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Show FRENCH TURN BATTLE TIDE; SB 10 GERMAN FLANK Crown Prince Given Jolt as Poilus Drive in Furious Counter Wedge. AMERICANS WIN PRAISE .Worked Like the Best Veterans in the Battle of the Somme, Two Offioers Being Decorated With War Cross on Battlefield. London. After days of desperate fighting, most of the time on the defensive, de-fensive, the allied strategic reserve has leaped into action. Already it has scored an important success. Led by General Foch, who turned the scales of battle on the Marne, the French forces have driven in the crown prince's flank on a front of six miles and a quarter and to a depth of nearly two miles. The boast of the kaiser that he would eat dinner in Paris on April 1, now seems more unlikely of fulfillment than ever. From his whirlwind aggresson begun be-gun on March 21, and which has continued con-tinued without cessation ever since, the foe has been thrown upon the defensive, defen-sive, where he is most vulnerable. On the front from Lassigny to Noyon our troops have advanced over a line nbout ten kilometers long to a depth of two kilometers, says the war office statement issued Wednesday night. The repulse of the Germans in villages further west also is announced. The statement reads : Continuing to attack with strong forces in the region of Montdidier during the whole morning morn-ing the enemy attempted to enlarge his gains west and south of this town, but with magnificent elan our troops counter-attacked with the bayonet and drove the Germats out of the villages of Courtemanche, Mesnil-St. Georges and Assainvillers, which we have occupied occu-pied and hold solidly. Our troops have made an advance over a front about ten kilometers long and two kilometers deep on the front from Lassigny to Noyon. On the left bank of the Oise savage attacks by the enemy have given him no advantage, our troops holding their positions energetically. ener-getically. Americans Work Life Veterans. "Entirely new in this warfare, the Americans worked like the best veterans veter-ans in the battle of the Somme," says a wounded French captain who has been brought back from the front, ac-cording ac-cording to La Liberte. Two of the Americans, office who were wounded, were brought back with the French captain, a member of the dragoons. Each American wore a French war cross, conferred on the battlefield. The French captain refused to receive re-ceive attention until the Americans alongside him had first been cared for. "They are the ones who should be congratulated," he said, calling upon the women of the Red Cross to look after the Americans. The presence of American auxiliary troops on the fighting line in the great battle was the subject of much favorable favor-able comment, and when it became generally known that wounded American Ameri-can officers and men were being brought back with the French wounded from the region of St. Quentin, American Ameri-can stock rose high. The moral effect of the force was considerable, even though the supposition was that the number of American troops was not considerable. The comforting thing to the French is that recently, whenever there has been hot fighting the Americans have had a share of it, even if a small one, and have acquitted themselves creditably. credit-ably. Britons Beat Off Huns. After an all-day battle north and south of the Scarpe, with Arras as the chief center, the British forces have beaten off the Germans, with heavy losses to the enemy, according to the report from " Field Marshal Haig Wednesday night. An official dispatch from France said the chaplain and two nuns of the hospital of St. Elizabeth at Antwerp have been executed by the Germans. They were killed in the courtyard of the barracks at the same time as the Belgian oculist, Dr. do Mets. A number of German soldiers who had put on British uniforms in order 1o create confusion in the battle on 1 lie Somme front were taken prisoner and executed, according to the Paris Intransigennt. , The counter-offensive being made by the allies will be the sharpest blow that the allies have attempted. It is understood that not less than 100,000 American troops will participate partici-pate in this movement, which will probably take the form of a rolling up movement. This will be the greatest ( gathering of Americans on the front since the beginning of the war. " Fresh Troops for Allies. The allies are said to have 800,000 fresh troops along the Picurdy front. It Is these men who will be sent against the Germans with a grim determination determina-tion to thrust the Huns back, and keep them going back until they are driven from Fiance and back into Germany. With this magnificent army it is expected ex-pected to turn the tide of battle into a victory, clean-cut and decisive, for the American-Anglo-French forces. The entire Turkish force in the Hit area in Mesopotamia has been cap tured or destroyed by the British, the British war office announces. Three thousand prisoners were taken by the British. Thirty-one more crosses of war have been awarded American troops for bravery. Twelve were given to Iowa sodiers, in addition to the citation for gallantry of two platoons and one company. com-pany. The Minnesota artillery received thirteen crosses and the Maryland trench mortar battery six. "Me and Gott" Win, Says Hindenburg. Field Marshal von Hindenburg has telegraphed Chancellor von Hertling: "The army will not relax until, with God's help, it has won for the homeland the good victory which it needs as the foundation for a future based upon a strong German peace." Much Expected of Americans. The great reserve armies of the allies, al-lies, in which American soldiers are carrying the Stars and Stripes into the momentous battle of all history, is in motion. The news means die "brilliant American Amer-ican plan" credited to Major General Tasker H. Bliss by Premier Lloyd-George Lloyd-George in January is in actual operation. opera-tion. The result is expected to be that a flying wedge will be thrown against the German line at an unprotected point with sufficient force to effect an opening. The next objective will be an engagement with the reserves now supporting sup-porting Hindenburg and Ludendorff from the rear. Prepare Huns for Setback. The Berlin Taglische Kunsdchau of Sunday's date attempts to lower the high expectations of the German people peo-ple on the great offensive. The paper points out that it will be necessary to crush the British army before it is possible to break down resistance, and adds : "If it is impossible after a short, but severe, artillery preparation, to break through all the lius with our infantry, then we must not count on an immediate break through along the .whole front." |