Something like forty divisions, most of them the best troops available,
have now been thrown across the Aisne--400,000 men who might possibly
have reached some vital part of the allied defenses in the north.
The von Hutier method is a prodigious invention, but it is as costly
in fire and blood as it is impressive for force and speed. In the last
week of March it was, in a purely military sense, properly employed,
even though it failed, because the objective could be said to be of a
vital or decisive character.
What vital objective is there in the present operation? The central
part of the German line has been pressed a little further in the
last twenty-four hours in the obscure region of scattered hamlets,
large farms, and deep tortuous valleys, midway between the Aisne and
the Marne. It now comes nearly down to the small market towns of
Fère-en-Tardenois and Ville-en-Tardenois, thence running east-northeast
to the Vesle just outside of Rheims.
The advance is meeting ever increasing resistance, and by the time the
first week is out it will perhaps be definitely arrested. But suppose
that it goes much further and reaches the Marne Valley, or even still
further to the Montmirail Valley. Two useful highroads, with some
country towns, would be lost to the Allies in these altogether unlikely
contingencies, but nothing vital would be lost. The German Army would
be no nearer than it now is to winning the war.