The Washington herald., 1918-04-08

General strategic and tactical posl-
tion of the allies Is becoming moro
favorable in the monster battle now
raging in France, the War Department
declared yesterday in It's weekly re-
view OF the military operations OF the
war.
The German high command Is now
throwing fresh forces into battle In
an effort to secure some of its more
limited objectives. the statement said.
1t took Germany ten days to gain
detectives she expected to gain In
forty-eight hours.
The situation win continue uncertain
for sometime to come, however, be-
cause of the determination of the Ger
man commanders to gain some sort
Of success at no matter what cost"
American troops were engaged an
stemming the German offensive.
American transport sections and
American aviators have taken active
part In the battle.
New positions have been taken up
by the American troop units and they
are occupying well prepared en-
trenchments along the Meuse Hills,
south Of Vsrdun.
Battle In Third Week.
The statement follows:
At the opening of the third week
of the German offensive, we fnd
that the enemy IL still far short Of
attaining his principal objectives.
1t IL now evident that the German
high command contemplated over
whelming the British at the outset,
between the Oise and the Sensee,
and driving a wedge into the Fran
co-British forces.
achieve a decision in the field in the
course of one great battle.
The success OF this plan depended
on being able to obtain q break
through Of the British front and
advance so rapidly that neither the
French nor the British reserves
could come UP in time to close up
the breach In the line and restore
the order of battle.
Evidence of prisoners tends to
confirm that the enemy hoped to
gain the line Of the Somme by the
evening Of the hrst day Of the Of
fensive. As q matter of fact It
took the Germans ten days to cover
the ground they expected to over
run within forty-eight hours.
British Resistance stubborn.
The stubbornness Of British resist
ance and the severe casualties inflicted
| by them compelled the Germans to
Graw more heavily than they had an
| ticipated on their own reserves.
The German high command is now
throwing fresh forces into battle in an
effort to secure some Of its more lin.
tied objectjves.
Under the leadership of Gen. Foch
the allied military machine is func-
tioning with precise smoothuess. in
| suring greatest economy, harmony and
efficiency in the use of all OF the forces
now united in stemming the German
assault.
The morale OF the allied troops re-
| mains high.
The German offensive has rot spent
itself and owing to the determination
! displayed by the enemy to gain some
! sort OF a success at no matter what
| cost the situation will continue uncer-
tain fer some time to come.
| However, the general strategic and
| tactical position Of the allies is be.
coming more favorable.
After a period of relative calm early
| in the week, during which the enemy
was busy bringing up his heavy guns
and repairing the wastage of battle
by replacing tired units by fresh
troops, another powerful attack was
launched along the segment of the
line now held by the French, stretch.
ing from the Amiens-Roye road &c
Grivesnes. The enemy was able tc
make slight headway and crossed tht
Avre, opposite Moreuil. occupying
MOrisel. Firce fighting continues anc
hostile units have penetrated west.
ward to within five miles Of the main
!ile of the Paris-Amiens railway.
Allies Mass Troops.
Allied forces are massed to check
the invaders in this area. The
French have extended their lines
northwRrd, which will enable the
British to secure greater depth OF
concentration.
There has been relatively less
activity north of the Somme
I though the Germans have made q
A A