The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-01-09

thlS dr1Ve, Paris was bombarded by
mystery gun which it was known
was at least 50 miles away. On March
-, Good Friday, this long-range gun
made direct hit on a Paris church
and IS worshipers were killed.
April 6, the first anniversary Of
Americas entrance into the war. found
this country throwing every resource
into the struggle. President Wilson,
In speech at Baltimore opening the
third Liberty loan drive, announced
that the policy OF the United States
would be force, force to the utmost, 4"
until the enemy cried enough" At
the same time the real rush of Ameri-
can troops to France began.
| On April 10. the Germans shifted
| their attack and began the second
| phase of their offensive-a drive
against the British in Flanders with
| the channel ports as the objective.
| Here again the British were forced to
| give ground, but there was no break
| such as occurred earlier on the SOmme
| front. The British and Portuguese
! were swept back along the River Lys.
| The Germans took the Messines ridge
and threw 125,OOO men against the
British below Ypres. But the Ypres
defenses held firm, and in the west the
Germans failed in their efforts to reach
| Hazebrouck. The terrific drive spent
itself and the Germans had failed to
threaten the channel ports seriously.
In the meantime, on April II, Amer
| lean troops had engaged in a stiff bat
tie with the Germans north of st. Mi
hiel, meeting an infantry attack with
! the bayOnet. On April p, picked Ger
| man storm troops attacked the Ameri-
cans in the TouI sector and were
whipped in a hand-to-hand engage
ment
On April % the. British navy execut-
ed one of the spectacular feats of the
war, blocking the channel of Zee
brugge, German submarine base.
Germans Renew Offensive
On May q the Germans renewed
the offensive with a powerful attack
between the Aisne and the Marine. In
a day they swept over the Chemin-des-
Danes on the heights north of the
Aisne and crossed the river in a rush.
| Next they took scissors and reached
the Vesle. On they went to the Marine,
extending their front on the river from
| Chateau-Thierry to VerneuiI, and
threatening Reims in their advance.
! The drive was halted with the Ger
mans occupying a front Is miles wide
on the Marine.
In the meantime the Americans had
won attention on May % by taking
Cantigny on the Picardy front in a
brilliant attack.
On May 25. German U-boats began
operations off the coast of the United
States, sinking IL ships.
The German drive for Paris was re-
sumed but the turning point was
reached when on June and z Ameri-
can marines were thrown across the
path of the advancing army at Chateau
| Thierry. The Americans not only
stopped the Germans but drove them
! back two miles. capturing several hun
dred prisoners. Heavy counter-attacks
broke down under the machine gun fire
of the Yanks and the road to Paris was
again blocked. The marines suffered
severely in the terrific fighting but
they made Chateau-Thierry a name
that will live long in American history.
In an effort to unite the Somme sail
ent with that of the Marine to provide
a base for another move toward Paris,
the Germans launched another heavy
attack west of NOyOn on June 10. They
made considerable gains On a 2O-mile
front but the drive was halted within
two days.
On June IL, Washington announced
| that the United States was then rep
resented on the battle line by 100000
| men.
Austrian Offensive Is Fiasco.
Attention was transferred from
France to Italy when on June 10 the
Austrians opened an offensive on the
Italian front from Asiago plateau to
the sea. The attack proved complete
fiascOs 1t was repulsed at ali points
and the Italians pursued the fleeing
Austrians across the Piave, taking 45.-
coo prisoners.
The German commanders made one
last effort to break through to Paris
when the crown princes army group
on July 10. the morning after the
French national holiday, launched an
| offensive along a front from Chateau
Thierry to MaSsiges, 80 miles east of
Reims.
! HIS n1lH anu ldSL phase OF the great
offensive failed most signally, being
stopped on the third day. The Ameri-
can forces played big part in this sec
ond decisive battle Of the Marne. East
of Chateau-Thierry the Germans forced
a passage across the Marne and the
Americans who opposed them were
forced to fall back temporarily. Then,
in a brilliant counter-attack, the Amer
leans drove the Germans back across
the Marine. taking 1,5OO prisoners, in
Guiding a complete brigade staff.
Allied Offensive opens.
On July Is General Foch assumed
the offensive. He struck the crown
princes right flank vital blow and on
the first day the French and Americans
| fought their way for six miles along
the AiSne, reaching the outskirts of
scissors. For two weeks the great
! counter-offensive continued. On IuIv
! . the Americans met the crack t1fvi-
sions of German guards and defeated
them In a stubborn battle at Serpv
scissors fell to the French on August
2 and by the following day the entire
| Soissons-Reims salient had been uioalJ