PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 271, 5 August 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

As matters stood at- the end of last week, or rather at the point to which events were carried in reports then available, the Germans were clinging tenaciously to their salient front botween Soissons and Reims, and counter-attacking with a vigour and disregard of cost which suggested that they hoped to consolidate a defensive line where they stood, Even now it remains possible that this was their design. In any case, whether they hoped to definitely arrest the Allied counteroffensive or were fighting only for time in which to order their retirement, they have suffered another heavy and damaging defeat. Today's news shows that largely as the outcome of a skilfully-directed Allied attack on tho western face of his salient, the enemy has been compelled to undertake a rapid retreat on the whole front between Soissons and Reims. Soissons has beon captured; the Allies have reached the Aisnc farther east, and their present rate of progress is fairly indicated in tho statement made in a French official report that more than fifty villages wore recovered in oic day of battk ' The present phase* of the battle opened with 'an attack in which the Allies gained possession of high and commanding ground between tho Ourcq and the Crise, a little river which runs generally north-north-west to the Aisne at Soissona. This advance not .-only mado Soissons untenable, but .gave the Allies observation over,a considerable extent of country in rear of the line the enemy was attempting to hold north of tho Ourcq. When in addition the enemy was driven out of fortified woods which had constituted' hiß strongest defences north of the Ourcq, a general retirement from tho salient became hot only inevitable, but imperative. What losses the movement is destined te-en tail has yet to appear, but it is fairly certain that they will be, serious. There can be no doubt in regard to r.hc magnitude of the enemy's defeat. Drawing freely upon his resources in an effort to arrest tho Allied advance he has been outgenerallecl and outfought and compelled to retreat under bad and difficult conditions.

Although the Allied troops are shown.to have advanced in places hvc or six miles, the exact position reached is not disclosed at time of writing. So far as the limits of the onemys retreat arc concerned however, there seems to lie full warrant for the view that the only question open is whether he will attempt a stand-on the Vesle-on an approximately straight front from north of Soissons to north of TWins -or forthwith retire to the north hamt of the Aisne. The Vesle is a tributary of_ the Aisne, and enters the latter river about seven miles cast ot boissons. Over a considerable part of the area between Soissons and Kcims the Vesle runs at a distance of from five to ten miles south nf the Aisne. It runs south ot Jteims. A defensive front alone tho Velsc, as far as that river is available to the enemy, offers him few advantages. It would be subject to the serious disadvantage that it would be dependent upon communications crossing the Aisne by bridges; of which many would be well within the effective range of the Allies' batteries, and all would bo subject to constant bombardment from the air. It would not be a good way to restore the morale of the German troops to ask • them to, hold such a line under the conditions that would inevitably arise. J

Apart from the probable soopo of the enemy retreat, the main questions raised meantime relate to the extent to which the Allies are likely to be able to hamper fcl H) mov „. incut and take toll of him as lie retires. Some of the reports which' speak of vital centres behind the enemy lino being already within raugo of tho Allied guns ecem to orr

to an extent on the side of optimism. This is said, {or instance, of Jjazoches and Braisno. Both towns are on tho Vcsle and both have an important place in the limited range of communications serving what remains of the enemy salient. Bazoches, fifteen miles south-east of Soissons and about three miles west of Fismes, is the point at which the one railway now available to the Germans in the salient enters it from the north, and at Braisnc, eleven miles east-south east of Soissons, one of the principal roads serving the salient crosses the Vesle. The Allies arc shown to be about five miles distant from Braisnc, and they have made almost as close i an approach to Earaches. These distances are well within the range of modern artillery, but hardly of guns that can accompany or very closely follow a rapid 'pursuit. If the Germans were foolish enough to attempt a stand on the line roughly indicated to-day their vital communication centres in rear would soon be under such a bombardment as would almost certainly make, their further retreat a rout. But it is only reasonable to suppose that they will conduct their retreat with a clear recognition of the threat to their communications and at the speed which such a threat makes imperative. At the same time there SPe open possibilities meantime that a rapid advance on any one of _ several lines may enable the Allies te> throw the enemy's retreat_ into ' serious dis-, order before it is completed, and to correspondingly increase his losses.

There is much in the events recorded to-day to inspire the Allied nations and armies and to lend force to the declaration made by Sir Douglas Haig that the great crisis of the war has passed. At tho most moderate estimate it is certain that the enemy will not again enjoy such advantages as he enjoyed when he opened his offensive in March. He may yet attempt to turn his interior lines to account by developing an offensive in Italy or in the Balkans, and the prospect' cannot be regarded with easy unconcern. Wherever he may strike, however, the Allies will oppose him in rising strength, and it is not in doubt that in the theatre where the war will be won and lost his prospects are growing darker day by day.