A Calculation of Time.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 13 March 1917, Page 3

A Calculation of Time.

HOW GERMAN PLANS WERE UPSET. A military critic*, reviewing the events 011 the various fronts during the past year, writes:—"The. outstanding fact, of 1916 is that Germany, after having vainly sought in '1915 a decision (in the Hussion front, where the immensity Ibf the terirajiin palralyfeed her effort, sought that decision on the French front at the beginning of 1918. The moment was well chosen. It was necessary to beat the French Army before the British Army had developed its full power. The Germans thought that the conditions gave them an opportunity to crush us separately. From the 21st February until the month of July they multiplied their efforts befforei Verdun, exhausting themselves in order to exhaust us. At the same time Austria struggled in vain to overthrow Italy. These operations rested entirely on a calculation of time, and it was necessary that they should be finished before the Russians had reconstituted themselves, and the English were ready for attack. The German calculation turned out to be ■ wrong. On the 4tl> of June the Russians, reconstituted-, attacked south of Fripet, capturing, wounding, and killing in a few weeks 600,000 men. On the Ist July the Franco-British forces attacked so energetically on the Somme that on the Ist of November the enemy was obliged' to engage against them the equivalent of 118 divisions. These forces could not prevent the Francos-British troops from capturing 50 villages and taking 105,000 prisoners, 150 heavy guns, 200 field guns, and 1500' machine guns."

M. Capus, writing in the Figaro, says "In the year which is commencing must be accumulated tlie supreme elements of victory. We have every oil a nee of achieving this ion conclit ion that we do not waste time or strength. We shall not require to make efforts greater than those "accomplished already. To gain our end In a few months all that is required is energy, constancy, .ancl ! method.'— Wireless Presß.