The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1918. THE ALLIED ACHIEVEMENT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 257, 18 July 1918, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1918. THE ALLIED ACHIEVEMENT

Some questions arc open in regard to tho lines on which the Germans planned and hoped to' develop their latest offensive in the Western theatre, but it is not in doubt that ' . they have suffered a staggering de- . feat. It may be true, as some com- ; mentators observe, tnat the enemy : has the option of following up his present blow or selecting a new ; of attack, but thunks to the 1 magnificent resistance of the French and American troops on the Manic and between that river and the Argonno his general prospects are most certainly darkened, and those of the Allies correspondingly brightened. Whatever details may be in doubt it is clearly established that the enemy has fared disastrously in one of die most ambitious attacks he over attempted, and this although he is paying a price in lives which nothing but an overwhelming victory would justify. As information stands the Germans employed greater forces in this battle than in any o£ the preceding battles of the offensivo except their first and greatest effort in March, and attacked with the ruthless disregard ot sacrifico which is the central feature of their military system. Yet they have nothing more to show for their outlay than a gain of ground which in tho circumstances _ may fairly be described as insignificant. They forced tho passage of the Marne on a comparatively short front, but it is evident from the details supplieu in the news and from features a]* parent on the map that along part of the river line the Allies found better defensive positions a short distance to the south than the rivor » itself could afford. In places where the ground of the river bank reasonably favoured the dofence the enemy was either foiled in his attempts to cross or driven back to the northern bank by spirited counterattacks. The rest of the German achievement was to bend back the i- French lino between the Marne and it Reims in an advance which, d as reports stand, nowhere ex--11 ceccls four miles. East of Eeims the French defences were in placcs jj slightly penetrated, but in esseny tials the enemy's attacks in this sec- >• tor completely failed. The events [{ of the battle as far as it has gono 0 must be considered with refcrencc to the fact that except, in limited sectors tho Allies have adopted throughout the Western theatre a system of defence in depth—a system under which advanced areas are held only in order to check the initial impetus of the enemy's attack and derange his battle plans. 1 In this battle the Germans have nowhere even closely approached any important tactical advantage. Tho ground in tho battle zone is carpeted with their dead, but even where they succeeded in breaking j;. into the Allied line, their achicvce ment sums up as little more than a 1- conquest of outworks. •o A number of circumstances combine to heighten the significance of | the enemy's defeat. It is particularly noteworthy that he completely ie failed on this occasion to accom•e plish the surprise which contributd ed so heavily to his success in 10 earlier battles of the campaign. ™ The fine achievement of tho Allied ( j. armies was made possible in the ■ s first instance by the skill with n which the enemy's plans and prei« parations wero penetrated and coun- '• tcrcd. No better proof conld be dej" sired that tho Allied organisation n is hardening and becoming more t. efficient in the stress of decisive conit llict. The enemy, no doubt, will atv tempt new surprises, but it is now at least riuestionablc whether lie. has /' not definitely lost the wide freedom of action by which he profited so )r greatly in the opening months of Ibis year's campaign. Another most encouraging feature of the battle is the fine performance of the Amcri3. can troops. Tlicy were subjected in r ? this battle to the severest test of war they luve yet experienced, and g under this test, they have notably 10 enhanced the reputation they had :« already established. Damaging as $ it is, the enemy's defeat does not a . yet preclude the possibility of even more violent efforts than lie has

made in this battle. It rather establishes the ccrtaiuty that such efforts will be- witnessed. But the conclusion seems to be in every way warranted that the outlook from the Allied standpoint is very much brighter than it was before the ' enemy set his shock divisions in mo- ; tion between the Marno and the Ar- 1 gonne. The big question now raised is whether the enemy is likely to renew his offensive in its present area or to attempt a rapid blow against the front covering the Allied communications with the Channel coast, and it cannot be answered for the time being, But the circumstances of tho enemy's defeat are not less encouraging as they bear upon tho future than in their immediate aspect. The scale upon which the offensive was prepared and developed distinctly suggests that it represents Germany's culminating effort. Documents captured on prisoners show that the enemy planned a vast enveloping move against Paris from the east, and hoped that at the end of four days of battle his armies' would be in position as far south as Sezanne, GO miles east and slightly south of Paris, and commanding])' placed on Hie railways and railway junctions between Pariß and Verdun. With sixty divisions in the battle, many of them drawn from I'iunce. Ruvpukciit's armies which are facing the British in Northern France and Flanders, the enemy has hardly begun his intended progress. Tho latest news in hand strengthens the impression that lie aimed at nothing less than to force a decisive battle in the region oast of Paris. He is heavily renewing his attacks, but, as news stands, at ruinous cost and without compensating pin. It may be wise to still entertain the possibility that an attack on tho Allied northern front may have a placc in the enemy's plans, but available evidence plainly suggests that his main resources are concentrated oil the enterprise which thus far has brought him nothing but disaster.