New-York tribune., 1918-06-01
The Critical Day

q NS1iIdH offensive marks Cne Crisis OF
the whole operation. Indeed, these major
attacks seem to follow a course as regu-
lar as that of some disease. There is the
onset, the breaking of the front, and
then, following this, the rush through the
gap, newly opened, until the defender
brings up reserves and the assailant
loses the advantage Of surprise and num-
bers and the front stabilizes on a new
line.
AS it stands now the situation between
the Aisne and the Marne is this: At the
outset the Germans tore gap in the
Allied lines from Craonne at the eastern
end of the plateau of the Chemin des
Danes to the high ground north and
west of scissors, which was the scene Of
Petain's brilliant local victory in the
Battle of Malmaison. At the Aisne,
when the Germans crossed this stream,
the gap was rather more than thirty
miles wide, but by the time the German
left flank reached the Vesle it had mar
rotred to twenty.
In Rheims and about Scissors the AL
lied line held, but between these two
pivots there seemed to be complete col
lapse, and the Germans have been and
still are pounding southwark along the
two main highways between Laon and
the Marine, one Of which reaches the
Marne at Chateau Thierry, the other at
Dormans. Along these roads Bulow ad-
vanced to the Battle of the Marne and
over them he retired from Montmirail
and Champaubert, scenes of Napoleonic
victories century before, after the sue
cess of Foch at La Fere Champenoise.
For the past two days the chief effort
of French strategy has been not to
check the German advance by frontal re-
sistance but to prevent the Germans
from widening their wedge. And in this
the French have been so far successful.
Now, unless the Germans can widen their
salient, which between the Vesle and
scissors is not more than a dozen miles
wide and of equal depth, they will not
only have to halt, but to retreat, since
their flanks and rear are already threat
ened.
In word, the Germans have been and
are thrusting into a narrow pocket. If
they can widen this pocket by an attack
on the west side, all the Allied line east
and west of the Disc between Scissors
and Montdidier will be in danger of
development and Foch may have to make
long retreat. If they can widen it to the
Eastward Rheims will go, and with it all
the high ground north of the Marne and
west of Chalons. This would mean a
dislocation of the Allied front so great
as to put Verdun in jeopardy and
threaten the line north of Toul.
But the Germans must widen their
gap. They have reached and possibly
passed the point of safety, so far as di-
rect advance is concerned. If the French
end British maintain their present posi-
tions, then, although the German thrust
may reach the Marine and temporarily
cut the Paris-Chalons- Nancy railroad, it
will have the character of raid and will
be followed by rapid retreat in brief
time.
(, AS to the Allied course, it is clear that
50 Tar Foch has been compelled to follow
the precedent of the Amiens defence and
canalze an attack he could not imme
diately stop by frontal resistance. In the
case Of Amiens the German tide was
slowly CONSTRUCTED between the Ancre
and Avre rivers until the apex of the
wedge became so narrow it was unsafe
to advance further
AT that time the world looked for a
French counter offensive on the flank of
the German advance between Noyon and
Montdidfer. Now exactly the same in
Sitation is held out by the side of the
new German salient between Chateau
Thierry and Scissors. If Foch can snare
the reserves this is the answer to be ex-
pected, and if such counter offensive
were successful the German thrust might
collapse in real disaster
But, on the other hand, it is we'll to
remember that the Germans have the
reserves necessary for second thrust
exactly like that made two months ago
in Flanders after the Picardy offensive
had been checked, and any weakening of
the Allied lines west Of the Disc for a
counter offensive on the east would in
evitably be followed by an attack on the
west which might have very grave con-
sequences Therefore, it is more than
likely that Foch will again content him
self with checking the German thrust
and permitting the Germans TO hold most
X not all Of their newly conquered
ground.
Z In sum, the Third Battle of the Aisne