New-York tribune., 1918-06-15
Military Comment
By William l.. Mcpherson

by William l.. MCPherSOn
TNHE fourth German offensive
seems already to be q thing
of the past. 1t lost as early
as Wednesday it's character as a
separate, sharply distinguishable
operation. Halted on the Matz River
and in the region below Ressons-sur-
Matz, the German High Command
shifted the main attack far east of
the Disc River-to the west side of
the Aisne-Marne salient, southwest
of scissors. This was in itself an
admission that the offensive west of
the Disc had broken down.
The drive down the west bank of
the Disc has been by far the least
effective of Ludendorff's four major
efforts to date. 1t overran the
French first line. But it made no
considerable breach in the main bat
tie positions, further back. Where
it pierced these the French were
ready to close up the breaks by
counter attacking. Encountering
ample second-line reserves, prepared
to strike back, the new Won Hutier
scheme Of offence failed to work.
The Won Hutier method has been
tried four times. On the fourth trial
it has been blocked. The solution for
1t has been more OR less obvious. The
Germans uncovered it, perhaps acci-
dentally, in the later stages of the
Battle of Cambrai-the most ;llumi-
mating battle Of 1917, since it con-
tained all the ideas which were to
germinate in the new open fighting
tactics of 1918.
At Cambria the Germans were as
completely surprised and disorgan-
lied as the Allies were last March on
the Somme, last April in the Lys
Valley, or last May on the line of the
Chemin des Danes. They retreated
in disorder. If the British had made
any preparations to follow up their
victory they could easily have taken
Cambria. Crown Prince Rupprecht
had no local reserves available. It
took him week to gather the forces
he needed. The British allowed him
plenty of time. Then he counter at
tackled on both sides of the salient
driven close up to Cambria. Taking
the British completely unawares, he
broke the southern side of the
salient. What looked like a striking
British victory was converted into
discouraging defeat.
In the first three German often
sives of 1918 the Allies were handi-
capped in the matter of local re-
serves. There were no divisions in
sight with which to organize immedi-
ate counter attacks. The line had to
bend back for days before it was
even stiffened sufficiently to stand
fast. Hence the rapid dashes for
ward which seemed to give charac-
ter Of irresistibility to Won Hutier's
offensive scheme. Circumstances
made the new offensive seem more
potent than it actually was.
South of Lasslgny, however, tn.
French were thoroughly prepared to
stop the German rush. They did
stop it, practically, on the .iird day.
They could probably aow push the
German advance hack beyond Res
-Matz, if it was worth while
to do so. Compiegne was Ludendorff's 5
immediate objective on the west bank
of the Disc. The French still cover
it. They have been pinched out of
some territory on both sides of the
Disc. But they have taken heavy
toll from the enemy. And their abil-
ity to defend Paris has not been
materially impaired. The results Of
the Noyon-Montdidier offensive have,
therefore, greatly strengthened AL
lied confidence. The new form of Of
fensive has been successfully met.
The drive Of June 8 has been a dubi-
Gus and barren German success.
Yesterdays bulletins reported only
local actions on various portions of
the combined Montdidier-N -Noyon and
Noyon Chateau Thierry Rheims
fronts. The German armies here