El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-06-16

Marine and drove the advance ele-
ments of the Third division out OF
their trenches Later in the day they
counter attacked, regained the lost
ground. and drove the Germans east
ward. But the main contribution OF
the Third division to this phase OF
Ludendorff's offensive lay in main II.
tanning 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 Third division prevented
the Germans from opening q gap in
the allied line. This fighting took
place on July IS. Is and II. This
marks the third phase.
Foch Begins Great Drive.
Finally, on July l6. Foch delivered
his great counter offensive. The main
blow was struck bv the French Mo-
roccan division and the First and Sec
ond American divisions. emerging
from the forest Of Villers-Cotteret a
dozen miles south Of Scissors. Sub
sidiary attacks were made by the 26th
division. which advanced northeast
from Beneau Wood. and the Fifth di-
vision. which was broken up and in
termingled with the French troops.
This counter offensive was one OF
the great successes Of the war. In IL
the American divisions and particu-
larly the First and Second, played an
extremely brilliant part, advancing
until they crossed the Soissons-Chat-
eau-Thierry road, and in company
with their French comrades took po-
sitions which made evacuation OF the
whole Chateau Thierry salient inev-
table. As the German retreat be-
gan. other American divisions were
brought into action. The 42nd (Rain-
bowl division. which had shared in
the successful defense Of the line east
Of Reims replaced the 10Th division.
The 2Sth relieved the French divis-
ion, and the 51st relieved the Third.
TinalIv the nth came into action
when the general retreat had reached
the Nesie very early in August, just
as the operation came 70 a standstiIl
This is the fourth phase Of Chateau
Thierry.
Chateau Thierry MISnOmer.
It remains now to estimate accu-
rauely the value Of the American par
ticipatiou. Tt will be seen at the out
set that Chateau Thierry itself is a
very misleading name. unless one ap-
olies il to the whole salient between
the Aisne and the Marine created by
the German victory on the Chemin des
Danes Of May p. since. save for the
action OF the Third division through
its machine gun detachment on June
J. no fighting took place in the imme-
date vicinity Of Chateau Thierry it.
self. The fighting OF the Second di-
VISION IN and about Belleau Wood was
six or eight miles away from Chateau
Ihlerry, while Foch's main thrust in
his great counter offensive took place
nearly 80 miles north OF Chateau
Ihierry on the eastern edge Of the
forest OF Nillers Cotterets-
Foe Advance Nears End.
When the Second and Third divis-
ions arrived on June I, the great Ger
man advance was almost at an end.
The victorious Germans had been ad-
Vancing. for six days. They had out
run their artillery and their supplies
The best proof that the advance was
that the Americans were never at
tackled on the lines they took Up, save
as the Third division participated in
the general German offensive six
weeks later
1t is. therefore. inaccurate TO
assert that the intervention OF
the Second division on the Chat
eau Thierry road or the Third df-
vision south of Chateau ThIerry
saved Paris. stopped the great
German drive or did more at the
moment than 10 support and TO
relieve the exhausted French d.
visions and cOneeiVabIy halt the
Germans mile or two short Of
the position they might have
reached before they were COM
PEELED to abandon their advance.
OF the fighting at Belleau Wood,
the truth is that it was brilliant. mag
In which the marines and the Ninth
and 21st Infantry gave a splendid in
dication OF the fighting qualities OF
our new troops. The capture Of Bel
leau Wood did not materially change
the situation. nor did It supply a van
tage point OF any particular value, in
the later offensive. Seen as a local
engagement fought for a limited OBJ
1ective, IL possesses merit which
should make Belleau Wood and the
villages OF Yourselves and Vaux
places OF American pilgrimage for
many years The best proof Of the in
tensity of the fighting is shown by
the fact that the Second division lost
1880 killed. 1929 wounded and 2ss
missing-that is nearly 10000 out OF
a fighting strength of about $4,000 in
six weeks It is a glorious page In
American military history, this Bel
leau Wood engagement. but il is easy
to exaggerate its relative Importance. /
Useless Contribution.
or tbs contribution Of the Third d.
vision south Of the Marine. It is suf-
ficient to say that it was a useful ad-
dition to the general resistance Of the