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Show AMERICANS SET THE PACE INOFFENSIVE SWEEPING ALL BEFORE THEM IN GREATEST ALLIED DRIVE OF WORLD WAR. Boys from U. S. A. Show the Way, 300,000 Being Engaged in Operations, Opera-tions, Both as Shock Troops, Reserve and Supply Units. Washington. American troops, cooperating co-operating with the French, are sweeping sweep-ing all before them In the greatest allied al-lied drive launched on the western front since the British attack on Cam-brai Cam-brai in the autumn of 1917. Latest reports to the war department from General Pershing declared the counter-offensive begun July 18, having hav-ing attained all objectives originally laid down, still was in progress. Approximately 300,000 Americans are understood to be engaged in the operation, both as shock troops and as reserves and supply units. Up to the time when General Pershing Persh-ing last reported, thousands of Germans Ger-mans had been made prisoner and more than a score of field guns captured. captur-ed. It is the first instance of heavy guns taken from the enemy on the western front this year. Tremendous possibilities are foreseen fore-seen by the military experts in Wash-Inton Wash-Inton allied as well as American. Many believe it marks a complete passing pass-ing of the initiative from the Germans to the allies. Most of them agree that it will compel a withdrawal or the enemy in the Soissons-Rhiems salient; and a consequent removal of the menace men-ace to Paris. Practically all are as one in the conviction con-viction that the American forces in this tremendous operation have established estab-lished themselves hencefortn as the pacemakers for all the allied rorces along a certain path to victory. Effect Is Far-reaching. The effect upon the German armies is expected to be enormous. Upon the war-weary, disillusioned German nation, na-tion, it is anticipated the effect will be well-nigh disastrous. No one in responsible position goes so far as to predict that Thursdays turn of the tide means the beginning of the end. Both with victory perched high on the" allied colors, officials believe be-lieve that portentous events are m the making to seal the fate of the rulers who would be gods. The German armies and the German people, It is believed here, cannot be fooled into the belief that present events are by way an accident. They must be convinced, however, that tnere is a new foe In the field against which all the boasted efficiency of the German Ger-man army cannot avail in the final reckoning. American troops " whlcn they contemptously regarded, are In the pathway of the Kaiser's latest offensive. of-fensive. And the American troops in the van of the advance, have made the boches turn tail and run. Old rules of the game must be cast aside, for the Americans, it is pointed out, are following new tactics. Incidentally, -it became known today that the movement of American troops to France this month will exceed all previous records in the already unprecedented un-precedented achievement of transportation. transpor-tation. Indications now are that if the war goes another year, as all experts agree, the United States may have in France an army second in size only to that of France. |