THE GERMAN RETREAT.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 August 1918, Page 2

THE GERMAN RETREAT.

; o DIFFICULTIES OF POSITION. FEATURES 0 FTHE PURSUIT. LONDON, August 7. French experts emphasise the badness of the German position on the Plateau, with the Vesle in front of them and the Aisne behind them. The enemy is exposed to French fire at all points, and is often enfiladed, while | nil the four crossings of the Aisne be- | fwcen Fismes and Rheims, namely, Yillers, MaLzy, Pontavert, and Berry j :u Bac, are under fire from, French ! 'iins and aeroplanes. The opinion is expressed that the enemy is preparing |an offensive in order to relieve the I .'.Hied pressure. The correspondent of the Times at American headquarters telegraphed last night:—The enemy, desperately needing more time to evacuate his supplies, has fortified several positions north of the Vesle near Fismes. Two . divisions are resisting, including a : strong one from Rupprecht's reserves, I but the Americans continue to advance. They waded the Vesle at. two points under heavy fire, their artillery

making a vigorous reply. Eeutcr's correspondent at American headquarters telegraphed on Tuesday: General iMangin's patrols are busy reconnoitring near. the Aisne. The enemy 's intentions regarding the ridge between the Vesle and tie Aisne can only be conjectured. The position is strongly protected on the eastern flank and if it was carried from the west we would bo uncomfortable under the fire of German guns across the Aisne. A certain delay, therefore, is possible even though the enemy possibly v does not intend to makG a final stand here.

Mr. James Campbell, correspondent of the- Times, quoting from, captured official documents, states that the Germans used up the 1919 class to compensate for their losses prior to May 27. Men from hospitals have since ; extensively been re-employed. Beinforcements from Eussia have ceased to arrive. The normal size of companies is reduced to 65, and even 40 are common, while there are some of 35. There is no doubt that the enemy's losses have placed him in a bad plight. The retreat to the Aisne was due to a real shortage of effectives. The Crown Prince was absolutely compelled to gain time to reconstruct his divisions. The imilitary expert of the Times states that the enemy's offensive spirit is slowly breaking down in the west but" there are no signs that he has lest faith in his defensive power. If the western offensives are abandoned th ? enemy will probably attack somewhere in the cast. He has four alternatives. The first is to attack in Italy, which j strategically belongs to the east front. freeing Austrians to serve in France, or in Eussia. j The second is for Germany to use ' second-rate troops in Eussia to crush j the Nationalist movement, anticipating an allied push from Siberia. The j third is to employ the Turks to over- ' run Persia and create unrest on a the | Indian frontier. The fourth is to at- j Jtack la farce in ; .Pn>estine, in tt:*s j hope of reaching Egypt. j

The Allies ought immediately to save Baku, get command, of the Southern Caspian, and assist General Marshall in Mesopotamia to establish communication with Russia through Hamadan, and so cut off the dangre to India.