Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 231, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1918 — CLIMAX OF THE WAR IS NEAR [ARTICLE]

CLIMAX OF THE WAR IS NEAR

ALLIES WILL TRY TO DESTROY HUN ARMY IN RETREAT FROM FRANCE. Frank H. Simonds, one of the great writers of the war, has. the following to say in reference to the present situation in Europe: There can be no mistaking the fact that Foch’s battle has reached its climax. Within a brief period, perhaps of hours, certainly days, a German retirement from northern France is assured. German resistance, tremendous and sustained in certain sectors, is breaking down completely at others. Perhaps the most amazing single incident of recent days has been the Belgian success about the old Ypres salient. In a single day, with insignificant losses, the Belgians retook all the ground the British spent five months and 500,000 casualties in taking one year ago. This can only mean one thing—that the German army, as a whole, is breaking down. Foch’s tactics are clearly revealed. The period of maneuver is over, the moment in the battle has arrived when a decision is to be sought from the Yser to the Meuse. The pace can not be long maintained, the “event,” to use the Napoleonic term, is in sight. It is no longer one offensive, but half a dozen, all co-ordinated. In Belgium, King Albert and General Plumer are winning the battle of Ypres, in French Flanders and Artois, Horne, Byng and Rawlinson are refighting victoriously the battle of Cambrai. Above the Aisne, Mangin is winning the battle of -Nivelle, lost in 1917. In Champagne, Gouraud is winding the contest only partly won by Petain in 1915.

Finally,' the famous fields about Verdun are behind Pershing and he is advancing over ground which has seen no allied soldier since August, 19J.4. In sum, all the old -offensives are being refought simultaneously. All the old hopes, long postponed, are being realized; we are going forward from the sea to the Meuse, slowly in places, with phenomenal rapidity at others, but everywhere advancing. And, in this situation, it is no longer possible to watch or weigh any single phase. Perhaps Foch himself, does not yet know where the decisive break will come. • But it- seems certain that one of the many blows will achieve the first objective— tp compel a general German retreat from France,, away" from the Hindenburg line. And the second objective is to crush the retiring armies, to turn the withdrawal into a rout, to break the military power of Germany, to do it this year ahd in the present battle. This is the single purpose.

We are seeing today, a battle of France, a battle in extent of front, in numbers engaged, in material employed- and, unhappily, in casualties, unexampled in human history. Foch is now making his supreme bid for a decision. And, it. is essential that we should see it whole, see it as a single battle, like Waterloo or Gettysburg, not a series of battles, not a number of unrelated engagements. It is equally necessary to perceive that neither cities, territories nor positions are of great importance- All these circumstances have become minor. Ludendorff accepted battle on the Hindenburg line more than a month ago with a clear perception of the issue. He has now been beaten geographically. His lilies are in retreat, and he must shortly go back to the Meuse and the Scheldt. So much has already been decided. " In this sense, Foch has won Ms Leipsic, but after Leipsic, Napoleon took his beaten army behind the Rhine, fought on, almost escaped ultimate defeat. Can Ludendorf do the same? This is the present problem. We shall have an answer now in a time relatively brief. We are on the threshold of one«of the greatest military events in all human history. And, turning to the Balkans, we have an apprisal of allied prospects. Bulgaria took the German side, confident of German victory three years

ago. " The battle news in Sofia has changed and Bulgaria will not wait another hour. She surrenders unconditionally. Why, because there is no longer any doubt in Sofia as to what is to'happen. Is there any reason to question that events in Bucharest and in Constantinople will now move with equal rapidity? What is happening now is like the break-up of the ice in a river-when spring comes. This is the real parallel tor the military situation in France. The German lines are breaking like the river ice, rapidly in some places, slowly in others, but everywhere breaking. Cambrai, Roulers, St Quentin, Laon, Vouziers. These were the objectives of campaigns lasting months, of separate campaigns which were the main efforts of a whole year and new we are at the gates of al of them at one time. ’ At the moment the Belgian an< American operations at opposite ends of the line are most interesting, be-, cause each is cutting away one of the anchorages of the whole German front. A little further advance in ( Belgium or in Lorraine and Ludendorf can delay no longer. In fact, it is hard to see how he can stick it out

much longer dnyway. Both of his flanks are turned north of Ypres ana Verdun. Mangin is breaking his center toward Laon. Haig is dealing the heaviest blow of all toward Cambrai. It seems to me the situation©! the German line in France is already comparable to that of the Confederate army about Petersburg after Five Forks. It has been broken in many places; it is held by troops already plainly shaken, as the enormous total of captures day by day indicates. The German is still fighting desperately, •but when one thinks of the months it took last year for Haig to advance from Ypres to Passchendaele, the achievement of the Belgians on Saturday is explicable only in terms <x' declining German morale. It is time to begin to study the Hne of the Scheldt and the Meuse. The Hindenburg line is about played out. But, can Ludendorf reach the new line? This is becoming the military problem in the last weeks- of the campaign of 1918.