WEEKLY WAR SUMMARY.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 October 1918, Page 4

WEEKLY WAR SUMMARY.

GERMANY'S UNBROKEN LINECAN HOLD OUT FOR MONTHSWELLINGTON, Oct 21The weekly summary issued by the Ministry of Information states: The first stage of the German retirement between the Oise and the Argonne was successfully carried out. The enemy is now back to his main rear line of defence. He cannot hold this any length of time, and the latest report shows that the French have established themselves north of the Serre River,, but the success of the first German withdrawal to the present does not justify the hope that the second stage of the withdrawal will be less j successful. The difficulties of the Allies increase with their advance, owing to the necessity for repairing and organising lines of communications. Nevertheless last week's operations in Artois and Flanders' greatly increased the enemy's difficulties.

The, Germans have not shortened, but lengthened their front, and tb/ withdrawal from salients occupied involves a large number of troops converging }at certain points, so that there must be'serious danger of congestion on the railways and at road junctions. The Germans, however, are so good at large scale troop move w ments we mu§t build no' fantastic hopes of a general German breakdown or great hauls of prisoners and • material.

Despite the tremendous transforn.ation of the whole military situation nothing justifies the view that the German armies are faced with imminent disaster and on the point of collapse. Despite a severe defeat and the loss of nearly 300,000 prisoners and 4000 guns the German line is still unbroken, and the German armies are still intact. No general demoralisation bas yet started. The German army numbers more than 200 divisions and if they retire to the line of the Meuse and the Germans determine to continue the struggle there is no reason against their protracting the war many months yet. It is probably not so much the military which causes the enemy anxiety as the imminent defection of all her allies, which would make Germany's position quite desperate.