PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 276, 10 August 1918, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The claim that tho Allies have recovered the initiative in the Western theatre receives definite support from the , news transmitted to-day that Anglo-French armies have attacked the,enemy on a front of fifteen miles east and south-east of Amiens, and have prospered well in the opening stage of the battle. Tho front extends from Morlancourt, about three miles north of the Sommc, to Moreuil, a railway town twelve miles south-east of Amiens. At tiiiie of writing official reports deal only with the opening stages of the attack, and unofficial reports, though they agree in declaring that the Allies have won a considerable success, are to some extent in conflict in regard to the actual progress made. There is general agreement, however, that the attacking forces have broken into the German front between Morlancourt and Moreuil to a depth (presumably an average depth) of four thousand yards. Some reports speak of much more extended progress. One or two, for instance, state that the Allies have captured Harbonnieres, .17 miles cast d? Amiens, and about six miles cast of the front from which tlicy launched their attack. Another report mentions the capture of Cerisy, which would mean an advance of three miles along the valley of the Sominc. If the reports relating to the capture of Harbonnieres are accurate it .may.'bo' assumed that the battle is developing on a great scale, An advance of six miles would not bo madron a narrow front or.with any minor object in view.

Even if the Allies have accomplished nothing more than a genoral advance of about.four thousand yards their achievement is still highly important. The general result is to materially extend the margin by which Amiens is hold, and at the same, time to offer a serious threat N to an important section of the German line—the section which runs south,round Montdidicr and then south-cast to the Oke. By their advance the- Allies have extended their , foothold oil rising ground north of the Sommc, bub here the enemy still has a considerable area of higher country behind him to fall back upon. South of the Sommc, however, _ the Allies (as their advance is indicated at time of writing) have thrown the enemy from high to low ground over a. considerable part of the front south-east of Amiens, and have gained .observation over an .extensive tract of low country behind the German line in this region. They have at a stroke greatly improved their line covering Amiens, and gained a favourable position from which to develop a flank attack from the north upon Hie enemy salient which turns around Montdidicr. _ Possibly such an attack is now being actively developed, or alternatively, the Allies may have settled down, content for the time with their immediate achievement and with having conferred npon the enemy a new defensive problem in addition to the problems upon which he is already engaged. '

Such particulars as arc given of the surprise sprung .upon the enemy and the organisatio'n'of the Allied attack are not less impressive than late events south of the Aisne as indicating how well the Allies* have succeeded in improving and building up their-lighting organisation. It is typical of the .altered state of affairs that in this, battle British and French armies are lighting under the direct command of Sill Dougms H.-ug, who is himself, of course, subject to the supreme authority of the Allied Generalissimo. It is difficult meantime tu form even the most general idea of the policy the Allies are likely to adopt during what.remains of. the. northern summer. Their- policy will, of necessity, be determined by. the operation of a numbsr of factors no one of which can bo accurately measured except by the Higher Command. The most important factor of all. is that of the. reserves available on either ' side. If this were the. only factor that counted, ■ the Allies would almost certainly reduce their present efforts to a minimum, since, as time goes on, they will rapidly develop an immense superiority in reserves. A number of conhowever, may. induce them.-to persevere in the active policy which, has taken' shape in thp battle reported to : day. In the first place such blows are calculated to upset any offensive plans' the enemy may still be attempting to develop. They are calculated also to hinder the transfer of German troops to other theatres. It is another material consideration that even if, as seems all but certain, the Allies are determined to postpone a decisive conflict until next year, they arc not likely to neglect any opportunity of compelling the enemy to retreat from his present front. Every such retirement reduces the area the enemy will.have to come and pro upon when the decisive struggle opens, and ( in such a struggle would certainly rely Ui a..material extent upon gaining time and relief by methodically conducted retreats.