Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-19
FOCH'S COUNTER
KILLS HUN HOPE Of
VICTORY IN WEST
Real Decision N ow Must be OBJ
tanned in Russia, Says Noted
Military Expert.
GERMAN CAUSE SHAKEN

Washington, d c.. July IA noted
military expert, in summarizing the war
situation up to last night, writes:
The tide of battle has turned. The
initiative. whi has remained with
Germany since March 81, has changed
hands. The oifens We which the Allies
launched Yesterday between the Marine
and the Aisne has vitally changed the
entire situation in France. We now
have the secret of all of the small at
tacks which the Allies we're constantly
driving against the German lines along
the western side of the Marnc salient.
They we're all directed by one man, all
had common purpose, as had been
suspected. And the purpose was
preparation for just what has happened
Through these small attacks the French
and the Americans seized local positions
which vastly improved their line as a
whole. and took the first and q very nCCes-
sarv step in the great countCr-oiicnslye
which was launched yesterday
This countcr-effort rings down the
curtain not only on the present German
offensive. but on the German chance
of obtaining decision in the west. Ii
places the burden squarcly on the east
on Russia-to say whether the Allies
shall win or lose.
Germans Last nance NSuUE.
In the west the Germans are beaten.
Their last chance of victory has been
snatched away. II we had no other
proof OF this. the mere fact that the
allied commander Is sufficiently sure of
his strength To concentrate his men IN
a quiet sector while the fIerccSt Ger
man effort Of the war was at lis height,
and to strike with them not IN q Coun-
ter attack but IN n new offensive over
Il wide front. : sufficient guarantee
that the lines in the west are safe.
Foch's army of manoeuvre has come 10
light.
ALLIED MOVE DEFENSIVE.
The allied move is. of course, partly
defensive The Germans who were
pressing hard against the eastern side
of the Marine salient and who we're
moving ahead, slowly but rcicntlcssIy
up the Marine along the south bank,
were drawing the loop tightly around
Rheims While east Of the city the
French lines were holding fast, on the
west they were being driven back until
the southern approaches 10 the city
were gradually being closed. Rheims
has no military value. Such value as
il once had has long since passed. Its
sentimental or moran value, however, is
tremendous. Ii would have made an
excellent headline in the Berlin papers
and a tasty though lnsubstantial NOR
>el for the German people 10 digest The
allied offensive will probably dIsappoint
the German desire for favorable news
and the German stomach.
HUNS wERB A SHINING MARK.
The German troops south of the !
Marne, who have been unable To pene- |
trate beyond the St Agnan-ia Chap
pelle line in their way south, Offered a |
tempting bait. They were stretching |
out along the southern bank in their |
effort to take Rheims from the south. !
never getting more than two or three /
miles from the river, but continually !
lengthcning. because they could not 4
broaden their front Their position was
from the first one of extreme danger. /
Faced with force in their front equal 4
ly as strong as their own. threat 10
their rear would make their retirement
d matter of great difficulty If not of
impossibiIity. This threat TO their rear
is now being furnished by the allied ad- /
vance Not only is the rear of this force
being threatened, however, but the en- 4
tire Marne salient from Scissors 10 .
Rheims is in danger.
TOO EARLY TO TELL. HOW IT HAP. ENED. /
II l. HdIQiN possible at Jne moment 4
TO tell exactly what has happened /
the American forces at
tackled frs between the lower part Of
the Retz forest and Chateau-1hierry
The French In the meantime had con-
centrated In the forest of Retz and were
waiting merely for the American at
tack TO get under way when they would
go ahead. The American forces struck
the Germans between Bouresches and
Damnard, and the German line quickly
cracked, the Americans penetrating at
some places to depth Of three miles
almost Immediately The French al
most Immediately struck east and
northeast from the Retz forest. end
also moved forward north OF the Aisne
at the same time from the vicinity of
Fontenoy. There was no artillery prep
aration, nothing but barrage FIRE behind
which the infantry advanced accom-
panied by tanks
Everywhere the Germans gave vav