The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-12
The War for the Week

Two outstanding events monopolized interest
in the war dispatches this week-the German and
Austrian peace notes, and the beginning of a
general retirement toward the French border
The peace notes have already been discussed
fully in an editorial way, and they have no place
IN review. of the military operations, except to
indicate the weakness of the German position.
The biggest military event of the week. and one
OF the really decisive battles of the war was the
final break through by the British French and
Americans, in the Cambrai- ST Quentin sector Of
the western front
rms spectacular achievement, in reality was
but the elimination of a battle that has been in
progress for many weeks. The British and French
nave been hammerfng doggedly and persstentlv
az what was probably the most strongly fortified
part OF the Hlndenburg defense line. Mile after
mile they have fought their way through a. maze
OF concrete trenches, pillboxes and machine gun
TESTS rhe lace OF storm of artillery and early
IN the week they worked themselves clear of the
last prepared Notifications and reached the omen
country beyond where it is possible for cavalry
ana tanks to operate to good advantage.
Rapid Advance.
since then, their advance has been as rand
as was consistent with the advance of the artiI-
iery ana supply lines. great salient is being,
driven into the German lines. This salient now
IS auly twenty-ye miles deep from its base to its
apex east Of lie Cateau, and it is about forty miles
across the base, from the vicinity of Douai to
Just north Of La Fere 1t is as if the former Ger
man salient aimed at Aimens has been revers-
ed. The base OF the two salients is approximate
~ the same but the spearhead now projects in
TO the German lines instead of projecting into the
allied defenses -s"-- = ..s IL
One glance at the accompanying map is suf-
fictent to show the Importance of the salient and
the menace It offers to all the German forces in
France 1t is creating two great German salients
and threatening to divide the German armies lust
as the Germans tried to divide the French and
British armies last March in the drive tow:lrd
Armeins
1t might be argued that the Allies in their sail
ent are in even greater danger than the Germans
in their two This might be true if there were
any prospect of the Germans resuming the often
sive, but the offensive has permanently passed
out Of their hands. They lack the reserves, the
surplus guns, the organization and the transport
tation lines to organize a great offensive now.
Their great organization has been dealt such
staggering blows that it would require at least
six weeks of actual armiStice to permit them to
organize any great offensive, and Marshal Foch
shows no disposition to give then even twenty
four hours rest The German troops in the north
getting out with minimum losses than they are
about either holding their lines trying to break
in the sides of the Allied salient.
The Present Line.
AS will be seen from the map, the French hold
where the river turns to the southeast. At
Guise the American and British lines join he
French and sweep around east of LIE Cateau and
north of Cambria in a wide arc. The apex is be-
ing pushed steadily forward toward Aulnoys.
This little town is not shown on the accompany
ing map but is is just beyond Landrecies, where
two railroads cross. This point is one of the
vital centers of the German supply lines If it
is reached, the direct connections between the
northern and southern halves of the German
armies will be cut, and roundabout routes will
have to be established making communications