South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-14

basin: Il threatened entire region between Verdun
and Nancy. and interrupted the main rail line from
Paris TO the east Its primary strength lay the
turaI defensive features terrain itself. The
western face OF the salient along rugged
heavily wooded heights the Meuse, the
southern face followed the heights OF the
eight kilomeers the then plain
of the Woevre including within the German lines
detached heights Loupmont Montsec which
dominated the plain and Afforded the enemy unusual
facilities for observation The had reinforced
the positions by every artificial during period
of four years"
OVERWHEIM THE ENEMY.
The operations carried with entire preci-
sion" the general continues THE rapidly of ad
vance overwhelmed the enemy, who apparently had
started to withdraw some CT his elements from the
tip of the salient We captured $1,000 prisoners 443
guns and large stores.
The material results of the victory achieved wero
very important. An American army accomplish
ed fact and the enemy had felt its power Of
propaganda could the depressing the
morale OF the enemy OF this demonstration OF ab-
ity organize large American force drive It
successfully through his defenses gave our troops
implicit confidence their superiority raised their
morale to the highest pitch. For the time wrre
entanglements ceased be regarded impassab BILE
barriers and open warfare training. which
urgently insisted proved TO be the doctrine
Our divisions concluded the attack with such sn I'll
losses and in such high spirits without
rest they Immediately available for employment
in heavy fighting in a theater of operations. The
strength the army in this ap-
proximately 900 men, of whom about 40 600 were
French
PREPARES NEW DRIVE
Without pausing to recuperate the now veteran dvi-
sons Pershing swung them to the east and prepared
for the Meuse-Argonne drive the strategc Importance
OF which believed be second west
front for should this system of supply through
Sedan-Mezieres) be cut before the enemy could with
his forces through the neck between Me-
zeres and the Dutch frontier. the his armies
France and Belgium would be complete
The entire frontal deliberately fortified 80
consisting Of practically continuous series OF positions
20 kilomeers more In depth and strengthened
over by the natural features OF the terrain. The
Of the hand-tohand struggle which ensued is told dis
passionately by the report which continuous fight
ing maintained along the entire battle front with
the enemy contesting every foot of 'front.' by
Of October. the enemy1s deliberately prepared
positions including the Hndenburg line. front
been broken; the almost impossible Argonne for
in hands, an advance of q kilometers had
effected $500 prisoners, $40 cannon 1000 ma
chine guns. and of material captured and me
great railway artery through Carignan Sedan was
seriously threatened"
GERMANS SUFFER MOST
With the enemy gradually breaking before him.
Pershing found that his own reserves were beginning
TO show the terrific attrition. After a
careful review Of the situation the recies that
the decision to continue was reached on
the theory that the enemy divisions suffering
''Once German division was engaged in the fight
practically impossible effect its relief" the
general says.
From Nov. s. three American army corps batter
their way Sedan and quote the Official record
by seventh the right of the third corps had
plotted its river crossing TO distance 10 ometers
OF the Mouse, completely ejecting the enemy from
the wooded heights and driving him into the
swRmpy plain OF the Woevre the fifth and first corps
had reached the line Mouse river along their
respective the left the latter corps held
the heights dominating Sedan. gcal goal
Meuse-Argonne operation, al kilometers from our
point OF departure Nov. 1. We had the enemy
line Of comm unications Recognizing that moth
ing a cessation OF hosttes could his armies
from complete disaster he appealed immediate
armistice Nov. s.
A MESSAGE FROM FOCH.
Meanwhile general plans had been prepared for the
further employment of American forces in advance
between Mouse and the Mosee, to be directed to-
wsrd Longwy by the first army while the second army
was the offensive toward the Briey Iron
basin Orders directing the preparatory opera
lions involved this enterprise issued on Nov
8.
between the It'll and 10th of November the third
corps continued its advance eastward to Remoivillo
while the French corps right. with 18th
goth and s1st American divisions and two French
divisions drove the enemy from his foothold on
the heights of the Meuse- At 9 D. m. on Nov.
appropriate orders were the first and second
armies in accordance with following telegram from
Marshal Foch to the commander OF each of the allied
armies
The enemy. disorganized by our repeated attacks
retreats along the entire front.
1T important 10 coordinate and expedite move
nents
Il appeal to the energy and the initiative Of the
commando chief and Of their armies de-
cisive the results obtained"
PRESS ENEMY ON WHOLE FRONT
I'm consequence OF the foregoing Instructions. our
second army pressed enemy along entire front
On the night Of the 1O-11th and the morning the