Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-26
ALLIED OFFENSIVE
URGED BY PERSHING
Glenn enceau and FOch
Show Misgivings, but
Are Sure France Will
Carry on StubbOrnly.
CHAPTER XLVI.


minated some three weeks later
in the capture of the last Ger
man positions in the Bots de BeIlesu Dy
its Marine Brigade and OF Vaux by us
Regular Brigade.
The fightlng during most of this pc
Rod was of peculiar intensity. The
German lines were faVoraoly locateo on
more formidable by the extensive use
of machine guns, especially in Belleau
Wood.
In the initial advance Harbord's Ma
rine Brigade captured BoureScheS. ana
Lewis Regular Brigade took Triangle
Farm and Bots de la Barette. during
the next few days our troops progressed
piecemeal June IS the It'll Infantry,
I'D Division, arrived to reinforce the
Marine Brigade engaged in the wood.
This regiment relieved the brigade on
that date, and the Marines were rested
for a week, when they again entered
the line. Against stubborn resistance,
they drove the enemy from the WOOD
June IS.
1900 Prisoners Taken.
Meanwhile the Regular Brigade con-
tinued it's attacks intermittently ana
July /, with great dash, captured Vaux
and the Bots de la Roche. The opera
tions of the division in this vicinity were
practically at an end when the new
lines were stabilized on the high ground
captured from the enemy.
The casualties in the division were
about $500 More than 1900 prisoners
were captured from the enemy:
The gains by the I'd Division were
won with little aid on either flank by
the French units, which were still IN
poor shape and were made against an
enemy determined to crush this early
American effort The successes OF this
division and of the 1st at Cantigny and
the Sd on the Marine, following as they
did the crisis of May 81, were loudly &C
claimed by the French and for the time
being had very stimulating effect upon
French morale.
With the transfer Of activities to the
French front northeast of Paris, our
plan to build up an American corps
near Amiens had become impracticable,
and as ] had offered Gen. Petain the
services of our divisions wherever they
might be needed it now appeared posi-
bic to form at least corps and possibly
an army somewhere along the Marine
salient.
1 had suggested that we should bring
other divisions to join the I'd and Sd
for that purpose, and accordingly the
26th and 42d were relieved from the
inactive Vosges front, and five American
divisions from the British area were
designated to be sent to that quiet sec
tor to relieve French divisions. The as
sembly of four American divisions in
aid of the French on that front would
more than Offset their recent losses.
Admiration for U. S. Troops.
Gen. Petain, in his letter accepting
my offer said, in part:
y1o1aef pYnroSc nv deem gratitude
for the prompt and very important aid
you are bringing in the present crisis.
The American troops already engaged
in the battle are the unanimous adj
miration Of the whole French army
The power of the effort which your
country is at present showing. as well
as the resolute and generous spirit with
which you enter the struggle, is for
the allies-and above all for France
comfort in the grave times through
which we are passing, and a pledge Of
hope for the future"
The position of the Germans in the
Marine salient created by the recent
offensive was inherently weak. AS the
efficiency of certain units of our forces
had been fully proved, it seemed to me
the time had arrived for us TO utilize
them to good advantage by combining
them in an independent effort.
1t was moment Of depression for the
enemy, while the large numbers Of
American troops arriving and their sue
cess so far, had helped allied morale.
The Germans had been stopped at the
Marine
1 felt that we should not give the
enemy time TO reform and rest his
forces, but, If possible, take the initia-
tive ourselves
II was with this thought in mind that
I suggested TO Gen Petain we should
assemble a number of American divi-
sions in the Chateau Thierry sector. I
had already proposed to Foch that they
should be utilized in a counter attack
against the salient.
Wanted Scissors Attack.
1t was obvious that a blow at the
enemys line south Of scissors. II sue
cessful would compel him TO retire. 1t
would have the effect of threatening
his rear so far as that part Of his force
was concerned. / was very eager that
our troops should be allowed 10 under
take such an attack.
Leaving the suggestion with Gen.
Petain. without further discussion, /
returned to Paris, arriving June g. The
next morning / called on Prime Min
lister Clemenceau. and on that morning
the fourth phase of the great German
offensive started between Montdidier
and the Disc. Reports indicated that
it was meeting considerable success.
Mentioning this TO M Clemenceau.
] asked him what he thought would be
the result II Paris should fall.
NJ Clemenceau replied that he and
Mr. Lloyd George had considered that
possibility, and had reached the con-