side was neutralized by the strength of the German defense
works plus artillery. None of the Allies' undertakings had, so far,
been carried out to its logical--or intended--conclusion. Whether this
was due to weakness, infirmity of purpose or lack of coordination,
remains to be told some future day. By the middle of the month it
became apparent, from their expenditure of men and munitions, that the
German General Staff were determined to make up for their past losses
and to recapture at least some of the ground taken from them by the
Allies. It seems hardly credible that all these fierce attacks were
mere feints to withdraw attention from their objective--Verdun. They
had no reason to fear a French offensive in the immediate future. For
one thing the condition of the ground was still too unfavorable. The
French at this stage occupied practically the entire semicircle from
Hill 70 to the town of Thelus, excepting a portion between Givenchy
and Petit Vimy. Hill 140, the predominant feature in the district, was
almost all in French hands. The line between La Folie and the junction
of the Neuville-St. Vaast road covered the Labyrinth, which the
French had won in the summer of 1915, and it was here that the main
force of the German attacks was launched. The French positions on the
heights commanded every other position that the Germans could possibly
take within the semicircle, and naturally gave the former an immense
advantage for their next offensive.

In Artois the Germans exploded several mines on January 26, 1916, in
the neighborhood of the road from La Folie, northeast of Neuville-St.
Vaast, and occupied the craters made. Violent cannonading kept up in
the whole of this sector. By the 28th the Germans had captured three
successive lines of French trenches and held them against eight
counterattacks. After exploding mines the Germans made an attack on
both sides of the road between Vimy and Neuville and stormed French
positions between 500 and 600 yards long. They captured fifty-three
men, a machine gun, and three mine throwers. On the 28th they directed
infantry attacks against various points and gained more trenches.
Following up their advantage the Germans stormed and captured the
village of Frise, on the south bank of the Somme.

While this struggle was in progress, a terrific fight was raging north
of Arras. The real objective of the attack appears to have been an
advance south of Frise in the direction of Dompier