way through
this hard action never before had beer
in an active sector. while green troops
fresh from home, were poured in as re
placements.
The Associated Press dispatches from
day 10 day told what these men did
how the enemy was slowly pushed bael
from his strongest and most vital po
sitions through one defense system aft
cr another. using his finest selecte,
troops, which had been withdrawn il
MANY instances from other parts o
the line, in an effort to hold an enemy
who. he dcrsivclv said last spring
could not he brought to Europe, and
if so. would not fight, and. even if Ii
r iried to fight, would not know how t
. do So
Death Blow to German Army.
The attack delivered the morning o
| Nov. |, which began the second phas
of the Argonne battle, was the dealt
blow to the German army. Betwecl
Sept % and Oct. 81. enemy division
to the number of thirtv-Six We're iden
tilted as icing opposed TO the Amcri
j. cans in This sector Between Nov