Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-25
German Position ImperiIIed.

The situation was graphically ex- plained today by General March. chief of staff. in a mid-week conference with newspaper correspondents. For the last two days General March said, 1 the employment Of probably fifteen divisions of fresh German reserves on the Soissons jaw of the trap virtually i has steadied the line there On the eastern jaw front, however, the enc my has been crushed back more than mile and a half on ten-mile front l further imperilling his whole position in the salient from which he is en- deavoring to extricate his troops
 Enemy Has Only One Railroad Line. The railroad running from Sois-
 sons to Chateau Thierry is now either Tn our hands or under our fire" Gen eral March said. indicating the fronts On his war maps. The only way in which the enemy can get out now. or get supplies over a railroad, is by, the remaining line from Nanteuil on the Ourcq to Bazoches on the, River Eesle.
 It was necessary for him, if he did not intend to be caught absolutely in a pocket. to keep troops from advanc- ing and cutting off this road, which would put him entirely at the mercy or the allied forces"
 ] General March did not indicate what development the continued battle all | along the front of the greatly reduced l German salient might be expected to
 produce Among other officers. how
 ever, the opinion prevailed that Cen eral Foch was rushing forward masses
 of heavy artillery. which with air. plants would pound the interior Of the German positions from three sides
 As these officers see the situation the very strength of the German lines
 now established will make his losses great from the concentrated fire of the allied artillery and aircraft. The
 enemy forces occupy a wedge, the center of which is less than fifteen
 miles distant from the hard pressing
 lines of the allies at any point. All
 his communication lines are within
 gun range, once the ''heavies" get up
 behind the allied lines.
 Desperate Efforts to Move Guns.
 There is another consideration. Lacking railway lines on which to ma noeuvre the enemy probably is mak- ing desperate efforts to get his big gest guns away safely. The attacking
 lines are backed by circling railways on which long range weapons on rail l way mounts can be shuttled back and : forth at will It is recalled that the German attack on Chateau Thierry lit tie more than a week ago was accom- ? panied by the fire of big naval guns 5 shells from which fell ten and fftee1
 miles behind the iines
 The bitterness of the battle aroma
 Chateau Thierry and along that DOT. 3 tion of the north bank of the Marn, where the enemy still retains foot = ing probably is largely due to his de termination to stave of Franco-Amer 5 lcan attacks from the south at leas :. until the big weapons have been drag z ged back to safety. The America z advance reported today through Cha y telet Forest and to the northeast O q Epieds is beginning to menace seri IS ously enemy positions further east
 ward on the Marne which are cover d ing his withdrawal within the salient 2 2 Germans Have 40 Divisions in BattI, l. It has been estimated that the Ger is mans now have as many as half l. million men in the limited salient the l. still hold. About forty divisions ar h understood to have been Identified m there. The irregulariy shaped pocke et is about thirty miles broad at it's bas =, between SoisSons and Rheims. whi1 ,- its greatest depth is around twent
 miles. Obviously, it is said. the enc
 my is badly cra1nped for space i
 which to handle his huge army.
 " Should the final rail connectio le northward come under direct gun fir Id it is regarded as possible by many ot le ficers that a veritable rout would rs le suit as the massed forces of the enc Ze my could not all be gotten away. ly Appraised at it's lowest probab al tvalue, officers say. the counter strok ,g already has drawn in the enemy 1- most vital necessity. his reserves. H th whole plan of campaign has been ovel ,n turned in less than week and it
 regarded as more than probable ti1s
 the initiative seized by General Foe
 will remain. in his hands permanentl
 to be ampliied into blows at otht s parts of the line.