A TIMELY STROKE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 37, 12 August 1918, Page 8

A TIMELY STROKE

EFFECT OF THE MARNE BATTLE

GERMANY'S WANING CHANCES

OFFICIAL WEEKLY" REVIEW,

The following official weekly record is forwarded to the Acting-Prime Minister by the Ministry of Information :

It is not yet beyond the power of the Germans to make another great attack before the end of the year, but tlieir chances ot accomplishing anything decisive are small, and the period of acute anxiety may now be said to have ended. This is the result of the second battle of the Maine, which was a great success, largely owing to General Foch's leadership. When he assumed command the whole situation on the Western front was gravely compromised, and the British Army had suffered a reverse. In such circumstances powerful influences always work in urging the Commander to use reserves in order to restore the situation; but General Foch met the successive German blows without any attempt to retaliate, and refused to be deflected from his purpose, despite the critical situation and undiscerning criticisms. In his counter-stroke he displayed equal foresight. It is true that the front chosen was the obvious one to choose, since the Germans presented their flank to their opponent, and a comparatively small advance made their whole position within the salient almost untenable; but all depended upon accurately estimating the effect of the attack and on choosing the psychological moment.

A CRITICAL PHASE.

On 18th July the situation was very critical for the French. In these circumstances it needed great boldness on the part of General Foch to disregard the attack on the Ma-rne iront and to refuse to divert troops to meet it, which would spoil his pla.n. He used the whole of his reserves for a counter-stroke which was brilliantly successful, but if it had been otherwise the. results would have been disastrous for the French.

The tenacity of the Allied troops contributed largely to these results, which would have been impossible without the magnificent resistance of the British Army during March and April, and of the French Army during May and June. The armies were then fighting under conditions entailing a. severe strain, against overwhelming superiority in numbers, and without any prospect of relief. The third and not the least important factor was the magnificent response of America, to the call.

This help was rendered possible only by the assistance of the British ; Navy and the British Merchant Service; and when the Americans arrived they displayed magnificent fighting qualities under' very disadvantageous circumstances for troops insufficiently trained and unaccustomed to war conditions. Without the American promptitude and tenacity, the Allies' success would have been impossible.

VERY SEVERE AIR FIGHTING.

Exceptional severity has marked the air fighting during the week throughout the British zone of operations in the West. Much of this consisted of reconnaissance and offensive patrols behind the German lines, but bombing operations on the Belgian coast were not less decisive, both as regards the damage done and the toll of enemy machines destroyed. Tires were started at the Brugeoise ) works and at important enemy organise- I tions east of Nieuport, and a big fire at ; Zeebrugge caused by our bombs was fol- ,■ lowed by a heavy'explosion. In three; y daylight* raids \ijxm Bruges, Ostend, ann ; Zeebrugge our squadrons were opposed ? by powerful enemy formations. Fo:u ) British machines were reported missing, s but fourteen enemy machines were de- j stroyed and seventeen driven down help- ■ less. In Belgium alone seventeen tens j of bombs were dropped on military ob- j jeettves, and much damage was done. On the British Western land front the British aiv fighting was uniformly successful. On three successive days the enemy lost 15. 2G, and 11 mii/chinos respectively, besides 18-more driven down, and only twelve British machines were j reported missing. In nil IV British machines failed to, return, but Si _«iemy machines were destroyed and 2n -were j driven down., '■

TWENTY RAIDS INTO GERMANY.

The Royal Air Force independent forces also had heavy- fighting in the course of twenty raids into German territory. Large German forces contested our progress during an early morning raid on Saarbrucken, and very severe fighting took place, which resulted in the loss of seven British machines. Nevertheless our squadrons immediately resumed the attack, and successfully dropped many bombs on the station and factories of Saarbrucken; and this time returned without loss. In the course of effective raids on Treves and Orenburg, six enemy machines .were destroyed and one was driven down. Two British machines failed to return. Among other objectives bombed were the stations at Kastatt, Soliingen. Baden, the Bosch works, Daimler works, railway station a.t Stuttgart, station and barracks at Hagenau, Coblenz station, Remilly junction, etc. Bad weather severely hampered the operations in the Mediterranean theatres, but on the Italian and Palestine fronts ten enemy machines were destroyed and no British ' machines were reported missing;.

THE ALLIES IN RUSSIA,

The Allied campaign in Northern Eussia has opened successfully with the occupation of Archangel. The population, released from the Bolshevik reign of terror, greeted the Allies with the utmost enthusiasm, and. the downfall of the Bolshevik authority was accomplished practically without resistance. Large quantities of rolling stock and stores and two heavy batteries were captured by us at Archangel. Meanwhile the Bolshevik Government is doing all that is within its power to overwhelm the Czechs before outside help reaches them. The Bolsheviks are believed to have made an agreement with the Germans by which the latter will make no further advance, so that the Bolsheviks can transfer all their forces to deal with the Czechs on enthusiasm, and the downfall of the Bolthe Volga front. The Bolsheviks were severely defeated in the Caspian region, and the Anti-Bolsheviks' movement is widespread and is progressing in Turkestan

The hostile forces at Archangel are reported to consist of about 8000 men, while the German forces north of the Gulf of Finland number some 50,000.

GERMANY AND HER "PIAVE."

The situatio.ii in Germany continues to be obscure. We may guess that the military authorities, bankrupted of promises to the German people that a German victory would be obtained before the autumn, are now trying to invent some new promises to stimulate the waning endurance of the German people. It is believed that in many towns and parts of the country the people are labouring under the deepest depression, while the Austrians, on the other hand, are not wboUy displeased that Germany, who mocked at the Austrian defeat on the Piave, now has a "Piave" of her own. In these circumstances it Is significant to note the rumoured changes of Austrian tone and temper as well as the symptoms among neutral nations, and

now growing, that assured ultimate vie-,;. Tory lies with the Allies and not with-' the Germans. Signs are not wanting; that Siberia is not the only part of dis-t jnembered Russia that will give trouble to the Germans, who had hoped to asj similate the entire empire unquestioned. Various other of Russia's constituent' races are also increasing in their disgust; of the German methods. The Ukraine and Lithuania are alike coming to prefer national aspirations to German tyranny. BRITAIN'S WINTER FOOD. j Considerable progress has been made ,in preparing a programme of food re- " quirements under the auspices of an in-j ter-Allied Food Council. This will serve!" iis a basis for the apportionment of the imports needed by the population of the! respective Allied countries. The Domini ions' representatives can be present when-! ever their interests are affected. j

The harvest has been hamp-ered. by un« favourable weather, and by the difficulty;' of procuring adequate skilled labour. It is hoped that this trouble has been! cured by the releasing of several thou-j sa.nd soldiers for agricultural furlough.; The American.promise of plentiful supplies of bacon has been receivad withmuch satisfaction. They will come mi particularly useful during the winter and' early spring, when a certain shortage of meat is expected owing to the deficiencies in fodder and the heavy demands of the Allied forces.