THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 80, 1 October 1918, Page 6

THE WAR

The Western battles Have taken a most interesting turn. Contrary, perhaps, to first expectations, '. there have been so far no dramatic developments in the Champagne-Argonne-Meuse sectors, principally because there are no really vital points .as yet. closely approached by the Allied attacks.. The American advance between the Meuse and the Argonne has* been brilliantly successful, but,not so important in results as the French operations to the West Here, it has been reported, the enemy was prepared (the Americans surprised him), but the French push was solidly supported—the effect in part of the clearing, by;Foch's counterattack, of the Paris-Chalons railway along the Marae* which the Crown Prince's, attack had interrupted. ' •

Far more important are the results of the northern Allied attacks. ■ The whole front from St. Quentin to north of Cambrai is in motion, and the direct communications between them have been wrecked by the vigorous offensive of the British, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, and' United States troops; The fall of these towns may quite reasonably be expected soon, and the great defen-' sive system of the enemy between hula and Laon will then be shattered. •These great results, achieved at-the end of a. vast campaign by troops, most of whom are admittedly tired by their exertions, can only be described as wonderful; and they, are extraordinarily ■free from reverses. It is reported today that the British have withdrawn from Arleux, a town on tfte north bank of the Scarpe, just west of the DoualUambrai road. This is practically the only recorded loss of ground in the present battle, and it is not a 'serious matter, for Arleux was an isolated foothold north of the Scarpe, and liable to very, ugly counter-attacks. ■ '

The Belgian and British offensive in Glanders, has had an astounding success. In a couple of days it has rewon practically all the ground which the British gained m the Battle of Messines and the Third Battle of Ypres, most of which was given up,,during, the., German drives this year. The gains include the whok \>i the Passchendaele ridge, and in addition a large area to the north, including the great Houthulgt forest, which hitherto, has defied'the utmost', efforts that could be brought against it.' The Belgians are now about eight miles ahead of their old lines, and only five miles from Roulers, one of the important railway junctions behind the Flanders front; and what is more important still;• they are opening iip at last a gap on the coastal flank. If the enemy cannot quickly close the vacancy between Roulers and the Xser inundations, the Allies seem likely, to make an advance north to the Belgian coast, and this will have most important results. It threatens to break up the nxity of positions in Flanders and give atw opportunity for manoeuvres which will outflank Lille and tarn tfho northern pivots of the enemy's defensive systems, occupied or projected, in France and Belgium. . ...>■•■

The unbroken and rapid successes attained by the Allied attacks can only be put down to a very: marked decay in the enemy s fighting machine. There has been little insistence lately on. the,"rot" in the morale of the troops; but the trouble is much deeper, and is caused by the actual diminution of numbers and of gun-power. The Germans, who no doubt expected'the year to end without a great Allied reaction, mortgaged the future for their great successes of March to July, and now find themselves being swiftly drained by losses, without a corresponding inflow of men and supplies. Their front is therefore everywhere weakening, and they are being compelled, or will soon be compelled, to readjust the deficit by new withdrawals, to which the movement on the Aisne heights will seem trifling. ■ , . ■ ;