Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-05-09
HOW WE SAVED PARIS.
miracle of Chateau Thisrry" Told by
COL r. n. C. Kelton.


COL r. n. c. KeIton.
The story of how the Americans
saved Paris Is told for the first time
in The Century by Col. r. H. c. KEEL
ton, now attached to the general staff.
but at the time Of 1.-THE Miracle Of
Chateau Thierry," as he calls his arti-
Gle, chief Of staff to the famous Third
division. We reprint below certain
salient portions Of his story.
"The success Of the Germans in the
big drive in the north-Picardy in
March and Flanders in Aprii-brought
the Allied morale lower than before,
and Sir Douglas Haig issued a general
order in which he said: We are fight
ing with our backs to the wall They
were, for the Boche was then bombing
all lines Of communication clear back
to the channel coast from Calais al
most to Havre.
1.-THE Chateau Thierry drive occurred
in the last week Of May, and matters
looked desperate. All the big indus
trial concerns near Paris engaged In
the manufacture of ammunition and
war material were moving their plants
to points south of Paris as fast as
available transportation would permit
All government bureaus and all banks
labored with records and books, Sc
curities and cash, packed and ready for
flight at a moments notice. The sit
uation seemed hopeless to some and
serious to all.
Finally, on the evening OF July IA,
prisoners were captured, who stated
that the attack would take place that
very night at midnight. The front OF
attack extended from the town OF
Gland, about three kilometers east OF
Chateau Thierry, and thence east and
northeast to the Montague de Rheims.
"The defeat of the German attack
on July Is among the Marne and TO
the east of Rheims forms the first part
of this event, and the magnificent
counter offensive initiated on July IL
by those five heroic divisions, two
American and three French, may well
be called the demonstration OF the MI
racle, for in those three days the NOR
ale of the Allies had been born anew.
1.-THE German high command was be-
wildered; they had counted 1t an easy
step in their operations toward Paris
and ultimate victory. Hertlins, the
German chancellor, three dayb before
his death stated that he was convinced
on July /, 1918, that the Allies would
propose peace before September. he
said: We expected grave events In
Paris before the 18th Of July. But on
the 18th even the most optimistic
among us knew that all was lost. Tne
history of the world was played out
in those three days.
Before closing I shall try to show
what I conceive to be an explanation
of this miracle Of Chateau Thierry,
even though miracles are not supposed
to be explained. AS the months OF
1918 passed by, and only six divisions
were in France when the Gerlhah oi-
fensive opened, the opinion was often
expressed, and repeated, the Ameri-
cans are too late and hope was al
most gone.
But when on July 16 the news was
spread that green American troops had
succeeded in administering crushing
defeat to massed German attack the
Allies suddenly found that, instead OF
rnere,v a promise for the future, they
had ready at their side the reaiity Oh
the American military strength.
IF unseasoned American troops
could fight like that, then twenty-five
divisions were available and the hope
of victory and the will to conquer
burned again with an unquenchaoie
flame. for the war could still be won.