A WEEK OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 278, 13 August 1918, Page 5

A WEEK OF THE WAR

OFFICIAL REVIEW

FOCH'S COUNTER-STROKE ON THE MARNE

THE AMERICAN FACTOR

Tho following official weekly record is forwarded to the Acting-Primo Minister by the Ministry of Information-.— It is not yet beyond the power of tho Germans to make another great attack beforo tho end of tho year, hut their chances of accbmplishing anything decisive aro small, and tho period of acute anxiety may now bo said to liavo ended. This is tho result of tho second balllo of tho Mamc, which was a great success, largely owing to General Fach's leadership. When ho assumed command tho whole situation on tho 'Western front was gravely compromised, and tho British Army' had suffered a reverse. In such circumstances powerful influences always, work in urging the commander lo use reserves in order to restore the situation; but General Foch met tho successive German blows without any attempt to retaliate, and refused to be deflected from his purposo, despito Iho critical situation and undiscerning criticisms. In his couutor-strbho ho displayed equal foresight. .It is truo that the front chosen was tho obvious oho to choose, since tho Germans presented their flank lo their opponent, and a comparatively small advance made their wholo position within tho salient almost untenable; but all depended upon- accurately astimating tho effect o! the attack and on choosing the psychologioal moment. • Foch's Bold Stroke.' On July IS the situation was very critical for tho French. In these circumstances it needed great boldness on tho part of General Foch to disregard tho attack on tho Mame, and to refuse to divert troops to meet it, which would spoil his plan. He used tho whole of his reserves for a counter-stroke which was brilliant'y successful, but if it had been otherwise tho results would liavo been disastrous for the French. The tenacity of the Allied troops contributed largely to these results, which would havo' been impossible without the magnificent resistance of the British Army during March and April, and of tho French Army during May and June. Tho armies were then fighting under conditions entailing a severe strain, against overwhelming superiority in numbers, and without any prospect of relief. Tho third and not the least important factor was tho magnificent response of America to the call. This help was rendered possible only by the assistance of tho British Nav;" and the British merchant service; and when the Americans arrived they displayed magnificent fighting qualities under very disadvantageous circumstances for troops insufficiently trained and unaccustomed to war conditions. • Without the American promptitude nnd tenacity, tie, Allies' success would have been impossible.

Strenuous Week in the Air. • Exceptional severity has marked the air fighting during tne week throughout the British zone of operations in " the West. Much ol' this consisted of reconnaissance and offensive patrols behind the German lines, but bombing operations on the Belgian coast were not less decisive, both as regards the damago dono and the toll of enemy machines destroyed. Fires were started at tho Brugeoise works and at important enemy organisations east of Nieuport, and a big fire at Zeebrugge caused by our bombs was followed by a heavy explosion, In three daylight rnds upon Bruges, Ostend, and Zeebruggo our squadrons were opposed 'by powerful eneijiy formations. Four British machines were reported missing, but fourteen enemy machines were destroyed and seventeen driven down helpless. In Belgium alone seventeen tons of bombs were dropped on military objectives and much damage was done. On the British Western land front the British air fighting .was uniformly, successful. On threo successive days the enemy lost 15, 26, and 11 machines respectively, besides 18 more driven down, and only twelve British machines .were reported missing. In all 17 British niachines failed to return, but 81 enemy machines were destroyed and 36 wcro driven down. _ . , • , The Royal Air Force independent forces also had heavy fighting in tho course of twenty raids into German territory. Large German forces contested our progress during an early morning raid on Saarbrucken, and very severe fighting took place, which resulted in the loss of seven British machines. Nevertheless our squadrons immediately resumed tho attack, and successfully dropped many bombs on the station and factories of Saarbrucken; and this time returned without loss. In ftp rourse of effective raids on Treves and O&enbur. six enemv machines were destroyed ana one was driven down. Two British machines failed to return. Among other objectives bombed were tho stations at Rastadt, Sollingen, Baden, tho Bosch works, Daimler works, railway station at Stuttgart, station and barracks at Hagenau, Coblenz station, Remilly junction, etc. Bad weather severely hampered the operations in tho Mediterranean theatres, but on the Italian and Palestine fronts ten enemy machines wore destroyed and no British machines were reported miesin?. The Allies in Russia. The Allied campaign in Northern Russia has opened successfully with tho occupation of Archangel. The population, released from the Bolshevik reign of terror, greeted the Allies with tho utmost enthusiasm, and the downfall of tho Bolshovik authority vas accomplished practically without resistance. LaTge quantities of rolling stock and stores and two heavy batteries were captured by us at Archangel. Meanwhile, the Bolsheuk Government is doing ail th »t is withm its power io overwhelm the Czechs before outside help reaches them. Tho Bolsheviki are believed to liavo made an agreement with the Gertoane by which tho latter will'make no further advance, so that the Bolsheviki can transfer all their forces io deal with the Czechs on the Volga front. Tho Bolsheviki weio severely defeated in the Caspian region, wd the anti-Bolshevik . movement "s widespread and is progressing in Tur'hostile forces at Archangel are reported to consist of about .000 men while tho German forces north of tho Gulf of Finland number some 50,001).

Germany's "Piave." Tlio situation in Gormaiiy continues to Iks obscure. We may guess that Uio military authorities, bankrupted oi promises to the German pcoplo that a German victory would bo. obtained beioio tho autumn, are now trying to invent tiomo now promises to btimulato tho waning endurance of tho German pcoplo. It is believed that in many towns and narts of the country the people aro labouring under the deepest depression, while the Austrians, on the other hand, are not wholly displeased that Gel many, who mocked at tho Austrian defeat on tho l'iavo, now has a 'liave oi her own In theso circumstances at is significant to note tho rumoured changes of Austrian tone and temper as well as the symptoms among neutral nations?, and; now growing, that assured ultimata victory lies with tho Allies and' nt* with tho Germans. Signs are not winting that Siberia is not the only part of dismembered Russia that will give troublo to tho Germane, who had hoped to assimilato the entire empire unquestioned. Various other of Russia's constituent races aro also increasing in their disgust of the German method. The Ukraine and Lithuania are alike ooming to prc--I'iM' national aspirations lo German tyranny. The Food Outlook. Considerable progress has been • mado in preparing a programme of food requirements under the auspices of an in-tcr-Allied Food Council. This will serve as a basis for tho apportionment of the imports needed by tho populations of tho respective Allied countries. Tho Dominions' representatives can bo present: whenover their interests aro affected. The barest has been hampered by unfavourable weather, and bv tho difficulty of; procuring adequate skilled labour. It is noped that this troublo has bwn

cured by the releasing of several thousand soldiers for agricultural furlouflh. The American promise of plentiful supplies of bacon has been" received with much satisfaction. They will come in particularly useful during the winter and early spring, when a certain shortage of meat is expected owing to the deficiencies' in fodder and tho heavy demands of tho Allied forces.