Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-11-18

roaus, Doth rall ana motor connecting
up to the rear positions and bases.
The outstanding feature of the Ar
gonne forest is a long chain of hills
running north and south, covered with
dense growth of trees and UNDER
growth, making an advance difficult
and offering superb defensive quali-
ties, Virtually no roads exist in the
forest except for a few transversal
| passes running east and swest. The
soil is such that the least rain con-
verts 1t into slippery, miry mess, In
otner words the physical condition Is
such that the line Of attack for an ad-
vancing army is limited to valleys.
chief among which Is the Aire river
From the edge of the forest, where
the resistance was viciously strong,
The enemy possessed innumerable
flanking positions. But beyond this
difficult region Law the Mont NEEDY
Sedan line, which was recently cap
tured. A German order described it
as "our life artery" 1t represented
one-half OF the German rail supply on
the western front, II meant death II
cut,
Perslling Cut IT,
The high. command told RarshinR Ia.
cut II. The American first army was
| nat in motion from st. Mihiel IN
nine days II was on the Argonne line
ready for an attempt, the failure of
which might mean disaster and the
success OF which would give untold
results. This quick movement Of an
enormous body of men, the establish
ment Of new line OF supply and atl
the complicated military preparations
was regarded with pride by the AM
erican commanders.
The Americans knew what con-
fronted them. They realized that this
was no second ST. Mihiel. but an en-
terprise at which other armies had
balked for four years. They knew that
here was to be fought a fight to rank
with the first battle of the Marne,
with Verdun, with the Somme and tho
Chemin Des Damesi and they knew
thai on them depended the fate of the
great attack on the rest of the front.
If forced hack here the enemy must
give waY IT, the west II he held he
could n1d elsewhere
1t was at daybreak of September 26
when the Americans went in. Using
nine diviscn5 for the preliminary at
tack and uncer vigorous artillery
support they advanced five kilo-
meters the fest day. But the enemy
The seconi day lc threw into the linA
five counter attack divisions he had
held In close reserve. They were his
best troops, but they failed not only
to push the Americans back but they
faiIed to check the gradual advance
of the Americans over the difficult
terrain.
The first phase Of the action ended
october 81. during which the Amer
ican gains were not large but they
compelled the enemy to use a large
number o. divisions. when became
slowly es hausted and thus were Hn-
able to parry the hamma ing ne was
recelvin@ from the Fren h ana Lit
ish OH the west.
1t was a bitter fighting in the
woods. brush and ravines. over re-
gien perfectly registered and plotted
by the enemy where his guns, big and
little. could he used with the greatest
efficiency. The original nine Amer
lean divisions in some cases We're
kept in the line over three consecutive
weeks The American reserves then
were thrown in until every division
not engaged on another part of the
line had been put into action.
Seven Green Troops.
II is a fact commented upon with
pride BY the American commanders
and complimented by the allies that
seven of these divisions that drove
their wav through this hard action
never before had been in an active
sector. while green troops. fresh from
home. were poured in as replace
niants..
The Associated Press dispatches
from day to day told what these men
did; how the enemy was slowly push
ed back from MS strongest and most
vital positions, through one defense
system after another. until his finest
selected troops, which had been with
drawn il many instances from other
portions of the line. In an effort TO
hold an enemy which he derisively
said last spring could not be brought
to Europe, and il so would not fight.
and even If he tried TO fight would not
know how to do SO. The attack de-
livered the morning of November t.
which began the second phase Of the
Argonue battle. was the death hlow
to the German army. Between Sep-
tember 26 and October 81 enemy di-
visions to the number of tI.rry-ssx
were identified as being opposed 70
the Americans in this sscto~, Be
tween November and November 9
the enemy threw IN fourteen fresh di-
visions but all in vain.
Fighting every foot of the wav tho
American advance averaged five kiio-
meters daily over terrain constantly
growing more difficult, with the lines
of communication and supply daily