COAST ARTILLERY, JOURNAL - Air Defense Artillery

542 THE COAST ARTILLERY JOURNAL
As we shall see later, in order to facilitate the exercise of command,
the staff of the Tenth Army had been placed between the Eighth Army
and the Second American Army.
OPERATION OF THE BREAK-THROUGH STUDIED BY
GENERAL DE CASTELNAU
An offensive of the importance of that which was projected demanded
a minute preparation. In order that nothing should be left
to chance, General de Castelnau, after having studied it in its smallest
details, forwarded on October 23 these considerations to General
Petain:
GROUP OF AR\HES OF THE EAST
General Staff-3d Bureau
No. 1753
Typewritten by an Officer.
To THE COlllMAXDER-I:';"-ClIIEF:
Headquarters, October 23, 1918.
THE GE:'iERAL OF DIVISIOX DE
CrRlERES DE CASTEL:'iAG
Commanding the Group of
Armies of the East
You have sent me under date of October 19, under No. 27,489, instructions
relative to the operation that will eventually be undertaken in Lorraine.
I have given the neCl'"ssaryorders to the Eighth Army.
I believe it to be my duty to submit to you, apropos to the projected
offensive, certain considerations as set forth in the accompanying notes.
G.A.E.
Notes on the Operation in Lorraine
CASTELXAU.
23 October, 1918.
Aim of the Operation.-To break the enemy front; to assure our entrance
into the open country to the north of the forests of Bride and Koeking
and of Chiiteau-Salins. This result will be attained by the occupation
of the heights of Baronville-~forhange. Also to begin the encirclement of
Metz on the right bank of the :\foselle and to push later on in the direction
of the Sarre.
The depth of the advance to he realized is about twenty kilometers.
Front of Attack.-The front of attack is limited on the left by the advanced
defenses of the fortified city of ~fetz, and on the right by the region
lying just this side of the Vosges. Its development must conform to the
means at our disposal (twenty Infantry Divisions).
It should be considered that, on the right, the assailant must be interested
in protecting himself by the region of the ~farshes, without, however,
penetrating in them. This region is difficult of traversing; the liaison between
the infantry and the artillery is poor; in fact, this terrain is not
suitable for exploitation. But it will be necessary to hold the outlets of
the region- of the :\farshes, in occupying the heights of the Juzelle-Donnelay--Chiiteau
de ~farimont, and also to join the front reached with the old
front in those parts in which it "ill remain stabilized_ "With this end in
..iew, it "ill be necessary to capture the region south of Sanon, Remabois,