Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-07-19
Friday. July 10, 1913.
The Counter Blow Under Way

the thunder storms and maybe 1t
didn't. but We have felt that Gen.
Iooh was about ready TO give the |
Huns a gentle hin: that the allied /
fcrces are taking on weight and are
"reelinc fine as fiddle. thank you"
On Wednesday we suggested a light ,
m. far ahead, and today it looks !
bigger
Thursday morning the Huns hear1 |
something drop. and before noon the T,
kennebec Journal had received cable
flashes telling Of French counter
blow on 25-mile front. By noon the
advance had reached one and half
to two miles.
BY P NJ Johnny Bull was throw
ing up his hat and wig wagging to
Uncle Sam
You h'orter see those French
boys 60 They've urled the 'CES
back from two to four miles and still
going strong
At least our London dispatches led
us TO think that.
Seriously. the German situation
looked risky II not entirely desperate
TO the student Of military affairs, on
Wednesday. The German crown
prince. in his zeal for something that
would look like victory, had thrown
in reserves and bought useless gains
at awful cost. His position would
have looked perilous to Hindenburg,
counting the possibility Of Gen.
Fochs great reserve force being
within striking distance.
The crown prince undoubtedly
hopes, still 10 bring out OF his manifest
failure. with its sacrifice Of 100000
men. an appearance Cat home) Of the
strength with which Hindenburg
struck last March. The new "ob-
tective" at which on Wednesday the
Hun turned as drowning man
srasps at straw, seemed to be
f5perndy. JUSL NHdl ne ultN oul VI
II is best seen in the dispatches of
Thursday showing Foch pouring in
reserves along a 2lmile front, from
a mile north Of the Asne as far
south as Belleau.
How far this demonstration will 81
carried probably depends upon how
badly the enemy was caught by The
counter drive. and its returns. Bull
letins from the front early in thu
forenoon said that early in the move
ment prisoners began coming in A
noon the number OF prisoners wa:
said to he large.
Prisoners previously captured ad
United that the morale of the Ger
now. The heart had been taken on
OF the Huns by the crushing of thu
offensive in the first "a hours. Ate
4s hours the worn out. underfed, ant
heart sick Huns are said to hav'
thrown themselves down anywhere 4
sleep, regardless of death everywher,
In tho air. regardless of discipline
and not caring il they were captured
II is at this stage of the game
when the enemy is attempting t
swerve his blow toward Montmirai
that Foch struck.
oil n NQrn
between Chateau Thierry and Dor
mans. having completely cleared IN
south bank Of the enemy, were o
Wednesday evening sweating blood
because they could not cut loose
And then on Thursday they D11
GU, loose in cooperation with tn
French powerful offensive, drivin
forward into the surprised enemy
great numbers. carrying all befol
them. taking town after town mort
OF Chateau Thierry. obtaining a
their detectives and passed beyor
them. sweeping in prisoners al
guns. and generally putting the hun
ger for peace or death into Il
Huns.
To say fatty that the NTH a.
eault In the German drive" of 10
is a failure is not telling the mil
tary story. Nowhere did this O
fensive return more than nomin
gains and all Of these at awful CO.
Nowhere was an objective reache
and the ill-advised hazard Of Il
Huns fifth test of strength, h;
demonstrated to the entire satisfa
ton OF the allies that the cruel
point has passed: that the enemy
hourly failing in strength, in mora
in hitting force, and in hope. VIII
the allied forces are constantly gal
ing in confidence. war enthusias
munitions. men. and pep.
Whatever comes Of the countt
drive begun today (Thursday)
believe that the decisive blow l
bsen struck, that from tiis day on
y = only : case Of 7 |dins on
1890 W. as2 " A. ss