Gilpin observer., 1918-11-14

In the ending Of the great world war,
which eliminated Monday morning. Nov.
1lth. by the signing of the armistice by
Germany, the only remaining belligerent
Of the Central powers. the American Ex-
peditionary Forces played deciding
part. The beginning. OF the end Of Ger
many's defeat was after the force Of
the great drive launched this year had
been checked when sufficient American
troops were placed in action to stem the
tide.
Cong. George M. Young. a member Of
the congressional party that visited the
European battle front, gives a clear ac-
count Of the fighting that took place
from the time the Germans started their
great drive toward Paris after they had
been reinforced by troops from Russia
after that country withdrew from the
war:
After greatly increasing the strength
Of their army by soldiers withdrawn
from Russia, the first great German
drive was made this year upon March
21 in the direction of Amiens along a
front from Arras to scissors. AS a
|
south Of Ypres. The first drive was
very successful from the German point
Of view. The British were rolled back
with apparent ease. Finally the Brit
ish baked the drive.
"Then after months preparation
the second great German drive was
launched on May "a along line ex-
tending from vauxaillon. almost directly
north of Scissors and Brimont, almost
fensive was begun by striking a terrific
blow with massed forces all along this
line. a distance of approximately 40
| miles.
''The first day they advanced five and
q half miles. reaching Pont Arey, on the
Atsne river. The bombardment was just
as violent as that which heralded the
great drive Of March Fl. and the infan-
try attack was upon a more formidable
scale. Dense waves Of infantry follow
ed closely in the wake OF a lifting bar
rage. and fresh troops were pushed up
with characteristic recklessness. The
back areas were heavily shelled with
high velocity guns, and German air
planes were unusually venturesdme.
THE Germans forged ahead miles
the second day. capturing a portion OF
Soissons. menaced Rheims. and reached
a point In the hills south OF st. Thierry
and the southern banks OF the Vesle.
The Germans were strongly reinforced
the third day and continued the drive
southwark. every hour creating uneasi-
ness in Paris and thruout France When
and where would end this last and most
powerful German drive? In this emer-
gency Gen. Pershing volunteered to
send some divisions of American SOL
diers in training at n certain point west
| Of the fighting area. These were men
| who had not completed their training
and who were not thought to be ready
for actual warfare by British or French
officers. The only ones who believed
they were really ready were the men
themselves. But the emergency was
great. 80 these partially trained troops
1 were hurried along the railway and up
on gas trucks to join in the fight They
left the training camps Thursday night
and Friday and arrived at the various
points along the front between Friday
night. May 81. and Sunday morning.
"A large unit was loaded into rail-
way trains on Thursday night, travel
without sleep. reaching a point about
6 miles from Chateau Thierry at 10
o'clock at night. and Immediately went
into position at Chateau-T -Thierry. The
machine gunners were sent to guard
four bridges over tho Marne. They had
been there only three hours when the
German shock troops made a strong at
tempt to cross the river. They were re-
pulsed. But for three days our men
stood there like n stone wall. prevent
ing the passage over the river. Then. in
the face Of a withering fire from can
non and machine guns. the American
| engineers advanced and destroyed the
bridges. finally stopping the drive at
this point. one Of the gateways to Paris.
AT the same time while the fight was
going on at -Thierry warm fight
ing was In progress at other points. one
+, OF them nearer to Paris than Chateau
Thierry. where the Germans were sweep
ing forward like a mighty tidal wave.
An American brigade reached that point
on Sunday morning after having travel
ed all day and night without sleep. By
o'clock In the afternoon Of the same
day they had been In three fights. in
one Of which they drove the Germans
back for kilometers on a front Of 4
kilometers. In this locality was fought
the now famous battle Of Belleau Wood
by the gallant Marines. No more glor-
ious page & American history has ever