Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-05
HUN, IN FLIGHT, MAY
co TO RIVER A|SNE
Will Net Venture to Make Stand
on Vesle Says Critical
Military Writer.

Washington, d. G, Aug. 5-The war
situation Is summarized by noted mlli-
tary writer rs follows:
The fighting of yesterday took the
form of a series of German retreats on
different sections of the active front
On the SossOns- Rheims front the Ger
mans were finally driven out of all of
the villages on the southern bank OF the
Ncsle, making the French occupation of
this bank complete. Tho French also
report that their light detachmcnts have
crossed the river and are ON the northern
bank
1T is doubtful whether the Germans
will try to hold the Vcslc. Rather they
are apt to 60 back further still To the
Aisnc before they make a positive stand
The Neslc is not a military obstacle of
any Importance At few places the
northern bank is quite steep, rs at
tismcs. for example But generally the
approaches 10 the river are very gentle
and give force holding either bank
but little advantage.
MUST FLEE TO AIsNE.
as for the river itself. II IS river
only because the French So designate
il We would call il fair-sized creek
1t is narrow and shallow. except where
il flows into the Aisnc, and ls therefore
readily fordahlc After the shock of
long retreat such as the Germans have
been forced to make, they are not IN
condition 10 stand n hard offensive until
they are behind a barrier which offers
considerable protection and advantage
Such position cnnnot nc found until the
German Army Is behind the Aisne-
The banks of the Aisne arc crowned
on either side by heights OF material I'M
portance In fact. it was along the
heights of the Aisne that the Allies
met defeat after the first battle Of the
Marne, when they endeavored to turn
Won kluck's retreat into a German
disaster. The Germans stood behind the
Alsne al that time and fought back the
French and British attacks until they
ceased from sheer exhaustion.
With such position within few
miles it is only four miles from the
Nesle to the Aisne IT does not seem
that the Germans will elect 10 make
their stand behind the smaller stream,
BocnE DEFENSE SMASHED.
AS to the last phase of the retreat
TO the Ncsle, there liz little additional 10
be sand IhclGcrmRns were SIMPLY worn
down and cracked They were not
broken; they proved capable OF resistance
to some extent until the last But undenl-
ably, their defense was broken through
and they were compelled to 90 back in q
rush
They made a temporary stand at sew
eral points along the south bank before
yielding it entirely 10 the French, but
this was only for the purpose Of defending
the crossings temporarily Notably at
FismeS. the advance was checked on
the southern outskirts OF the city, so
that the bridge across the river was
guarded until the last At JoncherS,
furt her east, il was the same thing. Bat |
in the fighting Of yesterday al! Of these |
villages were cleaned out, and the oecupa- |
ton of the southern bank became com |
plete
HUN LOSSES TREMENDOUS.
There can be no doubt that the Ger
man loss in material as q result OF this
rapid advance hes been tremendous. The |
entire salient was stoFehouse for H.li-
tarv supplies OF all kinds and much Of |
them was undoubtedly taken IL the last
two days by reason OF the very rapldity
of the advance It Is presumed that de-
tailed reports will reach us on this pom!
later, when the Allies have had
q chance TO check up.
On the British front tho Germans have
apparently retired across the Ancre and
have left the western bank u THE stream
n British hands The details Of the re-
.ireInent, however, are absent Albert,
apparently, which IS divided by tins
stream. Is still III German hands as tie
British report makes no mention u hav-
ng occupied It.
GERMAN MOVE MNsTIFIEs.
"The section of the rIver which is re-
erred TO probably means that section
which runs due north and south from
Albert TO Beaucourt, as there seems 70 be
% particular reason why the Germans
should have retired beyond that point.
ID is somewhat difficult 10 interpret the
Germans reason for this move unless it DO
hat they feared British offensive IN
orce was about to be launched and retired
-ather than bear the bruDt of 1t.
Even though the Ancre Is Il very small
stream, smaller even than the Vesle IT
S still q matter of inconvenience to
lave TO withstand a heavy offensive
With it at their backs The retirement
n this case is at any rate very small
,nlv about half mile, and il would be
mistake at this stage 70 attach any
yreater meaning TO 1t than an attempt
% the part Of the Germans to strengthen
heir positions defonsively.
moNTDIDIER POSITION STRENGTHENED.
"On the Montdidier-A -Amiens front the
ame general statement applies. Here
he Germans have given up entirely the
western bank of the Avre River from
Iesnil as far north as Breaches. 1t may
,e even further than this, but these
limits are those mentioned in the Fronch
cports. This line was IN awkward salient,
lied with small sinuosities, any Of which
sudden blow was almost certain to
liminate. Here, again, we have the streng
hening Of positions with apparently no
ther motive in this particular sector.
1II.r E..n.r.f TIKI. af,aruann