The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-02

six mile front between Chateau Thierry
and Dormans, but thirty-five scant
miles from Paris.
Then the harried soldiers of France
arose in their might for Il last grim
stand. Oh, the glory of that stand. 1t
will live in the hearts of the French
people forever.
But the Hun was not through. He
had plenty Of men to bring up. plenty
Of guns. They might still have turned
the trick II the unexpected had not
happened to upset their calculations.
On June / and the Germans made a
determined effort to broaden the point
OF the salient northwest Of Chateau
Thierry and to find a weak spot to
break through, and II was here that
they met with a new and by them en-
tirely unforeseen element of resist
ance. The Yanks had come at last.
Real Weak Spot of Front.
There was a weak spot there a gap
to be plugged, one Of the most danger"
Gus points on the whole front. Very
likely Foch was not yet quite ready to
use the American troops. but the
emergency was acute. The Second
Division OF the American Army was
| thrown In In a final effort TO defend
the Metz to Paris road and save the
city.
Unquestlonably Paris was in deadly
| peril. There seemed little chance of
preventing the Germans from sweep
| ing around west OF Chateau Thierry
and across the Marine. But they
couldn't do IT, The United States Ma
rines wouldn't let them. We plugged
that gap, we held that line, and the
German was stopped then and there.
Meanwhile. however, there were pre-
liminary actions which should be men
toned. for there were Americans,
though not marines, who stood shout
der to shoulder with the heroic French
when they made their glorious stand
at Chateau Thierry.
The first contingent OF Americans to
arrive at this crucial moment was a
unit OF machine gunners-one bat
TALON OF the Third Division with
orty-eight guns. On May 81, when
| the capture Of the town of Chateau
Thierry by the Germans was imminent,
they arrived in the nick of time.
This was. as matter OF tact, one
of the tensest and most critical mo-
ments OF the war, for II the Germans
had broken through u. Chateau Thier-
ry and had thrown their vanguard
across the Marine IT is difficult TO see
how anything could have stopped
them before they reached the defences
Of Paris. The delay occasioned by tho
stubborn resistance OF the French and
Americans at Chateau Thierry gave
us a chance TO organize the defensive
strategy which eliminated In the battle
of Belleau Wood and the thrusting
back of the German hordes.
The city OF Chateau Thierry is built
on both banks OF the Marine, and by
the time the Americans arrived the
| Germans had beaten down the French
defence north OF the town, had pushed
their way in and had established posi-
tons on the northern bank OF the
river. They dominated the bridges
with their guns. and the battered
French. forming for a last desperate
stand on the southern bank. had but
slight chance Of preventing a cross
ing in force.
Believed They Would Push
| Through.
The Germans believed they were go-
ing TO push straight through to Paris.
They came IN ever increasing num-
bers, gayly housekeeping down the
roads to Chateau Thierry in columns
OF tours, with their rifles on their
shoulders, singing. There were many
on both sides who said We'll, the war
is over" 1t looked like a mere matter
OF marching to tho Germans.
At the bridgeheads they paused 10
form for the fnal assault that was to
sweep the French out OF the town.
and they paused a moment too long
From the southeast small but ire
sistible whirlwind blew into Chateau
Thierry--a sort OF Kansas cyclone
and It hit tho bewildered Boche square
in the face.
When tho Germans were reported &c
be IN the outskirts OF the town bur-
ried and despairing call for help went
out-any help at all. 20 that It came
quickly. Some 100 kilometers to thf
rear was stationed an American ma
.'chias gun battalion that was ready