The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1918 IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED.

Taihape Daily Times, 7 August 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1918 IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED.

(With which is tnc.orpm-Rtec? The r a { hapo Post and Walra-aiFm Kewnl.

Foch’s counter-offensive on the Marne exhibits no indications of coming to an end; if some pessimists could have had their way it would have been stopped about a week ago. but, fortunately, neither pessimists, pacificists, nor those who are fainthearted can have any influence with, the great French soldier. Just as pessimists are commencing to prate, “I told you so,” the Allied armies furnish the world with joyful news and strike new fear into the hearts of the enemy, military and political. It is not now a question of whether the Boches can hang to ground between the Marne and the Vesle, but whether they will be able to hold the line of the Aisno; the line to which they were driven in the Marne battle number one, fought nearly four years ago. A few days ago the Americans assaulted an*important position, which, wnen they rushed it, was found to have been evacuated, indicating that a considerable fall back is in progress on the eastern side of .the Marne salient. • For nearly a fortnight the Ger. mans have been making rather a clever retreat; owing to rearguard actions of a most desperate character they have lost heavily in men at most points of attack and where particular pressure has been applied by the Allies, but they have thereby been enabled to get most of their big guns to temporarily safe ground. From the preparation for continuing the battle to beyond the Aisne by x\llied airmen it seems certain that the end is not at hand. Bridges over the Aisne are being vigorously bombed, all lines of communication and all concentrations and movements of large bodies of men and supplies are being harassed almost to desperation. The Allies have immensely superior reserves, and the Germans have found it imperative to send a division or two of men to the Ukraine to save their ambassadors and governors from assassination by the Russians whom they would exploit. There are not wanting signs that some correspondents have overestimated the force the Kaiser has at hand on the Marne to wield, for, despite an occasional slowing of the retreat and pursuit, Allied pressure is inexorable; some fourteen miles have been cleared and the Boches are kept going. It is noticeable that the Allies do not seem to be in any great haste to push the enemy over the Vesle, and this is somewhat explained by the United Press correspondent at Headquarters, who states that the longer the Germans remain south of the Vesle the better it is for the Allies, and, further, every day that passes re. duces the possibility of Rupprecht to attack. Some correspondents are either reporting on faulty information or judgment, or they are deliberately trying to deceive the enemy High Command. Prom the original opening of Poch’s enterprise being from Fontenoy, north-west of Soissons, it became evident that there was great Allied strength in that quarter, yet it was said that the pivot on which the German retreat was swinging was unconquerable. The position now seems to clearly show, that so long as Ger. man railway communications around Soissons were well under domination of Allied guns the Allies were quite

satisfied with, the advance made In that quarter, and that as the Germans were being driven back and Soissons became of importance in' hampering and harassing the retreat; rendering a line on the Vesle out of the question; the town was readily taken, and, in addition, so was the important watershed between the Ourcq and the Aisne. It appears that the whole of the valley of the Crise, which joins the Aisne near Soissons, is entirely in Allied occupation. The fact that the Crise Valley was a nest of German reserves and artillery did not prevent Foch ordering its capture when it became essential to the furtherance of his plans. The capture is deemed to be of incalculable value, as it makes the locality too insecure for the Germans, and renders their flight to the north of the Vesle being made extremely rapid to avoid disaster. The new positions enable the Allies to again attack the flank and rear of the whole Soissons position, on which the safety of retirement depends. Inde'eti, it is difficult to see how vastly important developments can be avoided; if the Germans can throw in colossal forces he may stave off disaster, or, if they can successfully counter-attack, a further short lease of safety may be obtained. Military circles in Britain are hopeful of sensational happenings, but whether anything of a highly sensational character transpires within the next week or not, there are reasons for believing that fruits of a distinct and remarkable character are not far distant. Reports of the Allies being held up have proved to be without foundation; slowing downs, also temporary rebuffs have been experienced, but the retreat of the Germans has not actually stopped from the first sensational attack. The enemy has found it necessary to take great punishment, and sacrifice huge numbers of men in frantic efforts to make time to relieve congestion on the avenues of retreat, but that retreat has I never been actually suspended, even l temporarily, and the latest capture of territory, east of Soissons and along the valley of the Crise must speed up the fleeing battalions, or they must turn and give battle; but as congested armies can rarely r fight successfully flight seems most probable, perhaps certain. All authorities are agreed that the situation has immensely improved in the Marne sectors; that it is now doubtful whether Rupprecht I can attack anywhere on the West front, and that this represents the turning point of this season’s campaign. Hartennes, an important centre south of Soissons, on the Chateau Thierry road, has also been captured, and numbers of burning villages mark the road and the speed of the flying German divisions. As above remarked there are absolutely no indications of j the nearness of the end of this great i battle; as the retreat gets farther north the Allies are strong enough to continue launching attacks on their flanks, getting further and further into the way the retreaters must go to reach safety, and we might here remark, that so long as-Foch keeps the Huns on the run there may he openihgs for "startling developments, and sensational captures. We, in New Zealand, may hope for something of the kind, with the same prospect of gratification as ■well as the people at Home.