South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-31
BY FRANKH. SIMONDS
NeVS-TimeS and Associated Newspaper
Military Expert


known human history.
The main idea of German strategy was the central
notion OF all previous western onensves. namely 10
obHterate the enemy trench lines by a tremendous
commandment and then push through the thus
opened and driving the British before them. destroy
them in the devastated and open a gap in the
whole allied position thus compelling return 10 TIE
OF movement n which the Germans believed their
troops and their officers superior the volunteer
armies Britain
Hitherto western warfare the major 90
break through invariably failed the
uIery preparation has not succeeded destroying an
and defenses or in destroying them
could up behind the danger point. In
variably, the essailant hindered after
initial success by his inability his heavy ar
lery up with his infantry. The
has been in the west that in every the attacS
has been halted some five six miles from its start
ing point and there has been break through.
GERMAN CONCENTRATES FIRE
In the present instance the German concentrated
his heavy artillery such quantities that he hoped
expected destroy al the defense system
a the bombardment FIRST, second third
lines alike and then push with his infantry and
delays incident to survival o elements
OF defense OF his foes Such suryals had the
French offensive in Champagne in 1915 and al sub
attacks in the And in this expectation o.
achieving such complete destruction the energy
substantially justified 10y the result
Now to the progress 4 events Thursday
morning. came the great bombsrdment last
ing hours 1t surpassed all previous artillery
actions and accomplished main purpose. The
whole system of British defense lines was rendered
untenabe by the end of this bombardment which
reached the roads 20 miles behind the line
trenches. With the artillery the
gas emissions yet taken place and tho
British artillery compelled TO serve their
guns in masks. In detail the German pre-
liminary preparation successful than
ing and destroying British guns
ON Thursday despite the intense artillery action
there little real infantry advancing on a
Friday morning the flood burst and
the British defense system their battle positions AN
intricate preparations against just
this moment, were pierced and penetrated. all
points but many points that in day
next they had TO be abandoned and general retire.
begun.
BY Friday the Germans were streaming forward m
three masses. they pushing down the
Cambra-Bapaume- Amiens road, west along the Cam
Promo. Amiens south along the 81
Quentin Ham-Noyon road, which is one of the main
highways from the north oc France to Paris
BRITISH HOLD LINE NEAR AT{RAS.
On this Friday the British Arras held there
marked decrease in The success of the German
advance north Of the Bapaume road bat 20 the south
of this road, along the Percnne highway and
st. Quentin Ham the German advance was rapid
and the British retreat both swift becoming
disorderly
face the situation which confronted
Jofre the Of the failure Of an French Of
fensives in the present Defeated
and outnumbered With no chance Of holding his enemy
in immediate future, the problem the BrIush
commander to retreat preserving his general front
movements which should
off portions of his armies and avoiding the inser
ton of a wedge between his armies and the French
to the south Of the Disc am between portions of MS
armies further north strategic reserves
Of the allies could intervene
on Saturday the British situation was critical The
northern flank Of Haigs army holding well ami
had retired only third lines center was
crumbling rapidly the Germans had passed the
Tortille were around Peronne and were thrusting
deep wedge I-ritish armies north and
south Of the Somme Still further 70 the south the
whole British defense in ribbons and making
desperate hopeless resistance along Quentin
canal. while Germans were rapidly inserting
wedge between the British the French along me
Disc
The situation did not improve ON Sunday The Brit
ish were now far q their prepared systems
OF defense very wide front The war Of position
had been succeeded by The Of movement and the
Germans still enjoying all the advantages incident
TO a superior concentration OF numbers and OF a--
tuIery on this day the British hopes of ho.dn- the
natural line Of defenses from Arras south through
Peroane and behind the sornme 10 Ham and thence
behind the Quentin canal to the Oise az Chauneys
disappeared.
CRISIS NOT PAST MONDAY.
Monday the crisis yet past Index the Ger
mans. having taken BaPaume and Peronne thrust
right old battlefield Of the somne took
Martnspuich and COurcelette the side az the
Bapaume -Amiens road thus driving a wedge between
southern forces O. British COM
mander. At this moment supreme German success
seemed grasp the kaisers great leuten-
at the same time the situation 10 the south was