ENEMY NOW OPPOSED BY EQUAL FORCES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 187, 7 August 1918, Page 5

ENEMY NOW OPPOSED BY EQUAL FORCES.

OPPRESSIVE SHADOW OF DEFEAT HOVERING OVER THEM.

LONDON, August G. The headquarters correspondent of the United Press states:—The Germans are now at bay. They are in full retreat to the Aisne, and they have been creed to abandon positions on the Avre and the Ancre and near Givenchy. Besides the failure of the summer campaign, there is the steady disappearance of their reserves. The Germans are equalled, if not outnumbered, by eager *>rces, weekly increasing by tens of thousands of absolutely fit Americans, liindenburg and Ludendorff are seeking to rearrange the western front and to shorten the line here and there by adopting a defensive attitude behind rivers and other natural barriers. They have one chosen spot, where they will collect all available remnants for one last try for a decision. Meanwhile the oppressive shadow of defeat hovers over their army. Prisoners admit that the spirit of hopelessness is spreading. The following letter from a soldier on the Marne to a friend newly arrived on the front facing the British, from Germany, fairly represents the sentiment among a large part of the enemy: "You will be in the thick of things now. Shirk all you can. We are only fighting for the big-wigs now. In the Marne fighting We did not get far. Our regiment was nearly wiped out. This war is becoming the biggest massacre that ever was. Germany is slowly crumbling to pieces." There are indications that Germany is making desperate efforts to coerce Austria to help her in France, and is soliciting neutral labour, and assistance from Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Russia, with a view to freeing German workmen for military duty. German prisoners frankly say they do not believe „ it possible for Germany to continue the offensive. Allied opinions at the frond, 1 ?! m the direction that the fifth year of the war ought to see the finish — M _ „A. and N.Z. Cable.),