The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-07-19

IIllcu soon AIeT IL StdTIcu.
IN the following article. J. X.
Vance, recognized as a noted
authority on Wcrld War his
tory, gives graphic picture
Of the ma jOr moves made by
the Allied and German COM
manders. His story reveals
many interesting facts not
generally known.)
ny J. H. VANCE
Army Authority on World War
History
When a determined force OF
Americans stopped the German
march on Paris in June. 1918, the
French were near the end Of their
resources. Yet all knew that be-
cause CT the German superiority
in manpower more attacks were to |
come.
In order to win the war before
the allied blockade starved their
people into submission and the in
flux Of American troops gave the
allies superiority Of numbers, the
German high command planned
three gigantic battles for the sum-
mer Of 1918. The first. in Cham
payne, was to smash the French;
the second, in Flanders, to cripple
the English: and the third, the
capture of Parsi and Amiens. to
| crush the two weakened Wdver-
saries and force them to accept .
German peace.
While waiting for the German
attack, General Foch ordered the
allied armies to perfect their
defenses and to prepare often
sives against sensitive spots in
the German line. One of these
was southwest If Scissors, q scant
six miles from the front and the
bottle neck Of the line Of supply for
the Marine salient.
Profiting by the experiences
gained in the German Offensives
Of March and May, the French
decided to abandon voluntarily, at
the start of the next attack, the
Ibelt Of territory occupied by their
first position. en- which the Ger
mans normally concentrated their
artillery fire The defense would
be made on u position that would
; escape this destructive fire. while
the Germans themselves would suf-
, fer severely from the allied artil-
lery fire directed on the abandoned
area.
Gave Up Territory
At the same time, every energy
was being strained to pierce the
German intentions. BY July 6 II
was ascertained that the Germans
planned to capture Reims about
1.-THE middle Of July. by gigantic
double development extending Ol
the west, to the vicinity Of Chat
|ean Thierry and on the east aln'os
to the ArgOnne forest.
Meanwhile American troops
pouring into France at the rate
lOf 100000 men a month. now mum
hered over a million. These rein
fOrcements, together with full
knowledge Of the enemy plans
enabled General Foch to prepar'
great cOunter-attack directed u
scissors, to eliminate the Marin
salient. He set it for July Ii il
order to allow the Germans to be
come thoroughly committed t
their own battle.
IN Prisoners captured 3 p. M, Jul,
y. Ia, disclosed that the Germa
&c artillery preparation would com
mence at 1910 a. m.. July Is. Blu
the French were just one jun
ahead. At 1l:45 p. M, July Il
they opened terrific fire, wit
the entire allied artillery, on tn
Germans massed in their advance
positions. Twenty-Five minute
later some 5000 enemy guns RI
piled. The glow of the flashes 9
this. the greatest artillery concer
tration Of all time could be seen !
Paris more than so miles distant.
A Tremendous Attack
y At daybreak ~ German div
sions attacked 10 allied division
~ East Of Reims General Gouraud
We Fourth army decisively stoppe
IS them. West of Reims, howeve
~ ~ the attack made Roadway up IL
no Marine valley and south of tn,
lss river. where only the Americs
80, Third division held its position
he This German success caused Gel
Wy eral Petain to order a delay
ger the allied counter-attack schedule
saa for July Is, but Foch prompt
:" countermanded this order.
Notwithstanding small Germs
gains during the next two day
Il, the German high command
=" July II, realized that the Alta
70 had completely failed. Thereto
it was when it had turned it's 9
nix tention to the attack against t
md English, that General Foch's gre
in counter blew struck the enemy.
M Fourteen French and four Anne
ION lean divisions were hurled AGAR
re II German divisions and quick
ms destroyed them.
~ The allies were at the very gat
IN Of Scissors. before the Germans /
covered from their surprise.
ON noon, July 1S, the advance Of CT
red eral Mangin's Tenth and Gene
the Degoutte's Sixth armies had sea-
rgo the fate Of the Marine salient.
~ The ensuing two weeks saw so
'er Of the hardest fighting and M
magnificent staff work on reco
As the German high command I
deavCred to extricate the half n
lion or more men from the ia
~ Of the powerful wise that "
- slowly and surely closing on thu
forl CIosing the Salient
the By continually strengthening
ss critical front southwest Of Soisso