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Show oo J BATTLE ON BOTH I Enemy Menaced on West and South Flank by General Mangin's Troops. WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN FRANCE, Aug- 19. The battle has now extended to both banks of the Oise and the enemy, hitherto fronting on the west is now menaced on his .southern flank. General Mangin's whole objective has, been attained along tho entire front of ten miles. The enemy, although he seems to have been aware of the coming attack, has again miscalculated the dale and was in effect taken by surprise on a weakly-held front, the German commanders apparently having no reserves within call. The allies now command the valley : along the whole of its length. The enemy ene-my must accordingly withdraw all but his immediate -fighting line hehind the i.lateau on his side cf the valley. The operation recalls in scope arid purpose, General Mangin's attacks ;it the end of June in the Coeuvrrs-St. Pierre-Aigle valley south of Soissons. which gave him possession of the valley val-ley and then a fooling on the heights i above, affording on him a safe departure depar-ture Uno for his attack of July S, while possesion of tho valley enabled en-abled him to bring up tanks and mus ter reserves unobserved by the enemy. Narrow Outlet for Germans. With those routes commanded by General Mangin's artillery, tho only free route for exit from the region of Noyon and Lassigny is the narrow gauge line running north to Ham by way of Guiscard, and the high road, running In the same direction. Unlpss the German general von Hulier is able I to stup Mangin's advance he will have only this narrow outlet for his troops and material, as the triangle between the Noyon-Chauny read and tho road from Noyon to Guiscard, while a good position for defense is not favorable for an Intense movement of Irocps and transport. The Germans consequently are fighting despprately to hold their present lines, .while seeking a chance to shake off the grip of tho allies, break contact with them and slip away. The results of yesterday's operations op-erations while not spectacular, were entirely satisfactory, the French overcoming ov-ercoming the resistance of the Germans Ger-mans in the region of Lassigny and pressing on toward Plessire. The French army continues to close In on both Roye and Lassigny. The stubborn resistance of the enemy has slowed up but thus far has been unable un-able to stop the progress of General Debency's men. Germans Taking Big Chance. By sticking to Lassigny the Ger-1 mans are taking a big chance against I tho possibility of a further advance by Field Marshal Haig's troops north of the Avre. The menace to Chaul-nes Chaul-nes has been further increased by the latest advanco of ihe British and the fall of that town will put Royc and Lassigny in a pocket which it will be far more difficult to empty than the pocket .at Montdidier, since General Mangin's troops, northwest of Sols-sons Sols-sons arc advancing to the plateau west of Nampcel and are within the shelling shell-ing distance of the only railroad and the only good high road, from Noyon eastward to Chauny. FIGHT REACHING CRUCIAL POINT (By The Associated. Press.) WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN FRANCE, Aug. 19. Successive blows delivered against the Germans since August 10 all along the line from the Somme to Soissons appear to have brought the operations to a crucial point. After yielding in the early operations op-erations the enemy has been making fa a desperate stand at critical points, but his resistance has failed to over- ! come tho steady pressure around Las- H signy and Royc. P The French third army made further j progress today in the region of Lassigny Las-signy and the Thlescourt hills. They have occupied the greater part of B'euvraignes and are forging nearer Lassigny from the south of.Fres-nieres of.Fres-nieres and the Canny woods and also are pressing northward toward Lit signy by forcing an exit from thj Thlescourt wood. These gains were made during the most severe fighting. Lassigny is lite-ly lite-ly to fall any moment |