Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-09-14
EVENTS OLA WEEK

EVENTS Of, "A WEEK
Eight weeks after the beginning of the second bat
tie of the Marine. which marked the opening Of the AL
lied offensive, and the transfer Of the initiative from the
Germans to the Allies, the Allied troops had wrested from
the Germans practically all Of the ground captured by
the latter in their advance beginning March Fl, and the
Germans stood substantially on the line from which they
had started five months earlier, having to show for their
summers fighting no ground captured. no positions i'm
proved. their armies depleted by months Of fighting.
their control of operations gone. their forces in retreat,
their reserves, If not exhausted, at least greatly dinin-
lshed, an enormous quantity of material lost. one hun
dred thousand of their men taken prisoner, and the Ger
man nation becoming aroused to recognition of the ,act
that defeat stares it in the face.
The Allies. on the other hand, have as the result of
these weeks of effort, freedom from the menace of the
German armies against any important strategic point,
positions battered in every respect, the enthusiasm that
comes from and with success, and the immense advan-
tage that comes from ability to determine the time and
place of the fighting in which they choose to easass-
The people at home have been cheered by the news Of
victory after victory, and the accessons from thls side
Of the ocean have increased the Allied force. veek 6T
week. with the certainty that this increase will eon-zn-s
as long as it is needed, and at whatever rate mar Re
necessary to produce the desired results.
The general line Of the Hindenburg defenses having
been reached in most places and passed in some, TIE
progress Of the Allies on the lines where the grea, bat
ties had been fought slackened. New bases must be con-
structed in the territory recaptured, and it must be pre-
pared for permanent occupancy. 1t has been shown
that the German positions are not impregnable, but the
defenses are stronger than any that have yet been en-
countered, hence the rate Of progress which had pre-
vailed became a physical impossibiity for the immediate
future.
At the beginning Of the ninth week, to a day, a new
Allied offensive was launched on a new sector, far to the
east of the scene of the recent fighting. There, south
east of Verdun, between the Meuse and the Moseile, lay
the famous st. Mihiel salient, deep, narrow, and, on the
map, appearing to invite attack. but SO strong in the
natural conformation of its rough surface, and so well
fortified by its occupants that during the nearly four
years during which the Germans have held it, no de-
termined effort has ever been made to wrest it from
them. OF secondary importance as a vantage ground
from which to launch an attack, its possession by the
Germans was inconvenient to the Allies in that it inter-
rupted railway communication between the eastern. and
western Allied armies. and it was a constant menace to
any army operating on either side.
Conditions have arisen under which, apparently.
Marshal Foch thought that he could use the railroads in
that vicinity to advantage. and there is reason to believe
that he contemplates military movements Of some mag
nitude in the adjacent territory. Hence it was decreed
that the st. Mihiel salient should be reduced, and to
General Pershing and his American army was entrusted
the handling of the job. The attack was begun in the
early hours Of Thursday by a tremendous bombardment.
At 5 o'clock the infantry went over the top. Within
twenty-four hours the salient had>been obliterated. the
triangle had been reduced to a straight line across its
base, thirteen thousand prisoners had been counted, and
more were being sent to the rear, ahc General John j.
Pershing had started out upon the fifty-ninth year of his
mundane existence with the knowledge that he had ham
died a modern army of American soldiers in a major en-
gagenent> against troops whose prowess has been the
boast of their nation, and had won a splendid victory
without a single defect to mar its lustre.
It may be idle, but it is intensely interesting to spec
ulate on what move will be made next on the bloody
chess board. The st. Mihiel battle is described as a local
operation. But it was a local operation with purpose.
It was not undertaken for fun. Nor is the. American First
army on the Lorraine border to enjoy the scenery. Every
consideration points to the importance of keeping the
Germans on the move. They are not to be permitted
to rest and recuperate in the burrows which they have
dug for themselves along the Hindenburg line If that car
be prevented. And It is apparent that il a way can be
found to go around the end. the Germans can be dis
lodged with less expenditure OF men. material and effort
than by direct attack on strongly fortified positions
Whatever may be In the mind Of Marshal Foch. popular
opinion Is keyed up@to the expectation of an important
movement IN the south, and the belief is general tina,
the St Mihief operation y but the presage to q move.
naent Is tremendous magnitude toward the east or the
NORTH which viii introduce an element that has thus III
I'm absent from N 81 the former campaigns.
WINE the fIshtins on other portions u the line ha,
4ackeneds II NJ by 10 means been abandoned. Both
senshsand Bfitish hays rsDostsd sonas saans each dsy
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