The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-08-21
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SUMMARY OF THE WAR
(By Associated Press.1

|
over a front of ten miles at Arras
at dawn this morning.
According to meagre details re-
eeiVed from the scene of the new
assault the British have advanced
from two to three miles and have
captured the towns of MoyennvilIe,
| Coucelles, Achiet -le- Petit and Beau
cort. sur -Ancre and reached the town
of Aohiet Ie- Grand.
The assault was begun under COW
er Of mist which materially assist
| ed the British in their advance.
There WAS a very brief artillery
preparation and it would appear that
! the plan of attack was similar to
that oIiowed south the Aisne July
18 and north Montdider Aug. 8.
A large number tanks were in the
! attacks.
Indications are that the British
have carried the bate line up to a
point 8 miles from 5apaume, an inn
/ portant highway center and place
reputed to be a German base in the
nothern Picardy sector.
| IF the drive continues TO press
The Germans back, the enemy forces
further south would be in a serious
position. They are at present hold
| ing back French and British troops
along line west of and parallel to
! the Somme and north of that river
are resting allied attacks az far
north as Albert. The new advance
seems to have placed the northern
section of the enemy's front in great
in FLANDERS ALSO.
In the flanders battle area the
Germans are also under heavy pres.
| hn Ratk ima s@i@ 81 @sak
states that during last night an at
tack was made from FestUbert, just
northwest of Lens, to the Lave riV-
err, a distance Of more than four
miles. The village of la Touret, at
! about the middle of the line has been
| captured. This marks an advance
of nearly a mile at this point,
On the northern side of the Lys
salient the British made a local at
taack over a mile front near Locre
this morning. The important Dram
outre ridge has been wrested from
the enemy and the Loere hospiee, q
! group Of butdigs which has been
the scene of terrific fighting since
! April has been attacked.
MAY DISRUPT GERMAN PLAN.
! tor between the Disc and scissors
bids fair to bring about a cracking
Of the German defensive system
from Ypres TO Rheims. Marshal
Foeh has connected up his Marne
! and Picardy successes with a new
triumph which appears to be a
greater threat than either of che
others.
in the new major operation be-
tween the Aisne and the Disc the
French have gained the heights and
ere advancing rapidly toward the
Disc and the supply lines connecting
Loan and other bases with the Noy.
on pocket. In two days of local op-
erations and one given TO a eonerted
attack, General Mangin has advane-
ed more than two and one-haIf miles
on q front of more than is miles.
The Disc and the railway line, paraI-
Ieling it are but three miles away
and the French apparently hold ell
the important high ground which
had barred the way to Noyon and
the line of the Disc.
WILL FORCE RETIREMENT.
If Marshal Each can push the ad-
vance to the north of the oise, IL
would appear to be inevitable that
the Germans should retire in Pic
ardy, probably to the old Hindenburq
line, and withdraw from the VeaIe,
With the French north of the Disc
both these enemy positions would be
| cutflanked. Apparently the Germans
realize the possibilities of the new
allied operations as they are resist
ing most stubbornIy.
Berlin reports that IL anticipated
French blow north of the Aisne
and the Germans are reported to
have prepared for q counter attack.
The French, however, surprised
them and gained on Tuesday a half
prisoners, bringing their total for the
three days to 10000. The German
war office says that the French at
tack broke down.
East of the Disc on the left Of the
attacking line the French have
reached the ourscamp forest and
have taken CarIepont. The line then
swings northeast and the French are
reported unofficially to have cap
eured the important heights at Mont
De Choiey and Cuts and TO have
On the right flank the French inc
runs north northwest from soissons,
and is being driven forward 10 a
linse north from Soissons, which
would be a serious threat to the
enemy positions north fof the Vesle.
The French and Americans continue
their pressure along the Vesie but
the heavy fighting has not yet spread
to the east Of Soissons.
As in the fighting west of the Disc
the Germans are rependina upon
machine guns for the ma ior part OF
their defense. Apparently the enemy
has taken his cannon TO the north OF
the Disc.
Between the somme and the oise
che fighting has died down some
what. The french, however, have
completed the capture of BeauvFiBas
and can now debouch over the Iewly-
ing ground east of the village In a
movement TO outflank both Roye
and Lassigny. IN Mondays opera
tions west of the 0ise General Hum
bert took 500 prisoners.
Marshal Foeh now is <eepina Che
Germans busy on the entire front
southeast of Ypres TO Soissons. The
allied thrust at various points from
the Disc 60 the Lyd tend 20 keep Tho
Germans in "jumpy1 condition and
in dilemma as TO the most ad-
vantaseous place for their reserves.
The allied activity confirms military
Observers la The belief that Marshal
Foeh intends 90 retain the advantage
OF the initiative IN further actions.
Except in the Woevre, where Amer
lean troops repulsed a German raid
there has been no fighting else
whore.