The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-09-10

This front, across the border from
French Lorraine, is Germany's first
stronghold against invasion. 1t is
probably the most heavily fortified
line in the world, and the most scien-
til1cally constructed. Back of it is a
remarkable web OF military railways,
constructed years ago, for the pur-
pose of preventing French army get
ting into Germany. The key to the
line is Saarburg, where. immense
strategic railway yards have been con-
structed. ... Il
The defenses have been planned
with ususual care, not only because
they guard the Rhine. Immediately
to the north Of the line are the great
coal and iron fields of the Saar dis
trict. These fields are one of the three
main mining groups in Germanff II
they are captured by the Americans,
as they will be, Germany's munitions
output will be seriously cuftailed. One
reason for believing that General
Pershing's plan of campaign calls for
an invasion of Germany northward
through Lorraine is because Of the To-
cation Of the Saar mines so near to
the American front in France.
Rhine Extensively Fortified.
Having moved back the Metz-Chat
eau Salins- Saarburg line, and having
got possession of the Lorraine mineral
area, the Americans may then be ex
pected to reach out further east for
the. Rhine, and widen their front.
The Rhine is lavishly supplied with
fortress protection. From the Swiss
border northward, the principal for
tresses are Neu Breisach,sS Stra sshupg
Germersheim, Mayence or (Mafnz),
Coblence with Ehrenbreitstein) Co.
logne and Vessel, which is a defense
against invasion from Holland, and
Ehrenbreitstein.. s .y...>e..
Regardless Of their situation, the
value Of these fortresses for defensive
purposes has been greatly reduced by
tactical developments during the past
four years. Before the present war
began, many believed in the impreg-
inability of the Rhine line. Not so
now. The German guns that reduced
Liege, Antwerp, Maubeuge and other
entrenched camps early in the war,
made obsolete the Rhine fortifca-'
tons. u Al hs ~ Ne
The allies now have similar
cannon Of their own. At long
range they will be able to pull
verize any fortified German posi-
ton above ground which the XII. .
ser may be fooihardy enough to
defend. - y. .
This doesn't mean the Germans can
not protect single point along the
Rhine by lavish use of men. The
French defended Verdun, but it wasn't
Verdun that defended France. Yer
dun, equal in strength to any Rhine
fOrtiffcatien, was held from the ell
envy not by its own immobile guns,
but by the Infantry and mobile cannon
that. protected the citadel In. distant
outlying positions. l..,t,.s .,.a. ,..-. .-
So it will be when the Americans
reach the Rhine The Germans may
cling tenaciously to Strassburg. CO.
logne or any other one point, but they
haven't got enough men to cling to
all Of them, and keep the Rhine in
violate. It will be part of the Ameri-
can strategy to try to prevent Luden-
dOrff from accommodating sufficient
reserve to hold even single Verdun
permanently along the Rhine. To do
this, the battlefront on German soil
must be made very long. ~
The greater the mileage the
Germans are called upon to de.
rend, the weaker will be their re.
serves. On the other hand, the
allies Will he SO SUDcrfOr In man