The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-18

for distributing troops and supplies
along the Montmedy-Sedan line.
Metz also was the pivot on which
the enemy swung through Belgium INTO
France, and therefore obviously 1t was
the pivot on which his retirement must
hinge. The Argonne, the next step
below here. threatened the great rah-
way arteries running westward from
Metz.
With the conclusion Of the st. Mihiel
action, the steady inflow Of American
forces caused a displacement of power
as between the allied II German
armies. Thus it no longer was neces-
salient or nibbling at 1t. American
troops had shown what they could do.
A broader policy of general attack
along the entire line was then adopted
and the high command called upon
Gen. P%ershing to a the Argonne
sector, admittedly one of the most,
il not the most, difficult OF the whole
front. The broken terrain. the topog-
raphy and the lack Of roads made 1t
a problem difficult to describe. Ger
many had in four years fortified 1t to
the last degree OF military skill, with
superb roads, both rail and motor,
connecting up to the rear positions
and bases.
The outstanding feature Of the Ar
BOIlIl6 IOTtHI~ Is IL pIlH Nl"lh " 'ti'
running north and south, covered win
a dense growth OF trees and under
growth, making al advance difficult
and offering superb defensive qualities
Virtually no roads exist In the forest,
except for n few t~ransversal passes
running east n west. The sou IS
such that the least rain converts, 1t
into a slippery, miry mess, IN other
words. the physical condition Is such
that the line of attack for an advanc-
ing army is limited to valleys, chief
among which is that Of the Aire river
Held Many Points.
From the edge OF the forest, where
the resistance was viciously strong, the
enemy possessed innumerable thanking
positions. But beyond this difficult
region lay the Montmery- Sedan line
which was recently captured. A Ger
man order described 1t as our, ~
artery 1t represented one5half OF thu
German rail supply on the western
front. 1t meant death T. cut.
The high command told Pershing u
cut II. The American First army wat
put in motion from st. Mihiel, In MIN
for an attempt, the failure OF which
might mean disaster and the success
OF which would give untold results
This quick movement Of an enormous
body of men, the establishment OF I
new line of supply and all the com
plicated military preparations, was re
garded with pride by the American
commanders. .
The Americans knew what confront
ed them. They realized that this wa
no second ST. Mihiel, but an enterpris
at which other armies had baked TO
four years. They knew that here wa
to be fought a fight to rank with tn
| first battle of the Marine. with Nerdur
with the Somme and the Chemin de
Danes; a9d they knew that Gre, on . thei
depe tSs re she Of 5a'e the OF 'front.' 19G sref If foTee
back here the enemy must give wa
to the west. II he held he could hol
elsewhere.
1t was at daybreak Of Sept. 26 wheI
the Americans went in. Using MIN
divisions for the preliminary attacI
and under vigorous artillery supper
they advanced five kilometers the frs
day. But the enemy was not take
wholly by surprise. The second da
he threw into the line five counter
attack divisions he held in close re
serve. They were his best troops, bu
they failed not only to push the Amer
leans back, but they failed to chec
the gradual advance Of the American
over the difficult terrain.
; The first phase OF the action ende
Oct. 81. during which the America
gains were not large, but they com
PEELED the enemy to use n large mum
Der of divisions. which became Slow
exhausted and thus were unable I
parry the hammering he was receiVin
from the French and British Oh tn
west.
1t was bitter fighting in the wood'
brush and ravines, over a region per
fectly registered and plotted by tn
enemy where his guns, big and it'll,
could be used with the greatest eff
cheney. The original nine America
divisions in some cases were kept 1
the line over three consecutive weeks
The American reserves then wer
thrown in until every division not Ell
gagged on another part OF the line ha
been put into action,
1t Is a fact commented upon wit
pride by the American commander
and complimented by the allies tha
seven Of these divisions that drov
their way through this hard actio
never before had been in an attackiV
sector. while green troops, fresh frol
The Associated Press dispatches fro'
day to day told what these men die
how the enemy was slowly pushed bac
from his strongest and most vital pt
sitions, through one defense systel
after another, using his finest selecte
troops, which had been withdrawn
many Instances from other portions
the line In an effort to hold an enem
which he derisively last spring saJ
could not be brought to Europe, ar
81 SO would not fight. and even II
tried to fight would not know no
The attack delivered the morning