The Daily News. MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1918. STIRRING NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1918. STIRRING NEWS.

The opening of the fifth year of the war has been signalised by the Allies turning defence into attack, and the various narratives of the two offensives—in the south and in the north—are full of exciting episodes, besides being indicative of the complete success of what the Paris papers describe as "The British Revenge." Marshal Foch has worthily upheld his great reputation as a cool, patient, but daring, strategist. He knew how to wait and when to strike; hence the telling force of the great blows that have recently fallen so heavily on the enemy. The opening move was made on the Mame (the Rheims-Soissons sector), in connection with which area the Allied generalissimo had already I become famous. Here the Allies have regained 1500 square kiloi metres of territory, including two hundred towns and villages, besides shortening the Allied line by thirty-three miles. To defeat German armies flushed with recent successes was a great achievement, butto-drive back the enemy from day to day was still more remarkable, testifying 1 to the Alrlies<kaving more than regained the lies having more than reganied the superiority in numbers and striking power. The rebound caught !the enemy at a moment of comparative exhaustion after his desperate, efforts to deliver a decisive Mow by means-of all the resources ;at his command. This was the 4ime- for which Foch had waited and prepared, the presence of '■large numbers -of Americans giving him the necessary reserves, ■ without which no prudent com-mander-in-chief would venture on attack. The Mame offensive succeeded beyoncLall expectations, whereupon an. even greater,! ?and certainly far more spectacu-' Pac, advance was made from the A.vre,,at Biach.es, to-the neighhorI'hood of Morlancourt. The preparations for this attack appear ■to have been exceptionally complete, and-were launchedrdn a4ruly dramatic manner. The French Canadian, Australian and British divi»ions'were*^sei]^e^efw<fe

during llio night, and when the hour of :!c.tion arrived, went for- ' ward, accompanied by tanks, viiicli I)!ii.s!cd flic- way for the infantry, lahing flu; enemy entirely by sui-hi'isc. .In the confusion that followed in the enemy's ranks Ihe meteoric and destructive "whippets" dashed hither and thither, dealing out death and destruction, and in due time a large fleet of aeroplanes got husily to work on the retreating Germans, besides prcveniins' the bringing np of reserves. No wonder the Allied forces swept on and secured all' their objectives by 3 p.m. Grim and terrible as was this advance, it was not devoid of just those touches of comedy that stand out of the darker settings. The German staff racing for safety, pursued by tanks, and dropping valuables in their flight for life, was certainly not devoid of Gilbertian jhumor, though it testified to the ' amazing rapidity of the Allies forward movement. Montdidier was speedily threatened, and now it has been captured. Speaking in . the House of Commons, Mr. Bonar ! Law, in that calm, matter-of-fact I way which lie usually adopts, without exaggerating the iinport- | ance of the achievement, pointed out that the attack had upset whatever plans the Germans had formed. This is emphasised in one of this morning's cables, which states that Foch's present move has anticipated the possible German drive to the Channel ports. The Generalissimo can now deal other rapid blows, while the prospects of German retaliation are diminishing. On Friday the Allies reached and captured Chaulncs—the crucial road and railway centre—and the fall of Montdidier means that the enemy must withdraw from, this salient. Again it has been possible to employ cavalry with good results, but the tanks, "whippets" and aeroplanes appear to share the honors of the offensive, and here it may be noted that the aircraft have taken on a new duty—keeping the advanced troops supplied with ammunition, and thus enabling them to push forward at the highest speed possible. The success of the Allies | still continues, and the passing of the initiative into their hands places a far different complexion on the aspect of the struggle. The Germans have been drivenbeyond gun-range of Amiens, and their only success has been the recapture of Chipilly. As against this they have lost, over 25,000 men in prisoners, while their casualties must be on a very high scale. We must, however, bear in mind.that as the Germans recover from the shock of the great blows they have received, desperate resistance will be offered, but if the Allies can only keep the enemy on the move, and prevent retirements to strong positions, the Autumn campaign will have a large influence on the result of the war. Mr. Lloyd George, as the watchman on the tower, is full of confidence, and this buoyant feeling is reflected on the British, Ameii can and Australian Stock Exchanges, than which no more sensitive barometers are known. Marshal Foeh is the hero of the hour and he has thoroughly justified his appointment as Allied generalissimo. The latest news from the tront indicates that both the great offensives have made good, while the minor move in the Lys valley has been productive of 'equally satisfactory results. Whatever may be the enemy's plans in face of these offensives, he will be sevcrly handieappd by the great loss oi men, and a declining morale while, so long as the feather permits, we may expect the Allies to follow ..up their [present advantages giving the enemy no respite. Developments will be watched with the keenest interest, for at no period of the war has the news been so good, or the prospect so iavorable for the Allies