The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-17
French and Yanks Gain in
Strong Counter Attack.
Position of Allies Is Said To Be
"Distinctly Satisfactory"
HUN CASUALTIES 100, 900 men
Main French Reserve Forces
Remain Untouched.
The French Call Drive an ~In-
offensive Offensive"

London, July 17.-American and
French troops, counter attacking on a
four mile front south of Dormans,
have swept the Germans back 5000
yards (nearly two miles), bringing the
enemy bridges across the river under
artillery fire, it was learned from an
authoritative source this afternoon.
Remaining German positions south
of the river-which marked their far
thest advance toward Paris in the
new drive-have thus been reduced to
a scant and precarious foothold.
The enemy yesterday advanced
three miles south of the river to
Fesligny Give miles east and south of
DOrmans). The German positions
here are menaced by the French and
American counter attack just to the
westward.
German Casualties 100000.
London, July 17.-Casualties sus-
tanned b. the German troops in the
offensive up to the present are esti-
mated to number 100000, according
to news received in London today from
the battle front in France.
Lose No Guns.
The position for the allies at the
present stage of the German often
sive in France is said to be distinctly
satisfactory in advices received TO-DAY.
The French losses are stated to have
been very small. They have lost no
guns, the report declares.
General Won Einems army. which
has been engaged on the German left
wing in the Champagne, yesterday de-
Iivered five attacks between Suippe
and Massiges. All the attacks were
repulsed with heavy losses.
French counter attacks have
brought the German bridges over the
river Marne under the fire Of the
French artillery of medium caliber.
No Outside Reserves Used.
Paris. July 17.-No French Stroops
from other points on the western
front were sent to the present fighting
line and their reserves bore and coun-
tered the shock of the German attack.
All circumstances, it is adGed, point to
a favorable outcome of the battle.
The German "inoffensiye offensive, ;
is how Gustave Thery describes the
latest effort of General Ludendorff,
and the advices from the front seem
to justify this paradox. If the fight
ing has not resulted in French vic
tory, it is held here, it has at least
been a serious failure for the Ger
mans.
ChaIons the Objective.
The objective of the enemy was
Chalons against which he directed a
conyerging attack from the north by
west by way of the Prunay sector. The
action on his right was more or less sec
| ondary in character while the center
| marked time, awaiting the success on
| the two wings. Il was the right wing
| of the Germans which achieved the
only gain, which was a tactical one
merly and was won more by luck than
! by good management.
! The converging attack of the Ger
mans was smashed by the brilliant
! leadership of General H. ]. E
! Gouraud, who. according to Henr
i Bidou, military critic of the Journa
! des Debats, leaving his first lines
! lightly held, and putting the line of re
sistence well to the rear, allowed the
German blow to expend Itself or
empty space. After this false stroke
| the enemy was obliged to cross E
| deadly zone, where he was shot t.
pieces before reaching the real Frencr
line. The French losses were quite in
significant.
General H ]. E. Gourand is believed
to be the General -, who has beer
mentioned for his magnificent gen
eralship in the operations in the
I Champagne region. In 1915 he wa.
in command of the French expedi
tionary forces to the Ga1lipoli penin
sula, where he lost an arm and was Sc
riously wounded in the right thigh. HI
was succeeded by General Sarrail anC
returned to France, where, an officia
the command of one of the armies a