THE WEEKLY SUMMARY.

Taihape Daily Times, 14 August 1918, Page 6

THE WEEKLY SUMMARY.

FOCH’S BRILLIANT STROKE. grave risk, but worth it. WELLINGTON, August 12. The following official summary of the war news has been received by the Acting-Premier from the Ministry of Information; — LONDON, August 10. It is not beyond the powder of the Germans to make another great attack before the end of the year, but their chances of accomplishing anything decisive are small, and the period of acute anxiety may now T be said to have ended. This is the result of the second battle of the Marne, which was a great success, largely owing to General Foch’s leadership. When he assumed command the whole situation on the Western front wias gravely compromised, and the British army had suffered a reverse . In such circumstances powerful influences are always at work in urging the commander to use reserves in order to restore the situation, but General Foch met successive German blows without any attempt to retaliate, and refused to be deflected from his purpose, despite the criticial and undiscerning criticisms. In his counter-stroke he dlsplayel equal foresight. It is true that the front chosen wasthe obvious one to choose, since the Germans presented their flank to their opponent, and the comparatively small advance made their whole position within the salient almost untenable, hut all depended upon accurately estimating the effect of the attack and on choosing the psychological mo-t meat. On the 18th July the situation was very critical for the French. In these circumstances it needed great boldness on the part of General Poch to disregard the attack on the Marne irontj and to refuse to divert troops to meet it, which would spoil his plan. He used the whole of his reserves for a counter-stroke which was brilliantly successful, but if it had been otherwise the results would have been disastrous for the French. The tenacity of the Allied troops contributed largely to these results, which would have been impossible without the magnificent resistance of the British army during March and 'April, and of the French army during May and June, The armies were then fighting under conditions entailing severe strain, against overwhelming superiority in numbers without any prospect of relief. The third and not the least important factor was the magnificent response of America to the call. , This help was rendered possible only by the assistance of the British Navy and the British Merchant Service, and when the Americans arrived they displayed magnificent fighting qualities under very disadvantageous circumstances, for the troops were unaccustomed to war conditions. Without American promptitude and tenacity, the Allies’ success would have been

impossible. The Allied campaign in Northern Russia has opened successfully with the occupation of Archangel. The population, released from the Bolsheik rei 'gn of terror, greeted the Allies with the utmost enthusiasm, and the downfall of Bolshevik authority was accomplished practically without lesistance. Large quantities of roll-ing-stock and stores, and two heavy .hatteries, were captured by us at Archangel. Meanwhile, the Bolshevik Government is doing all possible within its power to overwhelm the Czechs before outside help reaches them. The Bolsheviks are believed to have made an agreement with the Germans by which the latter may no further advance, so that the Bolsheviks can transfer all their forces to deal with the Czechs on the Volga front. The Bolsheviks were severely defeated in the Caspian region, and the anti-Bol-shevik movement is widespread and .progressing in Turkestan. The hostile forces at Archangel are reported to consist of about eight thousand men, while the German forces north of the Gulf of Finland number some fifty thousand.

The situation in Germany continues obscure. We. may guess that the military authorities, bankrupted of promises to the German peeple that a German victory would be obtained before the autumn, are now trying to invent some new promises to stimulate the waning endurance of the German people. It is believed that in many towns and parts of the country the people aro labouring under the deepest depression, while the Austrians, on the other- hand, are not wholly displeased that Germany, who moclced the Austraian defeat on the Piave, now has a Piave of her owni In these circumstances, it is significant to note o rumoured changes of the Austrian one and temper, as well as the symaiow- 13 amons tlle ncu tral nations (and SLW ttat “ taltl- ~ “ - *** -

is not tho tl!afc Sit3 eria Kussia that Germans fcIVC liolJole to the Sj Wh ohad toped to assimilate

the entire unquestioned, but the various composing races arc also increasing in disgust of German methods. Ukraine and Lithuania are alike coming to prefer national aspirations to German tyranny. Considerable progress has been made in preparing a programme of food requirements, under the auspices of the Inter-Allied Food Council. This will serve as a basis for the appointment of imports needed by the population of the respective Allied countries. The Dominion’s representatives can be present whenever their interests are affected.

The harvest has been hampered by unfavourable weather and the difficulty in procuring adequate skilled labour It is hoped that this trouble has been cured by releasing several thousand soldiers for agricultural furlough. An ximerican promise of plentiful supplies of bacon has been received with much, satisfaction. They will come in particularly useful during the winter and early spring, when a certain shortage of meat is expected, owing to the deficiencies in fodder and the heavy demands of the Allied Forces.

Exceptional severity has marked the week’s air fighting throughout the British zone, and operations in the West. Much of this was reconnaissance

and offensive patrols behind the Ger-

man lines, but bombing operations on the Belgian coast were not less decisive, both as regards the damage done and the toll of enemy machines destroyed. Fires were started at Drugcoise works, and important enemy organisations east of Nieuport -were bombed. A big fire at Zeebrugge, caused by our bombs, was followed by a heavy explosion. In three daylight raids upon Bruges, Ostend, and Zeebrugge, our squadrons were opposed by powerful enemy formations. Four British machines are reported missing, but fourteen of the enemy machines were destroyed* and 17 driven down helpless. I n Belgium alone 17 tons of bombs were dropped on military objectives, and much damage was done. On the British Western front, B’ritish air fighting was uniformly successful. ’ On three successive days the enemy lost 15, 26, and 11 machines respectively, besides IS more driven down, and only 12 British machines were reported missing. In all, 17 British machines failed to return, but 21 enemy were destroyed, and 36 driven down.

The Eoyal Air Force independent forces also had heavy fighting, in the course of twenty raids into German territory. . Laf*e Goman forces contested our progress during an early morning raid on Saarbrucken, and very severe fighting took place, which resulted in the loss of seven British machines; Nevertheless, our squadrons immediately resumed the attack, and successfully dropped many bombs on the station and factories of Saarbrueken, and this time returned without loss. In the course of effective raids on Treves and Offcnburg, six enemy machines were destroyed and one driven down. Two British failed to return. Among other objectives bombed were the stations at Eastattsollingcn, Baden, Bosche Works, Daimler works, railway station at Stuttgart, station and barracks at Hagcnau, Coblenz station, railway junction, etc. Bad weather much hampered the operations in the Mediterranean theatre, but on the Italian and Palestine fronts ten enemy machines were destroyed. No B'ritish machines are reported missing. ■