| Show POSSIBILITIES GREATEST NOW OF W WAR R J BELIEF t S SE E Decisions This Week reek May i Determine End and Final I r Victor i I ul UV In GUV u c. lt j I Staff pond nt Universal Service I i Washington Jul July 24 The The U confronting both the pral jil al possibilities v Allies aBes HIes and 1111 Germany German on the tho w western stern front are arc tar far a I greater In number and 1 Importance today toda- than ever er before according ac- ac cording to military experts who arc are here It ItIs II close closely er e every report bJ is 1 Is stated slated frankly on o cr every side that the he decisions to be L made this n f t week u by the opposed SU win ww un- un play a great part In deter deter- t the length I of or the war and an the Uio final victor Ictor fc So o diverse erse are the potential situation situations situa situa- tion ton that the military experts of oC the States and anti of or the allies now ron on duty here hele confess that they can point t oi what may happ happen n that fihe the sudden turn In events c has upset f i every ever program which leaders of or the opposing forces ml may have hae fixed J Expert l J Military men set forth tho following following follow follow- ing nS' nS decisions as possibilities any anyone one of Ut of which Is probable 1 I. Germany German having decided to trust to the outcome of oC the decision on tho the western estern front to the thc ability of or her troops to force the Name Marne ma may refuse to retire further from Crom the Marno salient salient sali sail ent and may force the decisive battle 1 n th I OL lilt IOU Will I O U extended t ed from r the Marne to a wide d I ron front t. t 2 If It Germany erman attempts to stage a great battle General Koch ml may decline the offensive and gather g-ather his forces to to 10 a a. strong stron line of defense 3 Germany German ma may attempt to carry earn through her orl original plan and aim a body blo blow against Amiens and the channel ports r r t. t General Foch secure In III the knowledge that he has hns an nn army equal to to that of or the tho en enemy mr ma may press the tho enemy vigorously refusing to ass assume me I Ithe the defensive c and extending his offensive of- of to er c every section of or the front where he believes serious losses can canLe cane Le e Inflicted upon the enem enemy Strength In connection with these statements state state- I ments of or what whal the tho next month may mayI I bring about new lIew facts relative c to the strength th of or the forces Corce engaged were disclosed The war department has received reports showing that thirty per cent centor of or tho the forces engaged in iii the surprise I attack on the western flank of oC the I t. q 11 Vr It tICs Is also I known o n now i that t 1 matel only German divisions dl man many of ot them below their normal k f strength of oC 1000 1 rifles were available available avail- avail able for the German attack Of this number fifty eight divisions already have ha been used up Moreover the German German German Ger Ger- man forces cannot ot bo be brought again to normal strength before the close of or September Little warfare on a grand scale scab can cm be attempted after October 1 f Officials toda today stated that the al allied allied allied al- al lied command now Is la in possession of or evidence c wh which ch clearly proves pro that the advance anc knowledge of or German plans held b by General Foch were correct In InCer er C every detail It is known that Lu- Lu planned first a surprise at attack attack attack at- at tack on the Marne This smash was wa to to be developed eloped as rapidly t as possible If the attack proved a ready ground gainer reserve reser forces were to be rushed In and the drive for Paris continued the major operation ta taking tak- tak ing ng place along alons the Champagne front to o 0 Hold Line If the Germans were held up hower however how how- ever er it was planned to maintain the I line give every ery of ot I for lor a a. continued thru thrust t and then by rushing the reserves reser to the Picard front deliver a second blow against the tho French along the line marked by b and Arras This explanation discloses wh why at atthe atthe the thus first opportunity General Foch och sent strong forces to feel eel out the German German German Ger Ger- man strength h on a ahong front before carl early yesterday From the press reports It would appear that tho the Germans have ha been beon unable to carry forward for their original plan because atthe of at the complete success ot if the counterstroke counterstroke counter- counter stroke so abl ahl delivered ered IJ by the I Franco American oops Germany now Is fully aware that Foch through the assistance of or trained American fighters Is fully rully ablo to answer blow clow for blow Germany German realizes realises at last that America I is rapidly coming Into the battle a rut a determining factor It Is reasonable to believe bellevo that Germany German ma may elect to settle tho the battle now and imd for all aJl time that she will attempt to again a assume the offensive and will then battle on until her arm army or tha that of or the allies is exhausted On th other hand General Foch ma may order strong attacks at points which would hamper an any G German Garman efort ef effort effort e- e ef- ef fort to force a great battle at this t time I me I |
