The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE FRIDAY, APRIL, 12, 1918. GERMANY'S SECOND VICTORY THRUST.

Taihape Daily Times, 12 April 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

FRIDAY, APRIL, 1 2 , 1918 . GERMANY'S SECOND VICTORY THRUST.

(.With which is incorporated The F.«,ihapo P«« »” d Newß) '

Germany’s second great onslaught on the West front, predicted by Mr Lloyd George and by various war correspondents, has commenced, but unlike the initial effort to break through there was no British fifth army to emulate the Russians and Italians by at once running away and giving the Huns a clear course. The second battle for victory did not start so auspiciously for Hindenburg; his first powerful butts got into British lines and also into the lines of the brave Portuguese, but at the end of the day they had gained very little. A huge number of new troops were thrown into this effort by Hindenburg which in their first momentum were able to reach Lavantie, and two or three other small villages. Aftdr considerable fighting the Bavarian picked troops were ousted from Lavantie, leaving the gains for the first day of the new shock very small indeed. It will be noticed that the German command has again chosen to attack where British troops junction with those of another of the Allies the Portuguese. One correspondent suggests that it is Hindenburg’s intention to flank the British northern position; the success of such a coup is too terrible to think of, and it is not thinkable that the B'ritish have not made the success of such a move impossible. It is perhaps most likely that the objective is Boulogne on tho sea, which is fifty miles distant from tho present lines. From La Bassee to tho North Sea is a danger zone of such an extreme character that Britain cannot have omitted to render it invulnerable. Much of Allied success appears to result from the ambition of their enemies. The programme Hindenburg commenced upon is of so very ambitious a character that had it been less so.- and Hindenburg had aimed at something considerably less such a success would, in utmost probability, been achieved that the British army would have suffered a severely crippling defeat. Hindenburg and the Kaiser could not resist, the Paris bait;, both had made their arrangements to spend All Fool’s Day in the world’s Mecca of society, and armies were concentrated to attain their heart’s desire. Tho German armies were indeed a world’s record for magnitude, but they were not equal to German ambitions and they failed. Now they are taking a very much less ambitious bite at the British line, and it remains to be seen whether their teeth will meet so that they can take a piece out. There is little doubt that Hindenburg thought that if his superman scheme on Paris, Amiens and the sea failed he would have made the British deplete their lines farther north to such an extent that weakened defence would enable him to get through but lust and ambition -will again prove the block on which his hopes will be shattered. He has failed at Havre; he is trying for Boulogne, and when that is checked, he will probably make his third attempt against Calais, There seems no shadow of doubt about German plans providing for a rush through to the sea, and there is equally the overshadowing fact that it is Germany’s final effort. Failure to reach the objective is failure to win the war; German statesmen and German newspapers leave us in no doubt about that. All {he force Germany, can concentrate has been thrown into this effort because last year’s harvest will have been eaten before summer months arrive. Before spring is through Germany will again be at starvation point, therefore tho need for haste, the need for the utmost possible concentrations to break down B'ritish defence. Allied defence must be shattered quickly or it cannot be shattered at all. The great decisive battle, or series of battles, has com-' meneed and Germany knows there must be no looking back till decision is reached. It now seems certain that the fighting that is to decide the destiny of the world is now raging, and the utmost in life-destroying machinery is ruthlessly being used. German newspapers have admitted that their casual ties -are Create*- (than at a|ny other period of the war. Dr. Helffer-* ich says that Germany Is now in the struggle for its life; all prisoners tell their captors that it is a fight to a finish, that Germany dare not stop, German newspapers frankly state that if the war is not a victory for Germany her future is in darkness. Britain has realised that the end is near, very near, and its Prime Minister has utmost confidence in Britain’s soldiers to achieve the result that Britain and the whole world outside the Central Powers wants. It was a terrible coincidence that Germany should make the most forceful attack against a

section of tke British line that put up little or no defence. The tiliiul'C of fifth army was disaster, but a greater disaster was averted by tiro bravery of better led troops. In the second thrust, now in progress, the British rapidly recovered from the first shock and have retaken captured ground, progressed at other points and have taken many prisoners. In Britain and France thercKis confidence that the Allies will stand all the blows that the huge German machine can administer until its great might is broken and the acute situation has passed.