American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-06-21
HOW THE FRENCH NET THE
BIG GERMAN DRIVE.


qualities that enabled the French to
fling a mass of reserves into the wea-
kened allied lines and help to absorb
the German shock three days after
the inauguration Of the big offensive
on March q. AS the story is begin
ming to be told, piece by piece, it re-
veals a marvellous tale of skillfully ex-
ecuted military tactics-a tale of an
endless train of trucks loaded with
fighting men, keyed to the minute,
with their guns thrust toward the en-
envy lines as they jumped from the ar
irving camions eager to leap at the
laundering masses of the foe.
1t is a story that goes back, for he
solution of the efficiency and prepared
ness of the troops, to Versailles two
months before, and it deals with the
magnificent pluck and heart of the
emergency army that sustained them
when minds and bodies had seeming
ly reached the point where human en-
durance could bear no more.
1t was on the fifth day after the
great battle opened that the official
communique read:
AAOCPo OA 00NAA0oJ N0N
To take part in the battle on the Brit
ish front. They are now fighting Wig
o~rously around Noyon."
Saturday. That was the third battle
day. And this was the real turning
point of the attack. Says a Providence
Journal writer who was on the field:
But how was it accomplished that
within three days of the first German
advance that these reserves should be-
gin to pour steaily into the lines?
That, my friends, is the story. 1t is
for this that we take off our hats when
the ~tricolor goes by.
But before l begin at the beginning,
let me give a single picture of how II
looked. While the movement was at
its height, but after the first crest of
the advancing wave had rolled north
ward, l passed along a certain road
behind the French lines.
Suddenly a gray cannon turned the
corner ahead and rushed past. Then
another. And another. And still others
At regularly measured intervals of ~
yards or so they rumbled on.
We came to a point where another
line of trucks, standing beside the
road, narrowed the highway so that
there was only for one stream OF
traffic. So we drew up to wait the fin
ish of the long procession.
But there was no finish.
With a roar of engines and a tran
sient earthquake as they passed, each
at it's proper interval, each speeding
as fast as a motor truck can speed
b swept up and by with the mag.
nificence of a mas
Some had a single driver each His
eyes were fixed hard on the o aheaC
az if he might be driving long aftel
tired nature had left him nothing blu
the purpose to go forward. On others
beside the man at the wheel, a com
panion tossed in the corner as he slep
heavily above the swaying and tn
swinging and the jouncing. Later thes'
two would change places, for a trick a
the wheel and a chance at blessed
slumber.
After ten minutes they kept com
ing. always regularly spaced n al
ways full speed ahead. AS far down IN
road as we could see. to the turn the.
flecked by the distant trees. Our Owl
driver sighed and fingered his spar
lever nervously.
Then along came n whose drive
was in dingy khaki instead OF dlhg
blue. He was wide awake and grlnne'
as he saw us waiting. Leaning out o
his screened and sheltered seat n
shouted:
There's W solid miles of us be
hind me. You've got a fine wait com
ing. But it's ALL
He was still shouting his messag
and laughing when the roar OF his re
treating engine shut off our hearln
of what would have liked well
hear.
.Two solid miles" he had said. Their
were. Two miles was an underesl
mate. like a British general reportln
a victory.
The following morning, some mile
away. we lodged p~recariously acros
the path of some of these cannon
This time they we're going in a diffei
ent direction. And this time they wei
fusv with men in blue, carrying III
equipment. -,
But. as before. they were traveln
with a minimum of headway. And
before. they we're plunging along II
smooth highway-smooth in spite
war traffic as fast as cannon el
gines could revolve.
That sort Of thing went on for oa'
and weeks in France.
But this was only one phase OF u
great movement. Then came the DO
in khaki. trainload after trainload
them for t%wenty-four hours. The co
respondent of the Journal writes;
Il stood one day and saw them
said a French officer to me. Train
, ter train after train. And eacn one
them solid, as solid as you could pa
with your men in khaki"
Before the beginning, however the
were the plans.
The German drive was foreseen