South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-27
HE. BATTLE THAT WON THE WAR-~FOCES VICTORY &==

The had performed its mission II was time sor
the tanks 10 come to life again.
AMERICANS AND FRENCH
STRIKE NORTHNARD
once more she Americans and G7uraud aided by
Berthelots army facing Rheims struck northward.
What followed a swift German retirement be-
tween the Argonne and Rheims. the surrender Of al
the positions held since the the
IN SeptenlOer ISIS inc4uoins the old forts above
Rheims, from which the cathedral had been ruined
and the city destroyed. Less preciptate less
inevitably, the Germans began retirement between
the Disc and the Aisne which cleared Iaon and the
St Gobain forest and that great
stronghold IN winch al their line in northern France
had been based Meantime Americans. far
yond the Argonne, slowly blasting their way f0r-
ward and had reached the Grand Cap. having
instead Of diminishing grew and the second American
army arrived in the battle line TO ada 10 the pressure
But FOch was now done for the moment both with
the German left TURNING rlsht.
Lille, which front he hurried Desoute's French
army, last heard OF south of the Marine in July. ne
again pushed his wing forward. broke throush
the German lines OF defence and swept onward the
Lys in the southeast Rouers and TeI the north.
and to Bruges and ostend IN the northwest swift COLI
lapse OF German resistance followed. By
mans from the coast Lille. RoubaX and Tour
cong we're evacuated the Germans stirring behind
the Scheldt from Client southwark on the other
the Lille salient DOuai had fallen by the OK
the week Horne's troops approaching Vaencien-
the Sensee canal while Byngs
army thrusting toward from south.
Thus three weeks had upset the equilibrium
the whole German front from sea 20 the Meuse re
had compelled the retreat from the Hindenburg line.
with all its various annexes he had insured retire
he had liberated Belgium west OF the scheldt. he had
defeated the German army battle which they had
accepted, their ground. prepared 10y them
four years The ultimate consequence of his success
were still problematicdl man could SAY exactly at
what point the Germans would undertake 20 make a
stand but 1t was already certain that they would lee
unable to stand within French territory the Liberation
of France had been accomplished the advancing allied
armies were welcomed 10y thousands of French men
and women who had endured years % slavery.
for them the long nisht was over
NOT WON OVER
DENIORAIIZED ENEMY.
Such, in its toughest form Fochs supreme vic
tory. It was not won over a demoralized enemy on
the contrary the fought great persist
ence and bravery II was not the consequence OF
collapse Of their high command. for after the
feat was assured the German armies drawn back
with great skill and unmistakabe military efficiency.
1t not in the three weeks a route Lepsic
had not been rout but it OF the most clear
y cut victories in all military history, and Tor the
Germans it a defeat which terminated all hope
not merely OF winning the war but OF imposing dead
lock After the battle OF the Hndenourg line the Ger
tainty Of a military decision If anticipated by
German surrender unmistakable.
II wanted parallel for Fochs tactics.
might perhaps cite the method of Lee Gettysburg
In this battle the great southern general attacked
frs by left flank then by he right and finally
operations measurably successful. although
neither led to any decisive advantage but in the case
o Pickett utterly unsuccessful
suffered a bloody repuse which left Lees army in
capable of renewing the offensive Foch. the
such fashion that when he struck the blows
already delivered the TANKS had heavy
led a weakening the decisive front.
But OF course, all parallels deceptive, and
dealing with a struggle hundred miles
front Gettysburg covered less than 10. Nor
it wholly speak OF only three thrusts there
also long series Of minor thrusts by other
The whole thing series detached
mens but perfectly coordinated operation by
ly a armies each of them larger than
bined forces OF Meade and Lee at Gettysburg
The trouble with all previous allied Onensves had
lain in the fact that all resources concentrated
a front and the concentration betrayed
the enemy the direction in which the attack
and enabled him make counter concentration.
The fault with the German ofensyes OF this year has
in the that they consumed all their energy
that failed achieve decision they had stop and
prepare blow, giving the enemy equal Oppor-
tuay prepare and recover from the
the first blow.
The merit OF FOchs strategy has lain IN his ability
20 expand the pressure q very wide front and
multiply partial thrusts enemy
cpate which direction the blow fall.
In a word. you have the difference between a brute
and trained In self-defence The brute under
took 70 destroy his Antagonist by few terrible blows.
Foch paTried lodged these and then began play
his ntaeonist, putting him the defensive the
second Marine, worrying him at the third Somme and
making his ultimate defeat beyond question the bat
tie OF the HndenDurg line Never the superiority
o French German military science more perfectly
revealed. French, like German, strategy is based
NspoleOnc principles, but while the German only ml-
Napoleon. the allied cornmander-in-chief in-
terpreted him.
ALL THAT FOLLOWS
AN ANTI CLIMAX.
In a sense all that is 10 come hereafter must be an
anti-cIimax The battle which witnessed
Hndenburg line unquesonaoly the creates, battle
present ~ IS the most trerneD dOus conflict
Of all human history. has been revealed one
the supreme soldiers OF all time HencefOrth
the achievement which has just unrolled be-
fore eyes Foch will be recognized of
the halfdozen great commanders OF armies. the mas
OF the greatest armies IN human history and the