that is to say the Allies were on the
defensive. They were waiting for reinforcements from America. Germany
was making desperate efforts to win a decisive victory and force peace
on their terms before effective aid could arrive.

TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILES OF BATTLE.

At this point try to realize what these statements imply. We do not
grasp their meaning. A battle front of two hundred and fifty miles! And
along that line at least ten million men were facing each other with
other millions in reserve. Trench lines were strung along most of the
front. Not simply one line of trenches, but several, with connecting
trenches, the opposing lines being at places only a few hundred yards
apart. As the struggle continued, however, it became more and more a war
in the open.

This series of struggles are undoubtedly the greatest exertion of
military power in the history of the world. Never before had such masses
of munitions been used; never before had scientific knowledge been so
drawn on in the service of war. Thousands of airplanes were patrolling
the air, sometimes scouting, sometimes dropping bombs on hostile troops
or on hostile stores, sometimes flying low, firing their machine guns
into the faces of marching troops. Thousands upon thousands of great
guns were sending enormous projectiles, which made great pits wherever
they fell. Swarms of machine guns were pouring their bullets like water
from a hose upon charging soldiers. It was an inferno such as Dante
never dreamed of. The Fifteen Decisive Battles of history of which we
have heard--all put together,--were exceeded day after day in the summer
of 1918 when Germany was making her last desperate effort. Thus for
weeks the red tide of war ebbed and flowed, while civilization trembled
in the balance.

UNIFIED COMMAND.

It was clearly seen by the Allied leaders that appointing a
generalissimo to command all their forces was a necessity. This command
was given to General Ferdinand Foch, who had won fame in the battle of
the Marne and who was recognized as one of the greatest strategists of
the day. Events soon demonstrated the wisdom of this step. No general
ever commanded such armies as he. Napoleon, Von Moltke, Grant and Lee
were great generals, but everything connected with this war was on a
scale never before approached, and we can say that the qualities of
leadership displayed by Marshal Foch were necessarily on a higher plane
of action--and we can say this wit