The French and American Armies--the American Army now in all men's mouths because of its gallant and distinguished share in the June and July fighting on the Marne--were to attack towards Mezieres and Metz, while the British Armies struck towards St.
Quentin and Cambrai--in other words, looked onward to the final grapple with the "great fortified zone known as the Hindenburg line." So long as Germany held that she was undefeated.

With that gone she was at the mercy of the Allies.
But much had to be done before the Hindenburg line could be attacked.
Foch and Haig, with Debeney, Mangin, Gouraud, and Pershing in support, played a great _arpeggio_--it is Mr.Buchan's word, and a most graphic one--on the linked line of the Allies.

On the British front four great battles, involving the capture of more than 100,000 prisoners and hundreds of guns, had to be fought before the Hindenburg line was reached.

They followed each other in quick succession, brilliantly intercalated or supported by advances on the French and American fronts, Mangin on the Aisne, Gouraud in Champagne, Pershing at St.
Mihiel.
_The Battle of Amiens_ (August 8th-13th), fought by the Fourth British Army under General Rawlinson, and the First French Army under General Debeney, who had been placed by Marshal Foch under the British command, carried the line of the Allies twelve miles forward in a vital sector, liberated Amiens and the Paris-Amiens railway, and resulted in the capture of 22,000 prisoners and 400 guns, together with the hurried retreat of the enemy from wide districts to the south, where the French were on his heels.

These were great days for the Canadian and Australian troops.