HAMMERING THE GERMANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16982, 16 October 1918, Page 8

HAMMERING THE GERMANS.

•< . . ENEMY POSITION CRITICAL.

RESERVES,NEARLY DEPLETED

[BY TELEGRAPH.— press association.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

The Ministry of Information, dealing with, the general war situation, states:' It is impossible to keep pace with the good news which is arriving almost hourly. The moot import-ant event during the _ week ending October 12 was the British triumph on Tuesday, which forced the enemy to make' a retirement, probably extending over the 'wholo front from St. Quentin to the Argonne. This means the rupturing of the last line of the Hindenburg system, which was tho main pivot of the enemy s entile defence Between the Mouse and the sea. The enemy's situation is now dangerous. His troops are much exhausted, and his reserves are practically all used up, so that it is no longer possible for him to make good the loss in either men or material. A general retirement in such circumstances might bring about most important developmente. During the last two months the work of the British has been most remarkable, both in generalship and fighting morale. More than 80 German divisions were engaged and defeated by the British armies. The enemy was perpetually surprised by the successive blows at different parts of the line which battered him from one position after another, and finally dealt a blow from which it will be difficult for him to recover.

German) - «;-o- i. of troops from Finland, and all danger to the Murman railway and coast is now re. moved. The peril of the Czechoslovak troops still remains most serious, but they have not yet retired. It is hoped that the new All-Russian Government will reconcile all tho political factions, but suocess depends upon the Czechs retaining their hold on European Russia. _ The Germans have greatly reduced their various garrisons, and Poland and the Poles are now showing such open opposition to the Central Powers that they are now a real peril to Germany, whose forces are inadequate to defend the eastern frontier. The enemy's situation is also worse in the Ukraine, owing to the present guerilla warfare. The defectioft of Bulgaria and the reverses in the west have greatly weakened tho German hold on Russia, and will imperil lfer control of the Black Sea. Though Germany is firmly established in tho Crimea, with Sebastapol for a naval base, the hostility of the population makes communication insecure. Recent developments have also caused the enemy to withdraw on the Tabriz-Kasvin road, and communications between Bagdad and the Caspian are not now in danger, owing to the large withdrawal of Turkish groups from tho Caucasus to Constantinople.

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