New-York tribune., 1918-07-25
Military Comment
Copyright. 1918. by Tho Tribune Association,
By William l.. Mcpherson

ly. The congestion inside the pOcke
is too great to admit of rapid ex.
trication. The east and west retain
ing walls must be kept from crum
bling, and this task involves a pin
ming down Of large masses Of troops
LudendorfF cannot afford to retreat
rapidly until the situation on these
two fronts is in measure stabilized
Moreover, in order to hold Fere-
en-Tardenois-his most important
base on the west side of the salient
he has been Obliged to check his
retirement from the Marine and de-
fend the high-road running north to
Fere-en-Tardenois from Jaulgonne.
Strong German counter attacks
have developed in the region to the
west of this road. The French night
communique yesterday reported the
recapture of Epieds by Franco
American forces. This town was
taken by the French and Americans
on Monday, when a new line was
established, eliminating the Chateau
Thierry angle and cutting across
from the neighborhood of Grisolles
to the northern tip of the big bend
in the Marne at Jaulgonne. On this
line the Allies had been held to
slight gains in the last couple Of
days. The Germans have counter
attacked in force. Epieds changed
hands three times in this fighting.
Ludendorff is evidently using his re-
serves freely in this district, as we'll
as on the north and south banks of
the Ourcq River and on the Rheims
front, where a heavy German eoun-
ter attack was repulsed on Tuesday
night.
Ludendorff is, of course, preoccu-
pied with his immediate military
problem. But there is also a politi-
cal problem to be considered. The
German public has been fed up with
reports of continuous German sue
cesses in the battles between the
Marne and the Vesle. The German
public is patient, uncritical and cred
ulous. But even it's complacency
might be strained by an admission
of the failure Of the grandiose fifth
offensive and the announcement of
hurried retreat from the Marine to
the Aisne. All that it has been al
lowed to know SO far is that German
troops were withdrawn from below
the Marine last Friday and Satur-
day, the strategic purposes Of their
passage to the south bank having,
according to official announcements.
been completely achieved.
The chief aim of the German
High Command is to extricate the
armies IN the Marne pocket. But it
may also have in mind the political
advantage Of prolonging the defence
there and giving the retreat some
thing OF the character Of voIun-
tary operation intended to pave the
way for a more powerful offensive
in another direction. After the great
defeat below the Marine in septem
Der, 1914, the German public was
repeatedly assured that Won Moltke's
retreat was only strategic manau-
vre, which was to be followed bv an
advance on Paris along a different
line.
On Tuesday the Franco-American
advance on the west side of the sa-
lient carried the lines forward to
Oulchy-le-Ville, on the north side of
the Ourcq, and, below the Ourcq, to
the high-road running from Chateau
Ihlerry to Oulchy-le-C Chateau.
Yesterday important gains were
made in the sector below the
Ourcq and all along the north side
OF the Marine. The Franco-American
armies now hold Armentisres, on the
south bank of the Ourcq-httle more
than a mile west of Nanteuil- Notre
Dame, the junction point of the rail-
road coming down from Fisnaes. past
fere-en-Tardenois, and the railroad
IRON scissors to Chateau Thierrv.
Nanteull-Notre Dame is onlv about !
TOUR miles west of Fere-en-Tarde-
nols. Further south an advance was
made to and beyond Brecv. east Of
the Solssons-Chateau Thierry rail
road, a gain of about two miles
Ihere was similar gain in the re-
gion of Epieds. where the line was
extended north beyond Courpoil.
Progress north was also made in the
Forest of Fere, above Charteves and
Jaulgonne. The high-road from Jaul.
sonne to fere-en-Tardenois, the main
line of the German retreat north
from the Jaulgonne sector, runs
through this forest.
Further east the Marne bridee-
head at Treloup was enlarged and
Franco-American troops occupied the
southern part of the Forest of Riz.
On the Rheims Marine front the