Progress of the War.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16227, 1 June 1918, Page 8

Progress of the War.

A fairly oomprehcnsive review of the Aisne battle is given in the various messages to-day, and it is now possible to draw the lino which represents the battle front more precisoly than was possible from tho earlier reports. Though thd Germans have taken Soissons they have been unable to debouch from the town, although their assaults have continued with great violence, and the Allied line at this point appears to pivot on the southern outskirts of the town. From this point the front runs south-east through Villemontoire, Fere-en-Tardenois, and Coulognes; thence it runs through Brouillet to the outskirts of St. Thierry and Betheny, scarcely four miles to the north of Rheims. So far Rheims appears to be safe, but its security depends upon the results of tho fighting in the centre of the new battle front, and any further advance on this sector will make the town untenable, and a substantial re-adjustment of tho French line to the east of the city will be necessary. Tho most satisfactory feature of tho news to-day is the announcement that th© reserves are arriving in greater numbers and are now supporting the divisions which have so far held the Allied line intact by their magnificent defence. The country over which the Germans are advancing fortunately affords natural defensive facilities, and with the arrival of Foch's reserves the tide of invasion may b© definitely chocked before the enemy can carry his lines far enough south to endanger the situation in France generally or Paris in particular. On the northern front only local activities prevail, and no evonts of importance are recorded by the official reports to-day. An Austrian communique states that battles on tho Italian front oontinue, though no details are given as to the actual movements in this theatre.