THE GREAT OFFENSIVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1916, Page 3

THE GREAT OFFENSIVE.

BRITAIN'S PART IN IT. (By Lieut.-Colonel A. A. Grace in Auckland Herald). Now that (he offensive has been assumed by the British armies in France it becomes possible to estimate with some exactness the part which those armies are playing in the vast plan of campaign iiropounded by the General Staff of the Great Alliance. .In the first place, it may be noted (fiat the remarkable concentration of German troops, some threequarters of a million in number, made recently opposite the British battle-front, was not made for the purpose of aggression, as some supposed it might lie but for defence. Thus we see that the'first effect of the presence of large British armies in France was to render nugatory immense German forces which otherwise might have been employed at Verdun or against the Russians' in the Eastern sphere. Very probably some of (he (ierdrawn to Belgium and Northern France have been ordered east, but there is plenty of evidence to show that the German armies which face (he I!riiish number upwards of 00(1,0(10 Iroops. without including any German reserves which may be stationed in Belgium. As regards the size of the British armies in France, though their exact numbers are known only tn the proper minorities, there is nothing to prevent fliem from numbering two million troops at (he present time, and it is possible to double that number by transporting from England large armies of reserve's wilhout denuding the British Tslcs or the garrison necessary for their proper protection. It is, therefore, quite clear 'hat this general offensive of the British ■irmios under the 'command of Sir Dnngifis Haig may he pressed with nnabited fury until such time as (he German resistance is broken or until the Germans ' ccupying Belgium and Northern France retreat of their own initiative because *''" defeat of their armies in other spherec

POSSIBLE POINT OF ATTACK. If a map of the western battle-front is ■vaniincil it will be seen tliat brtweei 'lie most western nart of tbe German line, whieli i R in Northern France and Western Belgium, and tlie most eastern rart, wliieli is in Alsace, there is a variation of over live degrees of longitude, and that the Germans facing tlw? British an more than 200 miles further west than ■ire the Germans facing the French in Alsace. This means (hat to attack the German armies in Belgium and 'Xothmi France, with a view to dealing with them in a summary fashion, leaves the way open for them to retreat along their lines of communication for sonic 200 miles be. fore they are in German territory and in alignment with the armies of the extreme left flank of their battleline in Alsace. However, if a decisive blow is dealt at. the German western battle-front, at a point, let us say, in Lorraine, then not only would such an action break the Germans at that point, but it would almost certainly cause the Germans who are opposing the British in Northern Franco and West Belgium to retreat, hee.'Mise of the insecurity of their lines of communication. It is therefore quite possible that the general offensive of the British armies will have two or three important results, even if it does not end in the actual disruption of the German battle-front in Belgium and Northern France; it will prevent the Germans from sending troops from those areas to stem (lie Russians' advance from the east, it will pin the Germans in Belgium and Northern France to Ihe generally advanced positisii which they hold, and by doing so it will enable the French armies to attempt a decisive stroke at a point' further south and east, a stroke which, if successful, would rank in importance with the Russian advance into Galicia. VERDUN AND AFTER. The prolonged and prodiga l offensive of the Germans at Verdun, begun apparently with the object of breaking the French armies and of eliminating France from the contest, served equally the purpose of preventing the French from making a powerful aggressive movement in Lorlaine or elsewhere against some point of the German battle-front where the geographical and strategical conditions would have enhanced the mportance of victory. The French armies have certainly not. been broken, and it seems possible for the Gorman aggressive at Vedun to be countered by means o! a blow which may be aimed at the most vulnerable part of the German line. Where that spot may be is known only to those member-' of the Allies' General f!:".:T acquainted with ill the facts of the ease. It. may be in Alsace, in Lorraine, in ihe Champagne, lat. wherever it '<■-„ -i would seem that, with the evident decline of the German effort against Verdun lid the arresting and almost paralysing effect of the British, Belgian, and French offensive along some hundred miles of frontage in Northern France and Belgium, it is perfectly possible for such a blow to he struck against the Germans at that weakest spot in such a way as to affect the campaign in a most material degree. THE OFFENSIVE AT LAST. In whatever light these problems may be considered, one fact which there can be no dispute stands prominently forward. The Allies of the West have taken the offensive. After one year and eight months' strenuous preparations the French and British armies have assumed the aggressive, and have assumed it with

the definite object of ejecting the Ger. mans from Belgian and French territory, of breaking the German battle-front, or invading Germany, and of compelling the Germans to submit to such terms as shall establish a lasting peace. Simultaneously the Italians in the south and the Kuasians in the east are manfully and successfully striving to elfeet similar results. Jn fact, at last the general offensive of the (heal Alliance has begun; at last (lie Hermans are being pressed on all sides wilh a fury and force equal to those winch they displayed when they themselves possessed the power to assume the aggressive simultaneously in the west and in the east. To-day the vast armies of the Allies, outnumbering their emenies on every battle-front, no longer fear the strength of the Herman and his most vindictive designs of conquest, but, lookup beyond the far-flung battle lines, they fix their eyes on the distant horizon and press forward in the direction of (iermany, with the dauntless intention of dictating, on German soil, to the arrogant Kaiser and his cruel and misguided people the line of conduct which shall govern their policy in the future, GERMANS ASSAILED OX ALL SIDES. It is as well to look at-th c situation from the Teuton's point of view. They are assailed on all sides Their defence has broken down in Galieia. Their enemies, thirsting to avenge the myriad crimes committed in Belgium, France, Poland, and the Baltic provinces of Russia, are striking with terrific force at every frontier. Between the Teutons and a just but terrible vengeance stand only their depleted and partially-defeat-id armies. Jiot. but one of those armies lose its formation and break into pieces which cannot be reunited, and the aveiig ins millions of the Great Alliance will press on to Teuton soil. Then the tribulations of the Germans will begin, and those who rejoiced in the sufferings of i innocent women and children of Belgium, j of France, of every eountrv where the accursed Teuton soldier has trodi-n, will sull'er the retribution which they de- I serve, >