Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 191, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 August 1918 — DAILY WAR SUMMARY. [ARTICLE]

DAILY WAR SUMMARY.

The tide of defeat still surges heavily against the German armies in France and Flanders. On four important sectors French and British arms again have been successful and the entire German front from Ypres in Belgium to Soissons on the Aisne, now is more seriously menaced than before. French troops of General Mangin operating from the region two miles northwest of Soissons to the Oise river, and those of General Humbert fighting between the Oise • and the Matz have materially pushed forward their fronts, bringing them to positions which threaten to compel the immediate evacuation of the entire Somme-Oise salient from Braye to Noyon. Farther to the south between Albert and Arras, Field Marshal Haig has followed up his successes of previous days by a new offensive over a front of about ten miles and driven forward his troops for splendid gains over the entire line, capturing a number of villages, taking prisoners and guns and inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Still further north in the famous Lys sector, a general eastward advance on a front of more than four miles has been made by the British, who have brought their positions appreciably nearer the old 1916 battle line running east of Armentieres. Numerous additional villages have been liberated by the French northwest of Soissons and positions have been captured oh both sides of the Oise river, which seemingly make untenable for occupation by the enemy the important town of Noyon, which now is outflanked on the southeast and dominated by the French guns from the south and west. * On the south the French are standing in Sempigny, a mile and a half distant, while on the west they have captured the important pivotal town of Lassdgny, the key position to Noyon and the plains to the north. With the latest advances by the French east of the Oise there has come under the range of General Mangin’s guns the broad guage railway line leading from Noyon eastward to LaFere, thfe sole remaining line except for two narrow guage roads, over which the enemy may transport his men and supplies beyond the range of the French artil-

lery. At last accounts Haig was still pressing forward on the heels of the Germans between Albert and Arras, with tanks innumerable clearing the way for the infantry and machine gpns and the field artillery which was keeping close to the advance. The Arras-Albert 'railway already has been crossed by the British east of Boislieux-St. Marc and Mercatel, and south of these towns the new line has been pressed eastward in conformity. What is to be the effect of the allied drives along the 120-mile battle line from Ypres to Soissons cannot be foretold at present, but it seems highly probable that this entire front soon must be realigned. TMs particular menace to the Germans aside from that .in the territory between the Somme and the Oise, appears to be on the sector along the Vesle river from Soissons to Rheirns, which from the war maps looks to bei untenable.