The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-19
THE ALLIES GREAT CHANCE.

THE ALLIES GREAT CHANCE.
Glorious in it's immediate results and
limitless in it's possibilities is the victory
the American and French troops are WIN
ming on the western front.
Coming after long weary months OF anxl-
GUS defensive warfare, the victory is doub-
ly heartening.
IF the battle were ended now, it would
have been staggering blow to the Ger
man arms.
It is still too early to comment on the
actual accomplishments, for each hour piles
ND the total, but the possibilities presented
by study of the map, are enthraling
When the Germans drove south from
Ehe Aisne, month ago, they created deep
angle like the letter Y. The left arm of
the letter was based on Scissors, or point
a few miles to the west of it, SCISSORS fall
ing into German hands. The right arm of
the letter was based on Rheims, which was
held by the French. The apex Of the let
ter was at Chateau hierry. Each arm was
of about equal length, and the distance
across the top Of the letter between Rheims
and Scissors is about the same as the
length Of the arms, or approximately 30
miles
Within this equilateral triangle the Ger
mans massed fully 100000 men. Monday
they struck on the right side Of the letter
Y, doubtless expecting to take the Allies
by surprise, as that was not the way to
Paris, but away from it. The Allied line
held virtually where it stood, giving ground
only in one spot about the center Of the
line, When the force Of the blow had spent
itself, the Americans and French suddenly
struck on the upper half of the left arm of
the letter.
Every mile that the Allies advance here
makes the position of the Germans in the
angle increasingly dangerous. The angle
already was too acute for safety, and the
Germans wasted thousands Of troops try
i ing to widen it, in order to make the supply
lines safe from artillery fire If the base
is shortened to Is or 20 miles, even the me-
dunn caliber artillery can make the entire
interior Of the angle veritable Hell. Every
mile that the base is shortened increases the
chance for complete rout and possible an
Inhalation Of the immense German forces in
the angle. If they should be cut off from
their supplies by Allied artillery and
panic set in, this immense triangle could be
turned into a shambles, and a 30-mile
breach opened in the German line.
The next 48 hours will tell the story.
One Of three situations exists. General
Foch launched his attack as a diversion to
relieve the pressure around Rheims; it was
the long expected counter attack and Gen.
eral Foch has the-reserves to press it home;
or it was begun as diversion and will be
developed into the great counter attack if
the initial successes justify it,
Undoubtedly, nobody sees the POSSIBLE
ties Of the situation better than the Allied
command, and the only thing that will
prevent the attack being pushed home is
lack Of adequate reserves on the ground.
The chance Of bringing about panic and
a rout among the Germans in the angle is
too glowing to be overlooked. A hurried
retreat would force the Germans to leave
vast supplies Of artillery and munitions in
the hands Of the Allies, and the slaughter
would gurpass anything in the war to date
Such an outcome, it must be remembered
lis only possibility as yet, and optimism
must be curbed, but if it can be brought
about within the next few days it might
well prove the turning point of the entire
war, and even the beginning Of the end.