The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-08-27

CALAMITY supported Dy IHe MOrOcCdH
division in the center, soon overran
his forward positions and broke
through the zone of his light artillery.
Though constantly confronted by fresh
enemy troops. this corps took the lead
in the advance and its progress was
most satisfactory. By noon 1t had
captured half of the great plateau in
its front, with many prisoners, ~ a
little later forward elements reached
the days objective.
The Second division encountered
strong opposition at Vierzy. In de-
termined effort launched after 6 p. m.
the town was captured and line over
looking the valley of the Crise was &C.
cupied. The First division had car
ried everything before it, capturing
defended farm houses and other points
where it met stiff resistance, finally
taking Missy-aux-Bois and holding
front line slightly beyond that town.
The line ran diagonally across the
Paris-Soissons road.
The attack of the corps was re-
sumed the morning of July 10, but dur
ing the night the German lines directly
in front of Scissors had been heavily
reinforced with machine guns and ar
tillery. In their advance the French
One Hundred Fifty-third division and
the First division met with much re-
sistance, the Second brigade of the
First encountering fire of the enemy
both from the front and the left flank.
Tanks were sent to its assistance and
with close artillery support the divi-
sion was enabled slowly to gain
ground. but at considerable cost.
The Second division, with the re-
serves of the first day in the lead,
forged ahead to the Soissons-C Chateau
Thierry road but was compelled to
withdraw to the vicinity of La Ra-
perie. 1t finally established line just
west of Tigny, with the road under its
guns. The division was relieved by
the French Fifty-eighth division the
night Of the 10th, having advanced
six and one-half miles, captured 5000
prisoners and seventy-five guns, and
sustained about 5000 casualties.
First Division Makes Advance.
July 20 the First division continued
its advance doggedly against a des.
perate stand by the Germans on the
knoll in front of Berzay-le-Sec. The
French had been ordered to take
Berzy-le-Sec, but failed. In the after
noon Summerall directed that it be as
saulted by his Secund brigade. but the
attempt did not succeed that day. As
sisted by the skillful use of artillery
and with consummate dash, under
Brig. Gen. B. B. Buck, in the face OF
intense artillery and machine-gun fire,
the Second brigade captured the town
on the 21st. Meanwhile, the First bril-
gade and the French Eighty-seventh
division, which had relieved the Mo
roccans, had crossed the Scissors
Chateau Thierry highway and reached
the Chateau of Buzancy. The line now
ran parallel to the Crise, with Scissors
commanded by our artillery.
The First division, throughout four
days of constant fighting, had ad-
vanced nearly seven miles, taken $500
prisoners and sixty-eight guns from
seven different German divisions en-
ployed against 1t, and had about 1900
casualties.
The thrust of the Twentieth corps
was conducted with such magnificent
dash and power that the enemys po-
sition within the salient was rendered
untenable. The dangerous character
of the threat caused the crown prince
to begin a general withdrawal from
the Marine. This operation snatched
the initiative from the enemy almost
in an instant and from that moment
he was on the defensive.
Our First and Second divisions, with
the Moroccan division between them,
had struck the decisive blow that
turned the tide of the war. Petain
said it could not have been done with
out our divisions.
On the other side the German chan
eellor, Won Hertling, said later: I'VE
expected grave events in Paris for the
end of July. That was on the 18th.
On the 18th even the most optimistic
among us understood that all was lost.
The history Of the world was played
out in three days."
Ito be Continued in Next Issue)