Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1918 — HUNS START GIGANTIC DRIVE ON 65-MI. FRONT [ARTICLE]

HUNS START GIGANTIC DRIVE ON 65-MI. FRONT

Americans Beat Back Attackers Who Had Crossed Marne River. PILE UP MANY ENEMY DEAD Gunners Hohl Post, Pouring Deadly Missies Into Hanks of the Enemy Until Their Guns Choke. BULLETIN. Paiis, July 16. Terrific losses marked the fifth German offensive on the Marne-Cham pagnie front, which began yesterday morning. By noon four divisions (50,000 men J that attacked the allies between Chateau Thierry *pd Argonne forest had been cut up and one <ompletely annihilated. All dispatches froinn the front this forenoon emphasize the magnificence of the allied victory in smashing the fifth German drive at its outset with terrific losses.

I’ari% July I G. —The first day of the present Gerlmian offensive clearly is favorable to the allies, says a semi-official statement Issued late Monday, night. The French defensive system has been in no way affected and is still Intact. With the American Army on the Marne, July 15. —The German prisoners captured in the counter attack by the Americans at the bend on the Marne number between 1,000 and 1,500. They include a complete brigade staff. Americans Blow Up Pontoon Bridges South of Jaulgonne the enemy crossed the Marne this morning on six pontoon bridges hurriedly thrown over the stream and masses of infantry swanmied forward. The artillery constantly, had the bridges under the heaviest fire and at least two direct hits were made, two of the bridges being blown up. After sharp artillery work, German troops advanced behind a great smokt. cloud, which completely obscured them for a time from view. The low visibility also aided the e’.cuiX cl In his operations. Counter Attack ' Demoralizes the Germans A strong American counter av tack south of the river bend completely upset the Germans, who broke in retreat. The American troops (jlrove the eneuny back all the way to the railway skirting the Marne in the region southwest (a Jaulgonne. This position now Is being held. In the counter attack many prisoners were taken. They included a major, two captains and 400 men, so far counted. At 5 o’clock this evening the Germans were hear ily shelling the American forces, but were getting shell for shell in return, and their fire seemed to be diminishing.

The Vaux district is comparatively calm now. American machine gunners along the river assisted materially in breaking up the* early Bocthe plans, for they stuck to their posts and poured deadly streams of bullets into the enemy and only withdrew when their guns were so hot they could not be fired. One group of (machine gunners happened to be in a, place where the Germans were anxicu® to erect a bridge but their * efforts were fruitless. The American bullets piled up the German dead on the opposite side of the river every time the enemy started to cross. The expected renewal of the German offensive in France has begun. Fierce battles are in progress on both sides j>f the famous cathedral city of Rheims, which since the last offensive along the Marne Ihas stood the apex of a sharp salient into the German line. West of Rheims the Germans with the pressure of large numbers of troops, the leashing of "which was preceded by a hail of high explosive and gas shells, have been enabled to cross the Martrue at several places. Bast of the city, however, they have been held for the smallest of gains by the tenacious resistance of ths

defenders of the line. Altogether the two battle fronts aggregate about sixty-five miles in length. American troops are fighting valiantly on the sectors they have been holding and at two points have met with notable success. At Vaux they not alone broke down a violent attack by the enemy, but drove him back several hundred yards, and only returned to their forn/er positions when the advances of the Germans southeast of Chateau Thierry across the Marn# made the reoccupation of their trenches of strategic value. The Germans in addition to their tremendous expenditure of explosive and gas shells used numerous tanks-against the lines of the defenders and also opened with numerous naval guns bombardments of towns and cities far behind the battle line, dropping upon them shells from' ten and twelve-inch pieces.

The details of the strategic scheme the Germans have in view have not yet been unfolded. It seems apparent, however, that the main objective in the first stages of the offensive is the throwing of their lines southward on both sides of Rheims, enveloping that city and forcing its capitulation. While all the Germans are making their-, drive ip ‘ the south* the British around Ypres are pecking away at the German lines with success as regards the gaining of ground and the taking of prisoners; the French and Italians in Albania are keeping up their spectacular drive against the Austrians and tjie French, and Italians in the mountain region of the Italian theatre daily are harrassing the enemy with patrol attacks of considerable violence and bombardment.