It

"It is true that when the barbed wire was completely broken and the chasseurs, zouaves, Moroccans, and other troops of assault were able to dash over No Man's Land, the caves proved to be traps and yielded up several thousands of prisoners. On the crest the Germans had pierced a number of tunnels through the chalk from the front to the back slopes of the hills. Sometimes, as above Chivy, they let the wave of the assault pass and then fired upon the French from behind. Sometimes there were bloody combats in the entries of these warrens and the tenants were shot down as they came out. There was at the head of the Chivy ravine a wide hole in the earth down which the Moroccans threw some grenades and then passed on. turned out to be the entrance to a great tunnel which led by no fewer than 112 steps to another entrance on the back of the hillside. Apparently against the eventuality of assault the tunnel had been mined with five large charges. The grenades filled the place with smoke and threw the occupants into panic. Fearing that they would be blown up with their own explosives, they bolted upstairs to the back door, but by that time the Moroccans had discovered the second entry, and here they collected 200 frightened Boches as they emerged. Generally the German resistance was brave and determined. In one day near Cerny counterattacks were launched only to break like spume upon the extemporized French positions. They became daily stronger, but still thousands of graycoats were sent to the assault. In their attempts to recover the Cerny sugar factory (a heap of ruins, of course) they started from some specially wide communication trenches up which columns of grenadiers came four abreast. As soon as four were shot down another line stepped forward. Thousands and thousands of bombs were thrown, but the French mitrailleuses could not be passed."

The Capture of Craonne

The village of Craonne, several fortified points north and east of the village, and the German first-line positions on a front of two and a half miles northwest

of Rheims were captured by the French on May 4. Craonne, about nine miles southeast of Laon, stands upon an isolated height at the eastern end of the Chemin des Dames. It not only protects the entire plateau north of the Aisne, but defends also the lowlands between this height and Neufchatel. The Germans had been intrenched in this position since the first battle of the Aisne, and many French attacks had broken against the cliffs on which the village stands. Its capture by the French gave them an open road up the valley of the Miette, where more than two weeks previously they captured the enemy's second line south of Juvincourt. An advance up this corridor would outflank the entire German position depending on Laon as a centre. Such an advance would have been a hazardous operation so long as the Germans clung to Craonne. The corridor is protected on the east by the heights of Brimont.

Another brilliant victory was gained by the French on May 5 on the front north of the Aisne River at both ends of the Chemin des Dames. Over 4,300 prisoners were taken. On both sides of the Soissons-Laon road the French carried a salient in the Hindenburg line over a front of nearly four miles, extending from the Moisy farm (southeast of Vauxaillon) to a point north of Sancy, including the Laffaux Mill, which stands on a height at the intersection of the Soissons-Laon road with that running north to La Fère. The French line north of Nanteuil la Fosse and Sancy was pushed forward to the immediate vicinity of the Soissons road.

At the eastern end of the Chemin des Dames the French not only repulsed all German counterattacks, but cleared the entire plateau from east of the Cerny en Laonnois to a point east of Craonne, and pushed forward to the hills which dominate the valley of the Aillette River, south of Ailles, and the Vanclerc Forest. The Germans counterattacked more violently than at any time since the offensive began, throwing fresh troops into the battle at threatened points in fierce efforts to regain their lost positions. The fighting was especially prolonged and

violent around Craonne, where the French took prisoners from two fresh German divisions and maintained all their gains. The obstacles confronting the French armies were in many cases natural, and, it would seem, insurmountable, and the French accomplished magnificent exploits in scaling them in the face of the enemy, who had accumulated divisions and batteries.

Fighting Near Rheims

There was no diminution in the heavy German onslaughts in the neighborhood of Rheims, where the German positions between Beine and Sapigneul form a pronounced salient, which includes Fort Brimont and Forts Witry, Berru, and Nogent. After three days' more fighting the French gained further successes, capturing first-line trenches over a front of three-quarters of a mile northeast of Chevreux, near Craonne, and also a minor position northwest of Rheims.

In a determined effort to secure the initiative, the Germans on May 16 delivered a powerful attack on a front of two and a half miles northeast of Soissons, attempting to break through the French lines north and northwest of Laffaux

Mill, where the French seriously threatened the whole German position as far north as La Fère. So huge were the masses of troops thrown by the Germans against the French lines that at several points the French were driven back by sheer force of numbers, but counterattacks immediately organized enabled them to regain the lost ground.

On May 17 the German counterattacks still continued with extraordinary insistence, especially on the Chemin des Dames. A correspondent on that day summed up the situation in these words: "To the north of Laffaux village and the neighboring crossroads in particular the battle has gone on practically without intermission for a month. This district of sharp hills, wooded ravines, and limestone caverns is the corner at which the Siegfried line turns eastward. The French advance was desperately opposed from the first, and it has been possible to extend it only slightly, but the chief end has been very fully attained. The tide of the German assault swells up, splashes over a piece of trench here or there, is broken, and in its ebb leaves terrible human wreckage to mark one more failure."

A

merit." In the capture of Vimy Ridge on April 9, as in the lesser action of Courcelette in September of last year, they have shown the same high qualities in victorious advance as they displayed in early days in desperate resistance on many stricken fields. At half-past 5 on Easter Monday morning the great attack was launched with terrible fire from our massed artillery and from many field guns in hidden advanced positions. Our "heavies " bom

barded the enemy positions on and beyond the ridge, and trenches, dugouts, emplacements, and roads, which for long had been kept in a continual state of disrepair by our fire, were now smashed to uselessness. An intense barrage of shrapnel from our field guns, strengthened by the indirect fire of hundreds of machine guns, was laid along the front.

At the same moment the Canadian troops advanced in line, in three waves of attack. Flurries of snow drifted over the battlefield as the Canadians left their jumping-off trenches behind the rolling barrage. The light was sufficient for manoeuvring purposes and yet obscure enough to obstruct the range of vision and lessen the accuracy of fire of the German riflemen and machine-gunners.

The troops on the extreme left made a start under conditions as favorable as those in the centre and right, but they were soon confronted by a strong and constantly strengthening opposition. The advance of these troops was soon checked between its first and second lines of objectives by heavy fighting, which was more formidable against the centre of the line than against the flanks.

A dip in the ground caused a change of direction, which swung these troops off their central objectives. They reached their goals on the flanks, only to find themselves subjected to heavy, closerange fire of machine guns and rifles. To be enfiladed from the centre and the north was bad enough, but to add to the situation, caves, or a tunnel, in the hostile line over which we had already advanced now disgorged Germans, who promptly reoccupied their old front and opened fire on our rear. The enemy at these points fought with unusual vigor and resolution.

These troops on the extreme left fought all day against the Huns, and by 10 o'clock at night succeeded in disposing of the enemy in their rear and capturing the major portion of the enemy trenches in their centre. "The Pimple," in the north, still remained to the enemy, but by then snow was falling heavily and it was wisely decided to consolidate the hard-won gains and prepare for a counterattack rather than to undertake a further assault that night. "The Pimple" would keep for the morrow.

In the meantime the other troops fought forward to one line after another without serious check, but with many brisk encounters and not without casualties. Most of these were the result of shrapnel fire, only a small percentage were fatal, and the majority of the wounds were of a minor character.

On the German second line the troops drew breath and consolidated their gains. Our barrage was laid before them steady as a wall. Fresh troops came up and deployed into position. They waited for the barrage to lift at the ordained minute and lead them on. The enemy's artillery fire their counterbarrage and

bombardment of our gun positions-was not strong as strength in such things is considered today. Prisoners were already hurrying to our rear in hundreds, pathetically and often ludicrously grateful to the fortunes of war that had saved them alive for capture. They surrendered promptly and willingly.

The barrage lifted, and the two divisiens on the right followed it forward to the German third line. Here again they paused for a time, then advanced again, behind the ever-ready and unslackening harrage, for a distance of about 1,200 yards. This advance included the capture of several villages, Hill 140, a number of fortified woods, and several trenches and belts of wire. And still the enemy surrendered by hundreds and scuttled rearward to safety. Their resistance grew feebler, their hands more eager to relinquish their weapons and ascend high above their heads, at each stage of our advance.

At 10 o'clock snow fell heavily from black clouds sweeping low across the Half an hour later the snow ridge. ceased, the clouds thinned, and the sun shone fitfully over the shattered and clamorous battlefield. Word was received at the advanced headquarters that the British division on our immediate right was enjoying a degree of success in its operations equal to the Canadian

success.

Events continued to develop with rapidity and precision. By 1 o'clock every point in the enemy's third line of our objectives had been reached and secured. By this time the troops on the right had consolidated their gains and advanced strong patrols. From their new positions they commanded a wide view of enemy territory to the eastward. They reported a massing of Germans on a road in the new field of vision, and our heavy guns immediately dealt with the matter. By noon one of the battalions of a division had received and dealt drastically with three counterattacks. Its front remained unshaken. Shortly after this the Canadian Corps was able to state that the prisoners already to hand numbered three battalion commanders, 15 other officers, and more than 2,000 noncommissioned

officers and men-with plenty more in sight-making for our "cages as fast as their legs could carry them.

The final stage of the attack of the troops on the right was now made. They passed through the wide belts of enemy wire which fringed the plateau by way of wide gaps torn by our heavy artillery at fixed intervals. So they issued on the eastern slopes of Vimy Ridge the first allied troops to look down upon the level plain of Douai since the German occupation in 1914. They saw the villages of Farbus, Vimy, and Petit Vimy at their feet, and beyond these the hamlets of Willerval, Bailleul, Oppy, and Mericourt.

They pressed on to Farbus Wood and Goulot Wood, and possessed themselves of several hostile batteries and much ammunition.

By an early hour of the afternoon all our objectives, save those of the left of the attack, were in our possession, and the task of consolidating and strengthening our gains was well in hand. Throughout the day the most couragecus and devoted co-operation was rendered to the Canadian Corps by a brigade and a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps.

The night saw all of Vimy Ridge, with the exception of a few trenches on Hill 145, secure in Canadian hands.

The City of Rheims was evacuated by its civil population on Easter Sunday, when the last 17,000 inhabitants, who had withstood the German bombardment for two and one-half years, withdrew. Henry Wood describes this episode as follows:

B

EFORE the German declaration of war Rheims was a prosperous city, with 117,000 inhabitants, and though about 100,000 of the population left by degrees, the remainder refused to go. They organized an underground cellar life, with schools and municipal, social, and business activities.

The enemy apparently chose Holy Week for the final destruction of the city.

On Palm Sunday nearly 1,000 shells were thrown into the city, and the local authorities immediately suggested the final evacuation of the city, but the faithful 17,000 said, "Oh! but we have seen much worse than this in 1914." On Holy Monday another thousand shells came. The faithful 17,000 began to look a little dubious, but cheered each other up heroically. But on Tuesday another thousand shells deluged the city, and the local authorities had some bills printed begging the people to flee; but the bombardment was so terrific that it was im

possible to post the bills. On Wednesday there came still another thousand shells. The two newspapers of Rheims, which had never missed a single issue even under the severest bombardment, invited their readers at last to abandon their homes as they were abandoning their newspapers. Thursday saw another thousand shells hurled into Rheims and the authorities prepared more posters, this time ordering the population to flee immediately. The bombardment again prevented the posting of the bills and the 17,000 still refused to flee.

On Good Friday not only was the number of shells increased, but their size as well, and on Saturday were added shells filled with asphyxiating gas. It was then, and then only, the faithful 17,000 admitted their defeat.

They still hung out till Easter morning, however, and then, getting together their few possessions, and under a new deluge of shells, they went out, and Rheims remained a city without life and without breath.

The damage done to the remains of Rheims Cathedral during the bombardments of April and May was so serious that architects apprehend the complete collapse of the building.

TH

HE object of these reviews is twofold-to give a résumé of recent fighting in the various theatres

of military operations and to outline the general situation as it exists at the moment of writing. The second of these I will take up first, as it will bring into clearer view the objects on either side of the fighting, and to what extent those objects are being attained. Germany has two chances of winning the war. The first is the submarine campaign. If this campaign is successful to the point that oversea communication between the New World and the Old is completely broken up German victory is almost certain to ensue. The second is a separate peace with Russia. This will not necessarily make Germany the winner, but it will greatly enhance Germany's chances and make victory a possibility. As to the first, it is practically impossible. The second is not impossible, but improbable. At the same time a situation exists in Russia which is not without an omen of ill for the Allies.

Ominous Conditions in Russia

In

The situation is one of chaos. stead of liberty and an active struggle to defeat the most persistent foe to republican ideas, there is almost unbridled license and a complete breaking down of discipline in the military force. As one of the Russian leaders stated it, the people have had a sip from the cup of liberty, and it has intoxicated them. The ablest Generals, the greatest statesmen, have all left their posts, either through removal or resignation. Nicholas, Brusiloff, Rusky have gone, and there is no one apparently able to take their places. Discipline in the army has disappeared, the control of the officers over the men has gone with it, and no important order can be given unless ap

proved by the soldiers themselves. The Russians and the Germans are fraternizing openly in No Man's Land, and there seems no means of breaking up this ruinous communication. The situation could not, in a military way, be very much worse.

It is not that Russia will make a separate peace. The probabilities are that she will not. While this still keeps Germany away from the Russian granaries, it nevertheless, in so far as military operations are concerned, gives Germany the same advantages that such a peace would bring. That is, it eliminates Russia from the war, at least for the current year, and thereby permits the Central Powers to concentrate in other quarters a large part of the forces which have been held on the eastern front by Russia's swift, hard offensive strokes. This is an element that has an important bearing on the fighting in France.

General Hindenburg's Plan

Let us turn back a little to the beginning of the great German retreat and outline the reasons given by Germany, or fairly implied as reasons therefor. The first was undoubtedly to gain time-to delay the attack of the Allies, which they felt sure would be launched. The almost inconceivable devastation left in their wake is sufficient proof of this. The second was to give their submarines an opportunity to destroy sufficient tonnage to give them the advantage in the land fighting. Finally, having accumulated during the Winter a certain reserve of new material through new levies, returns from the hospitals, and men released from manufacturing duties through the enslavement of the Belgians, their aim was to begin an offensive in a new field through open warfare, using this reserve for the purpose.

What this new reserve amounted to in