The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-15
If He Fails-AND HE WILL
1t Is Last Major Operation.
Military Men at Washington
Agree on "Bad Days Ahead"
ALLIES ARE IN BETTER SHAPE
Americans and French Much
Stronger Than March 21.
After This Comes Yankee
Strength-and War Is Over!

Washington, July 15.-Germany's
fifth great drive in the west, opening
today against the Franco-American
fcrces on a 65-mile front, was expected
by military men here to be her great
est and last major offensive action.
Military men agree that difficult
days are again ahead.
But, they say, the French and
Americans are in better shape to
withstand the blow than were the al
lies when the first drive started,
March 21.
This operation, they predict, will be
halted. Some ground will be given.
but none believed the Germans will
win a strategica1 victory. If he fails
as expected, it is probable he cannot
undertake another major operation
this year. Then with American
strength constantly and rapidly grow
ing the man power balance will swing
against him. That means he will be
on the defensive and that in time he
will be defeated.
Road to Paris.
The Germans, it is believed here,
have selected the road to Paris for re-
newal of their drive, officers here be-
lieved today, judging from early re-
ports on the violent movement, which
began at dawn.
Whether the effort is designed ac-
tually to be pressed against the
French capital or to pave the way for
later assaults north of Amiens on the
road to the channel ports, believed to
be the main objective of the whole
German plan, was the subject of in
terested speculation.
The new battle line runs clear
around Rheims in its fifty-mile sweep
from Chateau Thierry where the first
and second American divisions are
known to be in line. American troops
in the Jaulgonne sector of the Marne,
east of Chateau Thierry, also are in
volved.
To Check Supplies.
The object OF. the bombardment is
to harass the movement of supplies
and reinforcements to the danger
point, and the careful preparations of
the enemy may mean that he is ready
to keep up the assault for days or
weeks in the effort to drive thru. Just
where the main force of the attack
will fall is not clear.
The apex of the German advance on
the Aisne front is at Chateau-Thierry.
where the American first corps now
holds the left flank of the new battle
line presumably the main objective
IN this assault is some place to the
east of that point which lies on the
direct road to Paris.
1t is regarded as possible that the
purpose of the attack is to widen still
Iurther the Aisne salient by the re-
duction of Rheims and the forcing
back of the whole southern extremity
OF the 1918 battle area. A previous at
tack on Rheims was halted in its
tracks by French and Italian troops
and that place is now the center of a
sreatly increased assault. In some
quarters this was taken to mean that
reduction of the Rheims salient is re-
garded as vital to the success of the
German enterprise as a whole.
Extensive employment of naval
guns for long range bombardment of
the allied rear positions suggests that
1t was the time required to bring I'm
and emplace these weapons that held
up the German drive.