The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-01-08
'IllsER's DRIVE
J IN WEST ABOUT
DUE, BAKER SAYS
Secretary Of War Reviews
Military Operations Of Week

WASHINGTON, Jan S--Seoreiary
OF War Baker today authorized the pub.
lication OF the following review OF the
military operations for the week ending
January 5 1918
"Six weeks have elapsed since the
first rumors reached us OF the great
thrust in the west which the enemy
then announced as imminent In order
to concentrate large troop masses the
artillery and ample reserves OF mum
tions, much time is required
Offensive Now Due.
Though German higher command
has so long delayed before beginning
operations advices received seemingly
confirm the information that import
ant actions are contemplated along the
western front. They may be counted
upon 10 strain every fiber OF their r"-
naming strength in an endcayor To-
make their plans succeed
"In considering the general mill
tary situation on the eve OF pos
sibie German offensive, Il must be
recalled that through sixteen sue
cessive battles Of great magnitude
In Flanders the British have every
time come out victorious and
pushed steadily ahead. Their gains
have been methodical and cumula-
tive. The Germans have during
this long series OF major operations
invariably been forced TO give way
The French stood like rock at
verdun and soon after drove for
ward vigorously In the battle Of
the Somme and In turn played
great part In the repeated drives in
Flanders.
"The imnending German offensive
will possibly be their great assault The
French and British armies can be re-
lied upon to Withstand the shock
All Quiet in West.
"ln the west no important operations
took place during the past Seyen-dAy
period The entire front from the
North Sea to the Swiss border was
very a,civc. The Germans continued
the r widely scattered lhustS while thr
French and British "arried with M.
merous accommodating raids and care
ful patrollins.
Tn the Cambria area the enemy un.
dertook an attack in force Here th'
Germans attacking movement having as
lis immediate objective the further mar
rowing down Of the British salient were
able TO penetrate and hold Temporarily
certain British trench elements south oi
Marcoing. This acton was conducted
with great energy The British immc-
diately countered and were able "a
reeapture a part of their lost positions
French Turn Tide in Italy,
After fighting on the de'ensiv' i5r
ten weeks the Italians, firmly support
ID by the Franco British forces, have
been rt'~ 70 reorganiIe their positions
in the field Their Non the French
seizing a favorable opportunity passel
to the offensive in the neighborhood oI
the Monte Tomba This vitally i'm.
portant strategic point which, had Il
remained in the hands Of the enemy
would have afforded him great advant
age, was retaken bv the French as tn,
climax OF a dashing assault again,
very strong and difficult positions
Nearly fourteen hundred Austrian priS'
oners were captured The success %
the French turned TIE scale The ltal
ians. encouraged by this victory a
once set about driving the encm
across the Piayc The Austrians dc
taehments which have held the bridge
head at Zenson on the right bank o
the Pave for the past five weeks, hay
been driven out by an impctuouS Httar
and forced to retire across the rive
so that no hostile unit, now remain u
the west harI % the Piayc