South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-03
TEUTONS MAY
ABANDON OLD
VESLE FRONT
Gen. FOCh Pushing Forward at
Such Rapid Rate That Hun
Will Probably Lose Much
! Heavy Material.
IAsHINGTON. avs. 5-Tne col

WASHINGTON. Aug. s.-The col
Sc OF the German defensive po-
~ lons just north Of the Ourcq
fofced by the dash OF American
troops In the center and the brill
liant French and British flank op-
erations which followed, is sweep
ing the enemy swiftly back out OF
the Aisne Marine salient. The rush
forward today came So swiftly that
it was difficult for army officials
here To- appraise the full extent OF
the victory. As the situation stood.
according 10 reports late tonight
however. there was "a strong posi-
bility that the Germans would oc
unable 10 hold the Nesle line to-
ward which they ave Fastening and
would he driven 20 the heights north
of the Aisne.
Toniehts official repor from
Paris carried the most startling
message from the battlefield i'm sew
eraI days scissors. the key uf the
German right flank i'm the whole
Aisne- Marine position. was again i'm
+ French hands Al the same time
the brief announcement that Thvil-
lois. west Of Rheims. had been
taken. showed that the jaws OF the
great trap created 10y Gen Foch at
last had begun 10 close. What the
final result viii prove 10 be cannot
be foreseen at this time
scissors Held Since MaN.
The re-entry. of scissors is note
worthy. The French were forced
out of the city, the largest on that
sector % the front. in the first Ger
man assault on the Chemin-des-
DANES last May. Its capture 10y the
I enemy was "a long stride ON the road
TO Paris. a stride that was i'm fact
definitely checked only when the
/ Germans met American troops
northwest of Chateau Thierry weeks
later and were halted IN their
tracks and hurled back. To many
officials here the little stretch Of
! line. where the first two American
divisions came into action below the
/ Villers-Cotterets forest viii mark
the German highwater mark.
OF greater military significance
i'm tonieht's report however. is the
advance Of the other jaw of the trap
at Thrinois This was taken TO
mean the French are pushing in To-
the north and west OF Rheims. an
advance that may well serve to
force the enemy 10 continue his
hurried withdrawal 10 the Aisne
without a chance TO stand along the
Nesle. The left flank of his line a.
the Nesle is i'm danger Of being
turned before his forces south Of
that river reach it.
Rush for Aisnc River
If the advance OF the French on
this line continues il may we'll be
come "a race for the Aisne with the
enemy forced to abandon heavy
material in "a desperate attempt TO
get ms forces into line beyond the
river before they are cut off. The
picture Of a struggle 10 the death
between the two armies drawn by
Gen. March recently is being revised
sharply.
The greatest value seen 10y many
officials i'm all that has happened
since the center blow was launched
is that precedent of victory on the
western front has been established.
II has been fully demonstrated al
ready that the enemy can be fought
extensively and there are many
signs that his punishment is just
beginning Gen Foch holds the
initiative firmly and is master of
the situation He can choose now
the time and place 10 fight for the
enemy j. compelled to act ON the
defensive and 10 give ground 10 save
his forces from annihilation.
Gen. March has seen i'm the fiat
tening ont of the Aisne- Marine sal
lent while the Germans We're a Die
10 hold the scissors and Rheims
Jaws fast the vanishing Of any rea-
soma bic prospect of tagging the
German armies. other officials have
had deep conviction however.
that the Germans would not escape
from that salient without serious
loses and tonight's developments
added To their certainty.
There are renewed possibilities of
coup of a decisive character. 81
is believed
Among many officers there is a
strong feeling that operations ON
other fronts of the western line are
impending. They believe that 81
blow by the British 10 obliterate the
Flanders salient may come ar any
moment There have been hints
that a great concentration OF Brit
ish forces has been completed prob
ably in preparation for decisive
battle on the western front and 90
o1ser, ers here the time now seems
to have come for the launching OF
this assault They believe il certain
that such stroke viii he ordered
b,- Gen. Foch before the lighting Ion
sta oiltZed
n 0E A pP0HIRITE0