Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-15
Bi FRANK II. SIMONDS.

Bf FRANK II. SIMONDS.
PARIS. June 10. 1919.
I n the month of June one year ago
there was going on, north of Chateau
Thierry and about Belleau wood.
that desperate fighting which
marked the first considerable interven-
ton of the United States forces in the
world war. Through the courtesy of the
American Army l have been able to
visit the battlefields, talk with the gen.
| erals engaged and reconstruct some
thing of the history of that action which
has become for Americans. at least
temporarily. the most interesting single
detail in the war. In the present article
am going to try to set forth facts as
contrasted with the legend of Chateau
| Thierry on what may be regarded as
the anniversary of the struggle.
To start at the beginning, Chateau
Thierry is name rather iooseiN appnea
to q series of operations which took
place between the Marine and the Nesle
rivers between June ! and the first OF
August These operations may be di-
vided into four phases: First. that
which was comprehended in the Ameri-
advance of June / and the days immedi-
ately following; second, the offensive
about Belleau wood of the I'd Dl-
vision. which began June and came to
an end about June %. SO far as the
marines were concerned. with COM
plete clearing of Belleau wood. and SO
ia: as the 9Th and 21st Infantry were
concerned with the capture OF Naux In
the first days of July: third. the con-
tribution of the Sd Division south of the
Marine to the general resistance to the
great German offensive of July 10; and
tburth, the participation OF nine Ameri-
can divisions in the counter offensive OF
Foch, which began July Is.
Germans Progress May 81.
May 81 Ludendorff broke the allied
line held by tired French divisions and
remnants of the British 5th army, which
had been beaten at the Somme and
FOR rest and refit. The German attack
was successful substantially all the way
from scissors to Rheims, and in the
next few days German forces moved
southwark as far as the Marine, took
scissors and entered the outskirts Of
Rheims and began to push southwest
ward in the general direction of Paris.
On Decoration day the I'd Division
was in billetS south of BeauvaiS under
orders to proceed next day to the Somme
area and take on portion of the line
next the LIST Division, then in action
at Cantigny, but on that day orders
were changed, the I'd Division was di-
rected to move eastward to meet the
German advance, which was coming to-
ward Paris on either side of the Paris
Metz road in the neighborhood OF
Chateau Thierry, while similar order
was sent to the Sd Division. in billets
a considerable distance south of the
Marine. The objective of the Sd Division
was the south bank of the Marine, facing
Chateau Thierry. where it was to pre-
vent the Germans from crossing the
river.
On June l the Marine brigade of the
I'd Division reached Montreaux aux
Lions, a dozen miles west of Chateau
Thierry, and at l o'clock Of that after
noon, at the urgent request of Gen.
Degoutte, commanding the French
corps, the 9Th Marine Regiment moved
out on the Chateau Thierry road and
took a position some six miles west OF
Chateau Thierry in Clerembauts woods.
French troops were in line still farther
I to the east, but the 9Th Machine Gun
Battalion was used effectively ON that
day.
Kept Huns Over River.
At the same time the 7th Machine Gun
section of the Sd Division, brought up
to the south bank of the Meuse in au-
tomobile trucks, arrived in time to cover
the retreat of the French infantry from
the north and prevent the Germans
from crossing the river.
In the days Immediately following the
whole of the I'd Division took up posi-
lions on either side of Clerembauts
woods, the French troops in front re-
tired on June 4. and thereafter the
Americans held this sector: They were
not, however, attacked. In the same
fashion the Sd Division arrived and
took over from the French the south
bank of the Marine. They. too. were not
attacked, although several companies of
one regiment aided the French in an I'M
successful attempt to hold Hill 204, just
the town.
This was the first phase Of the
Chateau Thierry operation.
June 6, at daylight, the marines north
of Chateau Thierry road delivered the
first offensive. taking the village of
edge of Belleau wood. From that time
onward the marines were heavily en-
gagged up to June 25. Belleau wood
passed completely into their hands, and
the Germans retired to the hills north
and east, maintaining outposts in sew
eral small villages. Early on July 8 the
infantry of the I'd Division south Of the
Chateau Thierry road advanced and
took VauX in very brilliant offensive.
This situation remained on July 10,
when the "a DIVISION was relieved Uy
the 26th New England) Division. This
ended the second phase.
July Is Ludendorff launched his great
offensive, which included main attack
between Rheims and the Argonne. and
a secondary attack to force crossing
across the base Of the Rheims salient.
The Sd Division, south of Chateau
Thierry, was on the extreme left of the
allied line of attack. On the morning
of this day some German troops did
cross the Marine and drove the advance
elements of the Sd Division out OF their
trenches. Later in the day they counter
attacked, regained the lost ground and
drove the Germans eastward. But the
main contribution of the Sd Division to
in maintaining its connection with the
French troops to the eastward. who
were driven from the bank of the Marine
several miles southwark. Skillful and
gallant fighting on the part of the Sd
Division prevented the Germans from
fighting took place on July Is. 16 and
II. This marks the third phase.
Counter Offensive of July Is.
Finally, July IS. Foch delivered his
great counter offensive. The main blow
was struck by the French Moroccan di-
vision and the LIST and I'd American di-
emerging from the forest of
Villers- Cotterets dozen miles south of
scissors. Subsidiary attacks were made
by the 26th Division. which advanced
northeast from Belleau wood, and the
5th Division, which was broken up and
with the French troops.
This counter offensive was ore of the |
great successes of the war. In it the |
American divisions, and particularly the |
ist and I'd. played an extremely brilliant ,