The Washington herald., 1918-06-17
DEVIL DOGS"
SHOW GERMANS
WHAT'S WHAT
Marines Victories on Marne
Make New Chapter
in History.


with a bravery and dash that
has won universal praise from Brit
fsh. French and American command
ers. the American sea soldiers lived
up to their traditions in the battle
of Chateau Thierry and won the
biggest American battle of the war.
1t was not the first important bat
tie fought by the American troops.
that honor falling to the force d.
rected by Gen. Pershing himself
which captured Cantigny, but 1t was
the heaviest. the most spectacular
and the most significant from
strategic viewpoint our men have
yet fought
Hold Lines Intact.
They are now holding their gains
intact along a ten-mile front from
Chateau Thierry to Vinly. The ad-
vance at its smallest point was
little less than a mile; at its great
est extent, where the marines drove
ahead regardless of their objectives
and captured the village of Torcy. II
represents a three-mile advance.
The victory Is the most glorious
chapter in the history Of the United
States Marine Corps. The devil
dogs have prided themselves on their
yaIor, and in their recuiting appeals
earIy in the war their officers laid
great stress on the fact that the
marines have. always In American
history, been first to fight" and
hardest to defeat. Their triumps in
this battle adds immeasurably to this
reputation.
The real military Importance OF
their victory is greater than it seems
had
driven a sharp salient into the Fran
co-American line between Chateau
Thierry and the Clignon River. At
Chateau Thierry they were nearest
to effecting a crossing Of the aarne.
OutnankIBg Plan.
The only practical means OF pre-
venting the Germans from crossing
the Marine and continuing their drive
on Paris was to outflank them north
west of Chateau Thierry and pinch
them out of that city.
The Americans had been hurried
to the front in motor trucks on June
I, much as General Gallieni rushed
from Paris the famous "taxicao
army that saved Paris in 1914 On
June and ), they were thrown into
the battle to stem the German ad-
vance around Chateau Thierry. They
held their line adamant, and their
resistance did more than anything
else to stop the Huns advance.
On Thursday and Friday came the
word to advance to the attack in the
effort to throw the German line back
north Of Chateau Thierry. Plungfng
ahead with Yankee Doodle ring
ing in the surprised ears OF the Ger
mans, they hurled the foe out of
all the towns in their immediate
line of attack.
Dead In Path.
Numerous prisoners fell into the
hands of the marines. and scores of
German dead were left behind as
the Yankees continued the attack.
When they finally came to a stop
they had captured considerable more
territory than their commanders had
figured on taking. This week the
marines drove ahead again and gain
ed more ground.
The German hold on Chateau
Thierry is now far less secure. The
continuation of the American and
French attacks in this region may
be expected, as the purpose is to
clear the Marine of Germans for a
distance of several miles. thus les
sening the possibility OF another
drive toward Paris on this front.
Won Hindenburg's efforts are now
directed chiefly toward holding his
gains on this front. It is likely.
therefore, that the Franco-American
attacks have caused him to reinforce
his lines. so the Yankees will meet
with bitter opposition when they
attack again.
HarbOrd Heads Marines.
The marines. who recently were
termed by a German writer the
greatest fighting men in the world"
are temporarily under the command
of Brig. Gen. James G. Harbord. who
rose from the ranks Of the regular
army to be Gen. Pershing's chief OF
staff
Hartford has been in command since
the relief recently of Brig. Gen.
Charles A. Doyen. of the Marine
Corps, who was found physically dis
qualified Gen. DOyen took the ma
rines to France and trained them,
and will shortly he succeeded by
Brig Gen. John A. Lejeune. to whom
Gen. HaTbord Will iurn over the
command.
HarbOrd Is a typical example or
The American self-made soldier. Born
in Illinois in 1866. he enlisted as
private in the Fourth Infantry in
1889 and was quartermaster sergeant
Of his company when the Spanish
American war broke out. That con-
flict made him a second lieutenant
Of cavalry. When the European war
broke out he was a ma jor and be-
came a lieutenant colonel when he
went to France a year ago as Per-
shing's chief of staff Since then
ne has been appointed a brigader
general.
Origin Of "DeyIl Dogs"
In the Marine Corps bulletin a few
lays ago the story was told of how
the Germans named the American
marines devil dogs"
THE German" said the bulletin,
has met and named the fighting
American marine. The soe who en-
:ountered the prowess of the marines
received a mingled impression of
Wildcats, human cyclones, and move
nents quick as lightning. When
Fritz was first introduced to him he
uttered one cultural gasp:
'Teufels Hunde"
From now on the soldiers of the
Iea apparently have lost their old
ime name of leather-necks,' and are
% be known as Devil Dogs We
marines are not ashamed OF the
lame."