Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-06
BY PAUL AYRES ROCKWELL.
Cablegram to The Sunday Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1918.

BY PAUL AYRES ROCKWELL.
Cablegram to The Sunday Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1913.
tober Six great battles are now
in progress along a front extending
from Flanders to Moeuvre, and the
enemy is being forced to wear him
self out in attempting to support
blows delivered vigorously against
more than 200 kilometers 12O miles)
of his defensive lines. This using up
of German man power and material
is more important than territorial
gains. acceptable as the latter are.
and Marshal Foch's masterful and
systematic method of striking is be-
ginning to tell seriously upon the foe.
The six battles are, from north to
south: First, the Franco-Anglo-Bel-
gian offensive between Dixmude and
a point south of Ypres which is bril-
liantly successful; second, the power
full British offensive in the region of
Cambrai; third. Gen. DebeneyS
valiant assaults against the linden
burg line in the region south of st.
Quentin: fourth. Gen. Mangins push
HSdIIlSi t1f' fntff' Ncrf' OF lTF -tlSHt,
fifth, Gen. Berthelot's operation be-
tween the Nesle and the Aisne. and
sixth. Gen. Gourauds wonderful as
saults against Germany's formidable
positions in the Champagne. These
battles are all progressing favorably
for the allies.
Poilus Smash Opposition.
That waged by the French which
tir,c
Gourauds attack which started Sep
TENDER 20 along line reaching from
the Sulppe river to the western bor-
ders of the Argonne forest in faison
with the Americans who attacked
from the eastern edges of the
Argonne to the Mouse river. When
the battle started the French were
facing German organizations dating
from 1914, with Il firSt-Zone combat
from two to seven kilometers G.2 to
- miles) deep. comprising in
Vulnerable trenches and boyaux in
stalled in the best manner possible.
protected by tremendous barbed wire
"ntanglementS and other obstacles
natural and manmade and supported
by many switched trenches. The Ger
mans were expecting an attack and
had placed their choice divisions in
tie lines fronting Gouraud. Never
1helesS the poilus smashed all oppo-
SItIon. making. on the first day of bat
itilS al bTllllant advance OF from 1OuT
to five kilometerS GA to , mileS)
deep all along the line assaulted. bit
ing severely into the foes main COM
bat zone.
Menace Hun Organizations.
Abandoning the advance combat
zone, the enemy attempted to halt the
French along the main zone. but
failed. and when the second day of
the battle dawned the poilus were
facing valuable positions. which the
Germans greatly desired to retain. SO
as to keep the French from the
wooded region. where the German
reserves could be advantageously
massed for further operations. and
wide view across the Aisne valley.
the Argonne defiles and other locali-
ties, which view would menace the
German organizations east of Rheims
roads through the Argonne forest are
few. The French wished to gain
these positions, thereby menacing the
German organizations east of Rheims
in the mountain region. where the
1 enemy is powerfully organized along
the crest. against which frontal at
Second Day More Severe.
Therefore. the enemy FASTENED up
all reserves available and the second
day of the battle waXed more severe
as the German resistance increased.
The enemy was installed around
SommePy, Gratreul Manre. where
there are veritable cliffs. with fire.
Guent and matted thickets and pine
woods. Attacks and counter attacks
came in rapid succession. 1t was
] battle of maueuver and infltration.
The crests were turned from the
ravineS and German resistance CEN
tors were wiped out one after ano-
Their. In some of the woods the Ger
mans had built ''skyscraper" block
houses. cement affairs. with story
upon story equipped with machine
guns manned by selected crews, who
struggled until death.
Tanks Break Through.
Month of Somme-Py especially
strong resistance was encountered,
but the ardor and skill of the poiluS
, overcame all obstacles, gaining ter
rain meter by meter and tree by
model aided Splendidly during the
battle. although the crews of some
of the German anti-tank batteries al
lowed themselves to be literally
sGuashed to death in an effort to
check the French advance. The Ger
mans also flooded the terrain in an
endeavor to halt the iron monsters.
hut the tanks got through just the
same. thanks to the valor of the
drivers and gunners.
As the battle continued the Ger
mans thew more than twelve fresh
divisions into Nhc struggle. but the
French outfought them. regardless of
fatigue and on September 20. at noon.
The French line passed north of Au-
bcrive-wherc the foreign legion dis
1inSuShed itself in April. 1917. and
where Frank Whittmore. James Paul
and other American lcSionaires found
d.. ', n NJ Mlyr y,
and north of Somme-Py. holding Azure
..iIIa and advancing COuSiGera bly,