The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-11-22

from Falmouth and followed n pre-
scribed course going and returning; If
the steamers were painted in a speci-
fed way and carried specified flags;
if ms steame a week each way were
sailed, and if the United States govern
ment guaranteed that no c~ontraband
was carried.
The immediate answer Of The United
States was given February 3-the sew
erance of diplomatic relations with
Germany. April 6 the president signed
a joint resolution of the two houses
of congress declaring a state of wac
70 exist with Germany. In quick sue
cessiOn came the selective service act
for the raising of an army; a wa
appropriation Of $1,000. 000, 000; the
sending Of an expeditionary force OF
regulars TO France under General
~Pershing; the registration of near
100000 men for military service
the closing OF the first Liberty loan
with q large Oversubscription; the
drafting of the state militia into the
federal service. October 81 formal aD
nouncement was made that America
troops in France had fired their first
shot in war.
Nevertheless, the spring of 1913 saw
three huge drives on Paris by the Ger
mans. BY June l the Germans were
within IS miles Of the French capital,
in Chateau-Thierry. Unless they were
speedily stopped Paris would be under
their guns. The plan of the French
was to- delay them as long as possible
by rear-guard actions until reserves
could be brought up.
Yankees Stop Huns.
And then took place the thing
which all good Americans were prayer
fully expecting: American soldiers
got into action in American fashion,
under American leadership, with
American artillery and machine guns.
The French commander sent to
Chateau-Thierry an American division
made up Of marines and of infantry
from the middle West. June 2 the
le~athernecks and doughboys moved
into support positions back of season
ed French troops. The French were
forced back and filtered through the
Americans; the support positions soon
became the front.
JUN = 1bOul ANG ~ 1IO1A IL liz ~
ernOon, the Germans attacked in force
through a wheat field, in platoon col
umns, in perfect order, supremely con-
fdent. The Americans raked them
with shrapnel and machine guns. Then
they opened with rifle fire. Cool, I'M
hurried, they picked their shots as If
at target practice. Military experts
will tell you that the American ma
rines are the most effective fighting
men in all the armies of the world GER
tainly they have no equals with the
rifle.
The Germans wavered, then came
on again. Twice more they stopped
twice more advanced. Then they broke.
Flesh and blood could not stand that
rifle fire. They crawled off through the
standing grain. The Americans sent
bullets wherever the wheat stirred.
That was the end.
Days and nights of heavy lombard
ment followed. Sleep was impossible.
The Americans lived on monkey
meat bread and water. Then they
went on took the town of Boures-
ches, cleaning cut the nests of machine
gunners with rifle fire, bayonet and
grenade.
What They Have They Hold.
Next they took the Bots de Belleau.
It was a jungle. 1t was every man for
himself, Indian fashion, from tree to
tree. from rock to rock. The battal-
ion of leathernecks which took the
wood went in with 95S men n 26
officers. They came out with $40 men
and seven officers. But they took
the wood. Then they dug themselves
in and fought Off counter-attacks for
five days until relieved. constantly
shelled and gassed. not one hot meal
all that time. What the leathernecks
have they hold.
This one division used up five crack
divisions of the Germans.
There are those among the allies
who say that the Americans at ha-
teau-Thierry saved Paris, just as the
Canadians saved Calais. When the
military history of the Great War Is
written Chateau-Thierry is likely to
be called the turning point of the
struggle. For its moral force was be-
yond estimate. 1t put new heart into
the war-worn French and British. All
France famed with joy. The Ameri-
cans ha d%stopped the Hun, had driven
him back, had beaten him Off. And
thousands upon thousands Of just such
Americans were in plain sight pushing
to the front!
General Foch in supreme command
of the allies on the western 'front.', soon
afterward launched the allied offensive
and victory followed victory all along
the fighting line of $50 miles from the
North sea to Verdun. 1t was the be-
ginning of the end.
BY early October the Hun was beat
en- to his knees and asking for peace
October 81 the Italians utterly routed
the Austrians. h same day Turkey
surrendered. November 3 Austria
signed an armistice virtually amount
ing to unconditional surrender. No
vember Q Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated
and Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm
renowned the throne, both fleeing TO
Holland TO escape a people in revolu-
ton
So the mad ambition of Emperor