Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-08-16
HUNS ON THE RUN
ON P|CAROY FRONT
MONTDIDIER FALLS TO ALLIES
AND GERMANS ARE RETREAT
ING TO THE SoMME.
Americans Aid in Rolling Back Teuton
Line, Enemy Being Unable to Stop
the Victorious Allies in Latest
Drive Toward Berlin.

| Germans before them for an important
gain east of Montdidler in Picardy
That city, which was the apex OF
| German salient that now has been
wiped out, fell to the French fourth
army at midday Saturday. Before
nghtfall the victorious French forces
had carried the battle line onward to
an average depth of six miles on a
front of approximately twenty miles.
In the three days of engagements
that eliminated in the taking of Mont
didier, the French took 5000 prisoners.
Their capture also included 200 guns
and an enormous amount of material.
Crushed by the impact of the Brit
ish, French and American offensive on
the battle line from Albert, northeast
of Amiens, to Disc river north of Com
piegne, German forces are streaming
back toward the Somme river and the
Nesle-Noyon canal. SO far as can be
determined, the enemy is in full re-
treat all along the front against which
the allies flung themselves the latter
part of the week.
The drive of the past week in Pic
offensive was launched from the direc-
ton of Amiens within three days after
the French and Americans had been
definitely halted at the Yesle river.
Before the crown prince could send
back any divisions, to Picardy the
RritiGh nd Eranoh ir-
reslstibly with tanks, big and little, as
the piece de resistance of their drive.
With Villers Bretonneux as a center,
the British struck to the north and
south. Their northern flank of attack
reached almost to Albert, their south
ern to Hangard. South of that the
French were ready for attack near
Morisel and Moreuil, where heavy re-
sistance was to be expected. The Brit
ish attacked without artillery prepa-
ration. The French bombarded the
enemy for about 40 minutes before
moving forward to the assault Then
they took Morisel and Morueil in Sc
we're fighting. Meanwhile the British,
Australians and Canadians had been
pushing forward south of the Somme
with the apex of their wedge directed
toward Rozieres. The first day they
did not take that town. which is about
seven or eight miles east of Villers, but
they gained positions beyond it to the |
north. On their left flank the British |
did not make much progress north of
the Somme, and on the second day of
the fighting they lost Chipilly. On that
lay, however, the German resistance
% the south was broken by the British
md French, who began TO get Montdi-
lier into a pocket.
To the north, in the center, the Brit
sh, with Canadians and Australians,
continued TO gain toward Chaulnes
lfter occupying Rozieres. At Chipilly
americans were thrown into the fight
Friday afternoon, and, with the aid of
he British, recaptured it. On Satur-
lay they pushed some distance beyond
,hipilly and Morlancourt, in the same
egion
BY this time the enemys lines had
een so seriously shattered that a gen.
raj retirement to wholly new line
Tas Imperative. Indeed, the high COM
land probably had given the order for
his retirement on the first or second
ay of the fight, but even this timely
revision failed TO prevent the allies
rom capturing hundreds of cannon
nd thousands of prisoners.
The American drive in the Marine
llient was the turning point of the
ar, but it is doubtful whether it OBJ
lined the fruits that would seem to
e the inevitable sequence of the Z
victory, in which the
mericans are successfully parucipat- =
e. Both battles have been entente T
in special sense. ;
On the Soissons-Rheims front the +
rench and Americans have been nib !,
ing at the enemy, but In the process !
icy have established some strong !.
'idgeheads across the Vesle river
ON which to continue their opera
ons. If the Germans retreat to the
indenburg line. there will be no =
Iance of holding the line of the Vesle, /,
I'd the crown prince will withdraw !
Ithout attempting to try conclusions +,
tn the French and Americans south n
the Alsne. !,
BY means OF their air supremacy the n
lies can watch every movement of
c retreating enemy as If the entire
tile were being thrown upon a NOV
2 picture screen. The enemy, mean ;,
ne. is almost blind. His machines II
We been downed In such numbers Of
at he cannot tell what the opposing II
rces are doing or planning. N