Evening star., 1918-08-09
GIVEN
HUNS TO RECOVER
Petain Continues Advance 4! y. OF
Franco-A lsauiHths
vesIe Struggle.

AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS IN
FRAME. August 8. Reuter's.-Plainiy
Gen. Petain has no intention Of al
lowing the enemy to recover from the
blows dealt him on the Soissons-
Rheims front. The advance continues
in spite of all the obstacles of weather
and muddy roads
without waiting to drive all the
Germans from the southern side
across the vesie. Gen. Petain already
has pushed sufficiently substantial
force across the river to hold the
bridgeheads On the right bank. II
the i eg enemy amsefeSs taxes C Of SCI the threats
against his direct line Of retreat, since
it will be an indication Of the strength
ne has to oppose him.
1t is significant that the universal
theme Of the letters captured on pris-
oners is the weakness Of their COM
plants and the serious losses they
have suffered.
in the Americans. who showed their
accustomed dash in the push across
the Vesie, Gen. Petain has the very
instrument for such an adventure as
the testing of the German strength.
One prisoner. describing how the
Americans advanced firing and ignor-
INK yOIAHy SSEIQdu IldCuiilC gun LII
explained: But the Americans are
madmen. We did not dare surrender. :"
The Americans are still a very con-
siderable distance below the crest Of
the hills but the long valleys that run
into them from the various villages
sity of q frontal attack up these
wooded slopes.
Americans Struggle Forward.
By the Associated Press.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY ON
THE vESLE, August 8.-Under al
most incessant shell fire. the Ameri-
cans struggled forward today to slight
ly better positions north of the
Vesle. French divisions to the east
and the west did their part in
not marked by organized attacks. It
was punctuated by sharp minor en-
EaEements, in which the American
gunners successfully covered the op-
erations of the infantry and the en-
gineers. Along the entire front there
was evident q determination to stabit-
ize the lines.
Whether the battle that began July
IS has virtually ended or whether the
Germans will withdraw beyond the
Aisne are unanswered questions. To
the American forces already north Of
the river there was added consider
able strength during the night and
early morning. The line tonight is
well fixed along the Rouen-Rheims
road from near Bazoches. which still
is in the hands of the Germans, to a
point we'll east of Fismes.
The Americans hold Fismes appar-
emily securely, but the village of
North Fismes proved dfhicult and at
midday was subjected to a terrific
shellinE by the American artillery.
with the intention of making It un-
tepable. With that small point once
cleared, the lire would run uninter-
ruptedly toward the east.
In their offensive since July 1S the
allies have gained approximately ]. 500
square kilometers. More than 200
villages and towns. including scissors.
Chateau Thierry and Fismes. are
front has been shortened by fifty
three kilometers (ahout thirty-three
miles).
in documents in possession of the
French and Americans: the Germans
retreat used four more divisions than
they had contemplated using to break
the French line when the German
offensive began. The enemy plans
called for thirteen divisions to shat
ter the French and to cross the
Information gathered by the allies
10 to the effect that in, falling back
the Germans brought into action at
least seventeen divisions before reach
ing the Vesle. Additional refnforce-
metts have been brought up since
the Vesle was crossed. A division
which was resting in Flanders is
knewns 10 have reached the region
0oe0 - E1omes Tuesday,