Evening star., 1918-06-16
GERMANS At front.
FEARU.S.EFF0RT
Blanket Of Silence Lifted
When Americans Presence
Becomes Known.
CALLED "BARBARIANS"
BY WILBUR FORREST.
Cablegran to The sunday Star and
the New York Tribune.

BY WILBUR FORREST.
Cablegran to The Sunday Star and
the New York Tribune.
WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES IN
THE FIELD. Juno I5.-while civilians
in Germany remain absolutely ignorant
Of the American effort as . whole. 1t is
now established that the military .u-
thoritiss are endeavoring vigorously to
suppress notice Of the American troops
in the German army itself, according to
positive Information reaching me today.
American" Il Taboo.
from dead and wounded taboo tho
word American" - much as pos
sible. The German generals try to
forestall any spectacular fighting sue
cess by American troops at all costs.
1t is now established in recent fisht-
ing north OF Chateau Thisrry that
two Of the best divisions. including
the Prussian Guard-picked shock
troops-were sent toward the rear
for several weeks rest after partici-
patton in the advance across the
Aisne.
The American troops were thrown
INTO line and rapidly came to close
quarters, fighting with less valuable
troops. The word soon reached the
enemy command that the Americans
were turned back in their tracks with
orders. though they are the two most
valued units in the German army, to
fight to the death before permitting
the Americans to gain . success.
American AdvancA Df8eu1t
In the ensuing struggle on the
vance was most difdcult The wood
ed ground was won foot by foot in
~ struggle in which enemy losses
were great. The wooded battle
ground bristled with enemy machine
guns and though on one portion of
fully held by the enemy. the American
attack threw them back. An sm-
mediate counter attack in return re-
pulsed the Americans and the most
desperate character of hand to -ha nd
lighting ensued. wherein the Village
of Bouresches was finally won by ths
Americans. and held. But the enemy
heid the Belleau wood against all
assaults.
Tuesday the final American assault
$50 prisoners and twenty machine
guns and other material Thus ended
the desperate fighting against two
crack divisions.
Calls Us "Barbarians."
Whether or not this news reaches
the interior Of Germany, II is known
among German troops now holding
the Chateau Thierry sector. know
this because I talked to one OF those
Prussian guardsmen. who insisted
hA
barbarians yet known in the Euro
pean war.
They are ferocious fighters, and
they cut their victims into pieces.
have heard they surrounded the en-
tire German battalions and massacred
1t on the spot"
But that's untrue" I said. Moth
ing OF the kind happened"
My friend. you don't know those
Americans" he insisted. Il am we'll
content to be . prisoner"
Tho conversation was held in
ruddy-faced. apparently we'll fed
young man about twenty three years
old. though Prussian. through and
through. was reared in Alsace. where
he was recruited into the guards.
Stories Are Untrue.
His stories Of American savaeery
were preposterously untrue and
Americans, SO far as I know, have
not captured an entire German bat
TALON. but his belief in them was a
positive sign that such tales are
spreading through the German ranks
and that the officiai wet blanket of
silence is gradually falling down.
This guardsman had neither seen
nor fought Americans. but he came
from a sector in the proximity Of the
American forces His stories ware
army gossip, which. however, will not
aid German army morale in the
future. though they were probably
based on American wild west films
exported into Germany before Amer
ica entered the war.