Bisbee daily review., 1918-03-23
The German OfensiUe

Long heralded and overdue, the German offensive seems to have begun Tn the west. Over a fifty-rnile front 1t extends, center ing 1t intensity the first day upon sixteen miles of the Cambrai sector. Some ad- vanced positions have been taken and out posts driven back, but no real success achieved or points captured that threaten the allied battle line. The first thirty hours of an offensive have generally determined its success. It is true that the Verdun and Somme offensive lasted for months and re- suited in material gains even after the first week, especially the latter. But the British are better prepared and have more men and guns on this sector than the French had at Verdun, and the Germans lack the muni- tions available for the British operations upon the Somme.
 Then again, as Marshal Soult told Napol- con at Waterloo, The English infantry, sire, are very hard to break An, there's the rub for the Prussian. The British in- fantry ARE hard to break. Napoleon lost at Waterloo because these British troops would not break when, by every law of war and reason, they should have broken be- cause of their losses and the frey valor that pressed upon them.
 At the first battle of Ypres in the Ger man drive upon the channel ports, the Eng fish infantry, outnumbered out-gunned, and gassed did not break. It is not likely they will do so at Cambrai
 If this offensive is continued upon mighty scale it will surely shorten the war. To the allied military chiefs it is too good to be true It was feared that the Prussian would keep on the defensive. If he has de cided to stake all upon one colossal conflict, so much the better for the allies. They are ready and anxious for the test Their morale is higher than at any time during the war. Trained to the minute; fully equip ped; with a numerous artillery, and re- serve army prepared for this very emerg- ency and ready to be moved quickly to any point of the line this offensive would seem to be playing right into the allied hands in this war of attrition.
 American troops cannot possibly be ready in sufficient numbers to take any prominent part in the war this year. But they will be ready next year, more than a million of them; probably nearer two mil lion. And when the German waves roll back finally from this attack, thinned and broken, they will never advance again. The allies can turn, after the appalling losses of the gigantic battle, to America for re- serves. Germany will have no reserves for next year. Then the last fight will take place on the Rhine.
 Of course, the war may well be decided in this present conflict, but 1t is not proba- ble It still seems incredible that this of- fensive is anything more than a great feint; blind, to hide the real motives of the sorely pressed German staff If this of fensive is stopped without material gains it will lower the morale of German troops just that much. If it is pressed relentlessly it will lower German numbers just that much But that 1t will succeed in any measure Is impossible unless something terrible and unforeseen should occur. All things are possible in pitched battle, but the British infantry have outfought the Ger mans too often and too long in this war to break before them now
 To sum up the present situation, it can safely be said that 1t is yet too soon to con slider this as the grand offensive of the war, but if it should prove so to be, we'll and good for the allies were prepared for 1t at the very point of attack prepared for it in men, batteries, munitions and courage, and they will surely stop 1t and themselves take the offensive and as a result of the German losses, which will be past all counting, end the war the sooner by many a long and weary and costly and bloody month