Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-16
TURNING POINT
in BIG BATTLE
WAR DEPARTMENTS REVIEW
SAYS GERMANS PLANS ARE
FRUSTRATED.

Washington, D. c., April 15-The
turning point in the battle on the
west front Is being reached. says the
war departments review of the mill
tary situation for the week ending
April Is, made public today The Ger
mans have failed In their purpose to
achieve victory In the field, the state
ment continues, and soon will be
forced to resume their old tactics.
I'VE must bear in mind" the re-
view says, that the enemy Is waging
battle of annilhilation to achieve
victory. He is fighting today with
the sole aim Of annihilating the Brit
ish armies. Thus, terrain conquered
counts for little.
NO DECISIVE VICTORY
while It must be admitted that
German operations since the begin.
ming Of the present offensive has re-
suited in more than a mere blowing
up Of part of the allied trench system
and the capture Of local detectives
along wide front, nevertheless the
aim of the German higher command
to obtain decisive strategic success
by these assaults has not been at.
tanned.
'The turning point in the west is be
ing reached. The Germans have
scored 4 distinct advantage which II
would be unwise to endeavor to be-
little. Yet they have failed IN their
great purpose to achieve victory In the
field and soon will be forced to re-
sume their old tactics seeking to gain
limited detectives, striking first at
one point than at another in order
to- render the allied position unten-
able and give themselves greater
security"
FAILED TO DIVIDE ARMIES
The review of operations says:
"As time passes 1t becomes evident
that the enemy is striking with re-
newed vigor at the weakest point he
can find opposite him.
I'm the offensive in Picardy the
Germans sought for a rift in the line
where the French and British forces
Joined.
Failing to achieve any definite far
reaching results from this operation
they promptly return to the assault
elsewhere and plunge forward, hoping
that by driving wedge into the sec.
tor along the front held by Portu-
guese and British units they may be
able to roll the British towards the
sea and effect a break through.
PORTUGUESE FRONT ATTACKED
"This is the operation attempted
this week In the region Of the famous
battle ground Of the early days of the
war in front OF Lille.
Here on frontage of 10000 yards
stretching from Armentieres to tho
La Bassee canal, the segment held by
the Portuguese troops, thanked on
either side. by British divisions. was
penetrated after an intense lombard
ment.
"The hostile attack was favored by
a thick mist and in spite Of the fact
that the British fought tenaciously
they were compelled to give ground
after the Portuguese positions had
been broken through and have since
retired, abandoning Armentieres and
other points.
"The front Of attack has since been
further extended and the allies have
been forced to abandon positions to
the north and south of the Lys and
west Of the Lave.
"The enemy has made Roadway
along the La Bassee canal to within
the immediate vicinity of Bethune
while other points northwest OF the
city Of considerable tactical import
ance have fallen Into the hands of the
enemy.
THE enemy now finds himself with.
in forty miles Of Calais. The main
lines Of communication to channel
ports radiate vertically from this bat
tie front and thus facilitate the Ger
man advance. -
III the enemy can muster the driv-
ing power he will in all probability
continue his assaults, hoping that by
an enveloping attack on an oblique
front to use the classic Prussian def.
milton, he may score q complete ami
hilation victory.
FRENCH HOLD FIRMLY
There has been less activity along
the southern flank Of the Picardy
salient. Here the line taken over by
the French is fully consolidated.
1.-The German higher command
made desperate attempts to enlarge
its gains in the area stretching from
Montdidier to Noyon and improve the
position in this vicinity but they were
everywhere repulsed by the French.
North Of the Somme the British re-
established their line in the Aveluv
woods and took number of prisoners.
AMERICANS STOP HUNS
"In the sectors where our own
forces are fighting considerable activ-
ity prevailed. After protracted artil-
lery preparations the Germans launch
ed an attack against our positions
northwest Of Toul.
Our artillery. was able to dispense
the assaulting columns and checked
the attack before our lines were
reached. Our own infantry counter
attacked and drove of the remnants
of the enemy units. A number Of
prisoners were taken. Our casualties
were relatively slight.
1.-THE enemy also executed a minor
raid against one outpost in the
Woevre Hostile artillery has been
active throughout the week both III