ALLIED LOCAL ATTACKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16895, 6 July 1918, Page 6

ALLIED LOCAL ATTACKS.

Allied attacks on a small scale, with definite, if limited, objectives, i i have been almost the only form of ! activity in the west since the last j furious German offensive drew to an i unsuccessful conclusion. The success of these operations suggests that the fighting spirit of the allied 1 armies is in no way impaired by the strain of withstanding the tremend- \ ■jc us blows aimed against them by i ; the enemy. No sooner had the fury of the German onslaught died away than the British, French, and AnieriI can forces began methodically to , win back point after point, on differ- ■ enb sectors, all obviously of consider- ' able tactical value. But there is I more than a counter-demonstration iin these local offensives. Behind 1 them is a connecting thread of pur--1 pose, evidently the product of the ; one controlling brain. North and I south of the Aisne the French have ■seized a number of high points, some J covering the northern edge of the ; Villiers Cult ere Forest, and others , i overlooking the valley of the Ourcq. The Americans further south have. ' been steadily winning back tactical I points on the sector where the jhattleline leaves the Marne and i'urns north. The British have been , i responsible for a number of similar I j operations from Mantel, south of I j the Soinme to north of Albert, and .'in Flanders east of the Nieppe I ' Forest. Additional to this, raids of . I varying magnitude have been of . I daily occurrence, necessarily keep- , I ing the enemy forces on the alert > ! everywhere. War correspondents, . i military experts, and semi-official , j commentators have seen behind this 3 ! series of enterprises the one purpose . ; of depriving the enemy of obscrva- , i tion posts and of points of vantage ; I from which his next blow might be . ! launched. The French and the Amet ! ricans have been providing against , j any attempt to encircle the forest of > ! Villiers Cotterets, or to drive down 1. the valley of the Ourcq. The British t. in Flanders have sought to render . : more difficult any thrust aimed at ] j outflanking the heights west of . I Ypres. The purpose of the opera > j tions on and about the Somme has . ; not been so freely discussed, but it

I is obviously similar, to wrest fron ; the Germans any local advantage ] they may enjoy. The persistence I both of raids and blows on a larger j scale has disturbed the enemy, both . rank and file and the higher com i mand. General Foch's plans are still a sealed book to the enemy, j and, in view of the steady flow of I American forces to France, the Ger i mans can no longer be certain that i they alone are preparing to strike, I and every aggressive movement on I the part of the allies, however re-

I stiictcd, must tend to compel the 11 ' enemy to strengthen the defences of ' his front throughout, and thus to i' interfere with the concentration of ' troops for his next major offensive. Thus these perpetual raids and attacks not only add to the disquietude of the enemy due to his knowledge of the swelling strength of the American army, and the disturbance of his plans by the abject failure of the Austrians in Italy, but strengthen the allied preparations to withstand the .shock of the next I I encounter, by improving V\\ew toot- \ hold and ensuring that the resist- ) ance shall be sufficiently secure to : (involve (he enemy in very heavy I ) losses whenever be. attempts to aA \ ' vance. (