Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-11
FLANK ATTACKS ON GERMANS
NOW APPEAR LOGICAL PLAN
Foch Faces Most Too Big Handicap in
Barren Country to Deliver Wide
Frontal Blows.

, OF Horne and Mangin, although they
have been already engaged, are to be
reckoned with in any extension Of the
battle to the wings now.
We saw in the case Of Ludendorff' g
offensive last spring that when he
had exploited his success Of March
Fl to the utmost, and the coming of
Fayolle's troops had pulled down the
advance and saved the whole allied
fortunes in Picardy, Ludendorff had
to choose between another Verdun
campaign before Amfens and shift
to a new field. He unhesitatingly
| chose to change his field. and we had
the April 8 attack in Flanders and
the May II attack above the Aisne.
| In early April Ludendorff recognized
that given the condition Of transport
and the necessary delay in getting up
! munitions and guns, he could not at
tack his foe before that foe had pre-
pared defense systems in front of
Amiens which would hold. We had,
too, while the situation still seemed
critical. the unqualified assurance of
Foch that the Germans would not
advance further and that Amiens was
safe.
Situation Is Reversed.
Foch is now in Ludendorfrs situa-
ton with respect to the line between
Arras and scissors. He must attack
with bad communications behind him.
. He must attack an enemy in positions
OF the 1oe's choosing served by ad-
mlrable communications, or he must
transfer his activities to the TANKS
an inevitable consequence Of existing
conditions. and 1t is to the TANKS, to
the fronts between Cambria and
aPres ON the north and between
rheims and the Argonne on the east,
with the possible extension Of the lat
ter front by the addition of sectors
between the Moselle and the vosges,
that we must now look for decisive
effort.
In military language Ludendorn has
declined battle along his whole center
from the Scarpe east Of Arras to the
Afsne east of scissors. He has drawn
back that center to a fortified posi-
ton, difficult of access because of the
devastated area before it. He has at
the same time stood fast on his tanks,
Lys salient. He thus expects an at
tack upon his TANKS, Just as he did in
1917. after the Hindenburg retreat,
and has prepared for it.
to solve now that Nivelle and Haig
tackled uflsuccessfully in April and
May OF last year. His difficulties are
the greater because we are almost at
the end Of the fighting season. while
Nfvelle and Haig had the whole sum-
|
May Offer Counter Attacks.
In sum, 1t seems to me certain, now,
that we shall see in the next few days
striking developments between Cam
brai and Ypres and between Rheims
and verdun. These developments
probably Will take the form of at
tacks by French and British armies,
but they may disclose a German
counter offensive, since it il essen
tial for Ludendorff to regain the ini-
tfative for the moment at least, ana
he can gain 1t only by attack. Fin
ally, Ludendorff's attack IL made from
the center would be subject to most
Of the dimculties OF Foch. after It had
made little progress. and might in
vite heavy blow on his TANKS, which
are now more vulnerable. Therefore
we may expect that the Germans will
react on the tanks, il they react at
all
tcopyrisht, 1918. New York Tribune. Ine.3