New-York tribune., 1918-07-14
Abnormal Number
OF Prisoners Taken
Ludendorf's Plans Upset
by Constant lnroads
Made on His Lines
By Wilbur Forrest
Special Cab.- 70 The Tribunc)

IulV 10 ne mysterious Ueldy OF
the German offensive which was at
tributed to many causes became de
cidedly clearer to-day with a review
of the Allied activities on the West
ern front during the last month.
There is every indication that Lu-
dendortf's preparations have been
greatly embarrassed and disorgan-
lied by the almost constant Allied
local attacks which have taken from
the enemy strategic advantages on
almost every important sector at
the front.
These drives, which were perfectly
planned and executed, have, in prac-
,ically every case, obtained their full
detectives, and the abnormal num-
bers of prisoners taken have proved
beyond doubt that Won Hindenburg's
mass maneuvre has been gathered
somewhere in the rear for a fort
night waiting a propitious moment
for the start. But undoubtedly the
sAllied successes have repeatedly up
set the Germans battle plans, fore
ing more delay.
Credit Given to French
The enemy's forces on the firing
line in the last month have in
Guided some fair divisions, but the
majority of the men are of medic
ere value in battle.
In these comparatively small sur
prise attacks the French, above all,
are past masters, and they have as
sured success by utilizing all the
most modern weapons, including
various types of tanks, flame throw
ers, bombing aeroplanes working in
cohesion with the poilus, and brief,
though violent, artillery prepara-
tions. In several actions they have
put out of commission r.ore Ger
man troops than the number of
Frenchmen engaged in fighting the
enemy In every local attack high
ly important strategic points on the
firing line have fallen into the
hands of the French.
Fridays attack on a four and a
half mile front, from north Of the
Senecat Wood, in the Amiens re-
glon, was typical of the previous
local engagements.
1t was necessary to capture the bor-
Ger Of the Rouvrelles Plateau. which
The enemy had held since the end of
March. and to which he attached grea
Importance, for the plateau dominate d
tne region between the River Avre and
the Noye and Moreul brooks, from
"hlcn region the Germans had been
foie to command the main line of the
railway between Amens and Paris.
Tanks Forced to Retire
herman guns were thus enabled to
smell the railroad and the surround
ng terrain, thereby not only seriously
hamperIng Allied activities, but weak
ehlhg resistance to a possible drive by
'aT t., Germans over the entire region.
me me obJectlves assigned to the French
uSv'ops were, roughly speaking, Castel
lIa.s, lIntSse, @ the bridgehead on the Avre,
dos; iesfe WOOD and Anchin Farm, which
Io.n'hates the main road from the viii
~ ~ o. MoreuAl to the village of ALLY.
ne battle-ground was extremely broken
ana ana covered with small woods. 1t af-
lGrded lG the enemy many natural ma
N"Ihe gun emplacements.
noth Castel and the Hetre Wood
cone lave Deen the scene of many bloody
tUpalcts since the first German advance
Il March. On April 10 some French
,"nks which insured the capture of
ssMcat .S. Wood, from which Fridays at
~ nsA was launched, entered Castel. But
,h be ehemy's resistance was so violent
va ast u prevented the infantry from ad
ammcing and the tank forces were COM
peMed to retire.
:, ne Hetre Wood since then has been
neaVily tombarded by French guns
,a.., ,a' lhe trees have been reduced to
oatchwood.
Advance Made Quickly
Inc foregoing emphasizes the ex-
Iteme value the Germans placed on tho
br;se b;iseeeiveS OF Fridays attack After a
80 and crushing bombardment the
mnnh neh charged at 1880 o'clock FRIDAY
ns,ag .lng' and at s o'clock, after des-
bbea.e tho .e;,t hand-to- hand fighting in Castel.
V''Iage was in possession of the
An.sG;hh' len minutes after 8 o'clock
FrenaIn iarm was stormed by the
Of eeh' .n' despite the frantic resistance
c.o ne enemy with machine puns and
wera teeh ; minutes later the French
ctta IN possession of Hetre and Rrou-
s;t;os sir. woods and a strongly fortified no.
SU" Soou called Hamburg earthworks
WOOD ene western borders of Billot
point were occupied, which marked a
tives ass;n "sil beyond the original objec-
mora rue advance penetrated to depth Of
alonr tsnan tnan one and one-fourth miles
than soa me entire front of attack. More
S;ro oV prisoners were captured.
b'hce June ! 5 the French troons aIora
na;u ase taken about $500 urwornSnd
rsohers s,nors in local successes. In ~
foroe period British and American
ss n,save nave taken about 1000 prisoners
hayea the last five days the French
ta.t. executed two important local a.
rep;on me hrst was on July 8. in the
nos.I south of the Aisne and on ~
est'meast est ,t edge of Villers- Cotteret Enn
On mere mere 81 Germans were cantnroa
be,n~uly ., in the region Of AnthaNI
prisnn piSmeen Montdider and the Disc sso M
wo"efs wsro including twenty off;ce"" oo"
hoa;. taken. After this attach ,h,
conn., oi more than 500 Germans wsre e