FOCH DEVELOPING HIS STRATEGY ON A VAST SCALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16969, 1 October 1918, Page 5

FOCH DEVELOPING HIS STRATEGY ON A VAST SCALE.

■'■'*! SALIENT ATTACKED ON BOTH SIDES AND BOTH WINGS. EMEMY ABANDONING DEFENCES OF GOBAIN AND LAON. By Telegraph—Prees Association— . Beater. ' (Keecmd 9.45 p.m.) LONDON. 3ept. 29. Renter's correspondent at French" headquarters states that the French are steadily advancing and capturing new ground. There are numerous fires behind the German;, lines. The ; attack by the British and Belgians in the north, coupled with the French and American operations in the Champagne-Argonne-Meuse region, have compelled the enemy to defend, on, a muchfaster scale, a pocket such as those brought disaster upon him on the Marne and the Avre. A later, message from the correspondent says.the whole enemy ' front from St. Qiientin to Rheims has become a salient, the bases of which are being vigorously attacked on both sides and on both wings. Th& enemy is fighting with the energy of despair as he retreats. As result of General Mangin's advance yesterday, the whole of the Malmaison Plateau and the western end of the Chemin des Dames are ii our possession. The-enemy is abandoning the approaches to the massif of St. Gobainj and to the Laoh Plateau, the group of heights which for four, years has formed the central pillar of his line in France.. Marshal Foch's strategy compels'him, as it did at the Marne, to withdraw his centre before the Allies' attacks in the .north and in the east forced him to withdraw his wings. This retreat is the first fruits of the British, French, and American, offensive of the last three days.