WAR OF THE NATIONS 



WAR OF THE NATIONS 



A-Hindenburo Line 

 B-Meuse ancTScheldt Line X\ 

 C-Antwerp-Namur-Metz Line 

 D-Line of the Meuse 

 E-Line of the Ardennes 



GERMANY'S GREAT DEFENSIVE FRONT 



The "Hindenburg line" was smashed by the 

 allies in September, 1918. The Germans were 

 known to have four other strong defensive lines 

 to which they could retreat, if necessary. This 

 knowledge made it evident to the allied com- 

 manders that not before 1919 could Germany be 

 conquered, for it was not believed that the enemy 

 would surrender unconditionally before the retir- 

 ing movement reached German soil. However, 

 Foch's hammering crumpled the vast war ma- 

 chine before the second line (B) was destroyed. 



miles to the southwest, Laon and Craonne. 

 There were no reverses as the forces of the 

 allies cleared Northern France of the foe. 

 Meantime, British, Belgian and Americans, 



operating near the North Sea, exerted such con- 

 tinued pressure upon the foe that mile by mile 

 Belgian soil was reclaimed. Ostend was entered 

 October 17, and on the same day Bruges was 

 occupied. The next day Zeebrugge, which the 

 Germans had made a great submarine base, was 

 cleared of the enemy. Foreseeing disaster in 

 that section, at least, the German high com- 

 mand announced that before November 15 the 

 city of Brussels would be evacuated. 



The Last Days. By August the Americans 

 were holding thirty-nine miles of the French 

 front. They were destined to play a most 

 important part in the closing days of the war, 

 for Marshal Foch assigned to Pershing's men a 

 difficult and hazardous undertaking as part of 

 the allied offensive from the North Sea to 

 Switzerland. Great success had been achieved 

 by pushing ahead on the ends of short salients 

 and getting the Germans into small "pockets," 

 from which hurried retreat was necessary to 

 avoid surrender. These tactics were now to be 

 employed on a grand scale. 



In the north the enveloping campaign was 

 extending into Belgium; the Germans were 

 being driven south and east; they were given 

 no rest in the center, and the Americans were 

 ordered to push northward from the south. 



^NETHERLANDS //' 

 (ANTWERP ' * w "\ v _/(- 



/ * 



FROM JUNE TO NOVEMBER 

 (a, a, a) Battle line June 1, 1918; (b, b, b) battle line November 11. 



