AN IMPORTANT VICTORY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 5 August 1918, Page 4

AN IMPORTANT VICTORY.

The splendid reports from the front received during the week-end confirm the belief that General Foch had chosen the time and place for his first great counter-blow most accurately. There are battle grounds far more inviting further north on the plains, and some people who have a knowledge of the topography of the area in which the great battle has been raging for the last three weeks may have thought that the broken formation of the country—it consists mainly of high rolling ground broken frequently by deep valleys running for the most part east and west—would have been too uninviting for the Allied counter-blow. But the great General has, by the direction of his attacks turned to his use the very difficulties that to the layman may seem to be insuperable. The major blow was launched from the Villers Cotterets forest in an easterly , and north-easterly direction; in other words, working along the ridges and valleys. At the same time pressure was increased on the south and east of the salient, and the result has been that, owing to the continued success attending the Allied attacks from the western side, the enemy, to avoid complete envelopment, has been forced to retire northwards, a very difficult operation. We may regard General Foch's blow on the Aisne-Marne front as the most important, though its success is linked with the strong defence of the Allies along the Chateau Thierry-Ilheims line; they, as it were, held one blade of the great scissors while the other closed upon the enemy. The Germans, however, when they realised the seriousness of their position, placed a strong army near Soissons, and ;it seemed a few days ago that the Allied effort had reached its maximum of success. A mile separated the Allies from Soissons, which lies in a hollow, and it looked as if the enemy's resistance in this area was too strong for further progress to be expected. Now comes the news of the capture of Soissons and general progress along the line running, roughly, south-east to Ville-en-Tardenois. This indicates that the special German force that has been defending Soissons has been defeated, and the way has been : opened for a further Allied advance along the Aisne. Again the enemy will find himself in a. very difficult position, for the country between the Ardre and the Aisne has but few roads, and is even more broken than that over which the Germans have been retiring. Were they meeting a frontal attack by the Allies the Germans might consider they were well placed, but the direction of the Allied attack by which a, force numerically inferior controls the movements, and even brings about the retirement, of a larger force several miles distant, shows that the Germans have been badly beaten in strategy. It is hoped that the Allies will be able to continue their advance and that the enemy will not be given time to repair the serious damage which his army has suffered. Allied activity north of the Aisne as far as the Oise may be looked for in order to help in depriving the enemy of the natural advantages which the north bank of the Aisne affords. We should hear of far-reaching results during the next few days.