The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1918. CRISIS OF THE BATTLE

Taihape Daily Times, 30 March 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1918. CRISIS OF THE BATTLE

<\Vith which is incorporated The Tailuipo Post and Waii*j.«.rui*i News).

Special cables which came to this journal yesterday are most reasuring, because they clearly indicate that the Allies have very considerable forces in reserve which they are now beginning to use to stop the progress of the Kaiser’s monster war machine. In addition the British have enough on hand to render a counter-battle possible and to commence playing the Huns at their own game. 'A counteroffensive has been successfully launched which has resulted in the capture of many German prisoners and many machine guns. About midday on Friday a cable arrived stating that the Germans were concentrating their strength to the southward of Roye and Noyon; that they were driving to the westward on the road to Montdidier; that the French opposing them had retired to the heights in their rear, which they were holding fast; but a cable coming last night put another aspect on this concentration. It briefly stated that the French had counter-attacked and had driven the Germans back three miles. From this it appears that both British and French reserves are now available, and also that Hindenburg’s intentions are going to meet with serious resistance. The fact that the French were able to stop an army of massed Germans in the full momentum of its onslaught, make it face about and run three miles, is ample evidence that German reserves are so depleted that Hindenburg is no longer able to continue an offensive on such a front as he set out to get through upon. It is also firstclass evidence for the defence that Hindenburg’s plarik -r*'e nothing more than a scrap of paper. He was much too ambitious, as Sir j Douglas Haig has enabled us to realise. His idea was nothing, less than to destroy the whole British army in France. It was a stake well worth playing for had there been in the gamble the essential sporting chance. When the British Commander reported that the next German objective was Amiens, and that a rush had been made on Montdidier, it was as clear as ; daylight that the bombardment of Paris was nothing more than a feint; that Hindenburg had-set out to drive right through to the coast, separating the French and British armies. Had Amiens been captured according to what was Hindenburg’s timetable time, or even a day or two late, he would have had the British army surrounded on three sides in the northern corner of France, with the sea on the other side. Amiens is halfway between St Quentin and the British Channel, but there is now no need to contemplate what would have happened if Hindenburg could have reached the halfway house on timetable time, and what he put down as the price he would have to pay. He failed in both; he has thrown in the last division; he has lost from thirty to fifty per cent of all the divisions engaged; his armies are tired, his communications more difficult, and the French and British are telling him in a way he cannot deny that the attritive retreat is ended, and that his worn-out men must stand up to counter-attacks, and even counter-offensives. The Kaiser could not delay his jubilation campaign fearing the occasion would be lost; he had to instruct his newspapers to prepare the German people for failure; he deemed it safer and more politic to order the and, while it was in progress, to caution the people about being too sanguine, for that was just what happened. When the joybells got well going out came the newspapers telling the people that the fight was not over —that in Britain they had a powerful, clever and brave foe that would require all Germany’s eforts to subdue. Nothing had been accomplished according to plans, neither had drives reached their objectives by the time fixed; one failure contributed to other failures until Hindenburg fully realised that he had disastrously underestimated the force that would be requisite for the success of his ambitious projects—nothing less than to destroy British armies. German newspapers have advised their readers that the time of enemy counter-attacks has arrived. They had suffered 300,000 casualties in their supreme, final effort for victory, now the German people must understand that a similar number may result from, the rebound of their blow. Casualties arc moving back into Germany in one Jong stream of railway trains from Prance, and as they continue to arrive we may" well imagine what the mass mind or Germany is undergoing, and what the

ultimate result will be. Newspapers have prepared tfie people for loss but not for such colossal casualties that will now be arriving. The end of the struggle is not yet, Hindenburg will, without doubt go on skinning every, possible locality to keep the battle going, hoping to wear down the British. He will, however, have received an awakening shock by the British counter-offensive and by his glorious troops being driven back three miles by brave Frenchmen. On Thursday the British Commander told us that the crisis of the war had been reached, and, it is pointed out, his message was dated over a week ago. The Germans are trying to destroy the British armies, and were concentrating every division to attain their object. After reading official reports received yesterday. are we still of opinion that Germany can effect her purpose? We think not. British and French reserves are entering the battle; they have given the Germans their first serious right-about-face, while the British have already started a new battle which has resulted in the capture of many prisoners and many machine guns. Feelings of utmost confidence prevail in all the 'Allied countries, and correspondents affirm that in France there is optimism. The British Commander cabled to President Wilson saying he would fight on till the freedom of mankind was assured beyond doubt. By concentrating all available strength on one point Germany may yet make local advances, but with an Allied army of which not one-third ha? yet been in action such efforts are sure to be of short duration. The time for counterattacks has arrived, and there is now ample evidence to reassure ns respecting the whole colossal effort.