East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-09-18
CONTINUED from page 81


The fighting along the line from
Verdun to the right and down to st
Mihiel had been among the most bit
ter OF the French battles fought be-
for the American entrance into the
war. Military experts felt tnat after
the many and expensive attempts OF
the French in past years this line pre-
sented an almost hopeless job.
The sector. however. had been for
many months known as a quiet sector
neither the French nor the German
armies doing other than holding their
own lines. each evidently satisfied In
not making a battle field Of the sec
tor. 1t had been such field in for
mer years when verdum was the CEN
ter of the attacks of the German
armies and when Germany sacrificed
untold thousands in an attempt TO
take the citadel When the Ameri-
can armies began their concentration
along the line from the right OF Yer
dunn. down to ST. Mihiel and over TO
Pont a Mousson, there was little or
no warfare. American reconnaissance
parties were amazed at the indiffer-
ence of the two armies
Germans Seen IN Daylight
German working parties were often
seen along their trenches in daylight,
or doing laundry work within rifle
shot of the French trenches, and
French soldiers doing about the same
thing. It was evident that neither
army had anything to gain by taking
an offensive that would not be deci-
sive
1t was along this sector that the
First American army. under direct
command of General John ]. PERISH
ing, was formed, with the major
operat on of Strengthening out the sa-
Iient along a line running east and
little south from Verdun to the old
line in Front of Pont A Mousson, thus
relieving Verdun of the pressure that
was always present from the encircl-
ing movement, releasing the railroad
ingthrough St. Mihiel to Verdun
that was in later operations to be of
inestinable value to the American
armies fighting through the Argonne
on the left of Verdun. and more i'm
portant taking a decisive offensive
action by an all American army
against one of the strongholds of Ger
many, and in so doing not only under
mine the German morale and prove
that the American entrance in the war
was significant of an enormous pres
sure. but to assure the allies that the
American army. just formed, could
and would deliver and do their share
of breaking up the stranglehold that
Germany had until now maintained
on northern Europe. The war had
reached a period of offensive and not
a deadlock.
Reaching Ancemont the two regi-
ments immediately syent into position
along the front lines in the Foret de
Sommedieue, guns positions being
placed under command of the artillery
commander of the Fifth Corps.
Preliminary Operations
Positions of the two regiments were
in the vicinity of Renzieres and Roupt
en- Woevre.
Secrecy was demanded in every
move in going into position and the
maneouvering of the big guns at night
at times within a few hundred yards
of German outposts the establish
ment of communications of all kinds,
bringing up of immense amounts of
heavy ammunition and supplies. was
accomplished without discovery by
German observers. Some guns were
within only a short distance of the
edge of the forest which marked the
line of trenches, and SO much was