Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-14
PRESENT BATTLE
LAST THROW OF
DICE FOR KAISER
Germans Have Fed Between
100000 and 100000 Men
Into Great Struggle, Which Is
Believed Supreme Effort

WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES IN
THE FIELD. June 1.-THE Germans
engaged between twenty and thirty d.
visions ts4OOOO to $4,000 mem In the
new drive up to midnight, feeding in
battalion after battalion with prodlgali-
" uneYuaIsd in any previous phase OF
the offensive.
Heroic French resistance which ne
| cessitated this constant feeding in
changed completely the entire character
OF German tactics. which largely in
sured the success OF previous drives.
BY counter attacking locally at every
point on the entire front from Mont
didier- TO Noyon almost eve.y minute
1.-THE French keep the Hun mist Hne
srOops almost constantly engaged. thus
preventing their being superseded by re-
curing waves OF fresh troops.
In every counter attack the French
succeeded in taking prisoners along the
entire battle front, who unanimously de-
clare the German losses are frightful.
French troops. participating in these
dead everywhere.
French cavalrymen fighting afoot OH
the summit OF lie Plemont plateau, who
succeeded in escaping after their posi-
ton had been entirely surrounded, de-
clared that previous to their departure
they repulsed fourteen infantry assaults.
The battle is accompanied by one of
the fiercest artillery duels of the entire
war. Owing TO the Germans slow ad-
NaLce they have been able to bring up
their light guns. but their heavy guns
are still firing from their original posi-
tions, which are constantly under French
bombardment.
Despite the incredible AMOUNT of ma
terial engaged and the unequaled
masses of men constantly fed in, the
Germans at the most extreme point OF
their advance last night had averaged
only FIVE kilometers (about three miles,
penetration a day.
The French airmen continue to main
tain an incontestaole superiority, con-
stantly bombinb and machine cunning
German columns and inflicting the
heaviest losses which the aviators them
selves are able to see. The railway
station Roye was observed in flames
following a bombing raid.
wars Most Cruel Battle
The new German drive between Mont
didier and Noyon is rapidly becoming
the fiercest and most cruel battle OF the
war.
Into ii the German apparently is de-
termined to throw their last reserves,
in a supreme effort to separate the all
lied armies and reach Paris before
Americas full participation wrests from
them the last hopes of eventual victory.
Already the steady stream of Ameri-
can. Italian and British divisions in
France, coupled with the terrific losses
inflicted on the Germans since March II
practically has wiped out the numerical
superiority with which the Germans
opened the offensive.
II is certain that if the allies hold
out two months longer the Americans AT
the present rate of arrival will give
them an incontestable and crushing su-
periority.
As a consequence, the French are re-
sisting in the present battle with ex-
IRENE energy, equaled only by the prod
/ igality with which the Germans are
rushing up their last resources.
No longer is it a secret that the
French expected the present attack and
were as fully prepared electives and
material would permit 1t is likewise
known that the Germans knew the
French expected and were prepared for
the attack. yet facing the heavy losses
4 which such a situation necessarily must
entail. the enemy unhesitatinsly at
tackled. They rushed up reserves to re-
place their losses. until more than TWEEN
" divisions 100000 mem have been
led into the battle to date.
On both wings where the French are
doggedIy holding out, villages like
Courcelles have changed hands every
few hours, day and night. since the bat
tie began. The last carrier pigeons
. from lie Plemont. which was completely
encircled. brought word that the French
there were still holding out, although
they now possibly have been submerged
] The Germans still are making their
e.
the purpose of reaching the 0ise above
Compiegne, thus forcing evacuation of
/ the entire Noyon salient, where, at the
extreme northern point, Carlepont wood.
| on the east side of the Disc, and Mount
/ Renaud. on the west side, have to date
/ barred the German advance into the
l Disc valley.
Military experts consider il most prob
/ able that the Germans will launch a
| second converging attack from east Of
/ Noyon, with identical detectives of at
tanning the Disc from the east and fore
ing evacuation of the Noyon salient.
From prisoners and other sources, it
/ is established that the Boches are suf-
fering a severe crisis in electives. Many
companies go into action with. only so
or 100 men. The wounded are forced
20 return 10 the fight as soon as they are
cured. The losses in infantry officers
are so great that cavalry officers are
now substituted
/ Prussian Guard Decdmated
Among 200 prisoners Intercepted a
fourth were of the 1919 class, while
many were in the 1920. The prisoners
also included miners and expert work
men who heretofore had not been sent 10
the front
The Fifth division of the Prussian
guard which is one of Germanys finest
body of troops. lost so per cent of us
electives during the March offensive on
the Somme and lost 80 per cent more in
the Chateau Thierry drive. il has been
established.
French patrols, penetrating the re-
gions of Nouty and MaercreuX, report
heaps of German dead, often lying IN
four or FIVE successive windows. South
of Faverolles. go unburied German dead
/ were counted.
All the advices from the battle front
show that the enemy is putting forth
every possible effort in his design tC
uuSh toward Paris throwing division