TEN YEARS AGO

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1928, Page 2

TEN YEARS AGO

CLOSING SCENTS OF TJIE WAR

On November 0. 1918. the British Ist, 3rd, and Ith Annies under Haig made a iurtlier advance towards Momin the battle of the Samhre, the last great encounter of the war. Mods was the goal at which the British armies aimed; they meant to march hack into that ancient city—where for them the war had begun—before anj armistice was signed.

Many in the British ranks were frankly incredulous as to the German anxiety for peace and were afraid that the German Staff only wanted to dupe the Allied statesmen. All felt Hint the war was won hut feared that it might- he lost by the statesmen.

About the village of Angrc, which had been reached the previous day, there was a prolonged conflict. Twice the place was stormed by London troops of the sGth Division. Twice the Germans counter-attacked .and re covered it. But late that evening the London men came on once more and wrested it finally from German hands.

jn the pouring rain, the 3rd Army troops made small gains of ground about the centre of the British I rout, pushing up to the little River Hognau. The 4th Army captured Dompierre and Marlmix and prepared to move in from the north-west on Avesnes. where were immense German depots and masses of railway transport. As the British advanced so did the French and American armies. French troops recovered Rethcl, which for years had been in German hands. The American advance was now vigorously pushed, and it reached the soullum'*. outskirts of Sedan, on tin* great dmilde-track railway which ran from east to west behind the German front and was of supreme importance for manoeuvring.

At last the huge force which Foe!) bad collected for a final advance on Metz, to cut the German armies off from Germany, was ready to begin operations. It was to move on the 14th, and there was nothing in its front capable of stopping it. Thus in every direction the German front was collapsing. Late that night Hindenhurg ordered a wireless message to he sent to Foeh, stating that representatives with plenipotentiary power had been appointed by the German Government to receive from him the armistice terms.

Hindenhurg asked that, they mightat once he notified as to t]ie place where they could meet Foeh. The telegram was not received by Foeh till very early on the 7th. The envoys finally appointed by the German Government were General AY inzerfcldt and Captain Vnnsclow, representing the army and navy respectively and Herr Krzberger and Count Oborndorff, who formed the civilian element.

It lias boon assorted in Germany since the peace that the armistice conditions were greatly aggravated as the result of the revolutionary movements which broke out. The statement is not true. The terms were fixed on November 4, at which date little or nothing definite was known at the Allied capitals of the German outbreaks. The terms were not varied or rendered severer.

Another myth which has found wide currency is that President Wilson interfered, with the intention of letting the German army down gently. That, too, is (piite contrary to the evidence. Wilson at first was anxious for a complete surrender in the field, and, when lie learnt of the attitude of Foch and Haig, desired an armistice which would render any renewal of the war impossibo.

The responsibility for the terms was Foch’s, and Foch was anxious to end the bloodshed as swiftly as possible. Perhaps he did not altogether realise bow eompletey beaten the German army was at this moment. But Haig shared bis views, Impressed by the heavy British losses in the great olfensive.

I]FH GRIP ON GERMANY. That the Germans were incapable of prolonged resistance is now certain, and added to the desperate military position of their armies were the influenza epidemic, which was raging with terrible violence, and the rapid spread of the revolutionary movement. All North-Western and Central Germany was in the bands of the Beds; they even held Cologne, add Lhrs bad cut the communications of the German armies at the front. 'l’lie Bolshevik envoy. -loffe, openly boasted of supplying the German re-

volutionaries with £]•“,(!'K). iust as the German Staff and LudendnrfF bad in 1917 supplied Lenin with cash to wreck Russia.

Berlin was in a state of uproar and a Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council endeavoured to seize power there. The demonstrations which it organised were, however, prohibited, and an attempt was made to suppress it.