June 14, 1918 - Another day traveling to the front and reporting

Don Martin diary entry for Friday, June 14, 1918:

Went to the 2^nd division with Wales and [Edwin] James [New York Times]. Also went to brigade headquarters not far from where the shells struck yesterday. Returned early and cabled 500 words about letters found on German prisoners saying the Germans will be in Paris on June 28. Fine chance! [Bert] Ford [International News Service], [Fred] Ferguson [U.P.], [Jimmy] Hopper [Colliers] and [John T.] Parkerson [A.P.] in an auto accident. None badly hurt. Had a walk along the Marne in the evening with James. There is a new censor chief now – Major Bozeman Bulger, formerly baseball reporter on the Evening World. He was a good baseball reporter.

            Don Martin wrote two very similar versions of a story on the status of the German drive on Paris; one dated Thursday, June 13, was published in the Paris Herald on June 14; the second, dated Friday, June 14, was published in the New York Herald on June 15, 1918.Here, first, is the New York Herald version.

AMERICANS, FIRST UNDERESTIMATED, ARE NOW GREATLY FEARED BY HUN,

WHO IS RADIDLY LOSING ALL HOPE

Don Martin Sends Information of Attitude 
Gathered from German Prisoners

SURPRISE AT AMERICAN ACTIVITY AND SPEED

Balked in Attempt to Reach Paris, 
German Military Ring Has Back to Wall

By DON MARTIN.

Special Correspondent of the Herald with the American Armies in France.

[Special Cable to the Herald.]

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE Friday. [Jun 14]

                   Evidence comes from all quarters that America is helping to build a wall of bayonets, artillery and valor which is thwarting the German hopes, which were limitless a week ago but are dwindling now – hopes of crushing France and dictating peace terms in Paris. The delicacy of Americans who realize the insignificance of the sacrifices made by the United States to date in comparison with those of the French and British makes if difficult to describe the fervor with which French soldiers are hearing of the exploits of Americans, or the details of the sacrifices marking the first weeks of the Americans in the zone of death.

                The Germans in a desperate attempt to recapture the Bois de Belleau, which the Americans wrested from them, sent soldiers under cover of night to hide among the rocky ledges in the woods to wait for an opportunity to ambush the Americans. On Wednesday night the Americans stole into the wood, surrounded the Germans, killed many and captured an officer and fifty men, suffering no casualties themselves.

           The fear the Germans have of this group of Americans, who have been in constant battle with the Germans, was shown when eighteen Germans lifted a flag of truce and surrendered. They said many wanted to do the same thing but had been told by their officers that Americans kill but never take prisoners.

Worried Over America

              German opinion of American soldiers is shown in the Information of June 11, which I am permitted to quote. It is an epitome of information gathered from German prisoners in the hands of the French and is regarded as valuable. I quote the French document: -

      “American assistance, which is very much underestimated in Germany because the Germans doubted its value and the opportunity for it, worries the high German command much more than is admitted. German officers recognize that, among other things, it is the principal reason why Germany is hoping soon to finish the war and force peace on the Allies. It is believed that if we French succeed in holding on this year Germany will have lost the fatherland.

                 “They say that by the end of the year they will have succeeded in breaking our morale and our will to conquer. They hope by devastation and terror to be caused in Paris, accompanied by continuous attacks from the German army, that they will cause our resistance to collapse before Americans becomes efficient.

               “All agree that the war is reaching a crisis and all declare that the present offensive will be prolonged and renewed until a decision is reached or the German forces are exhausted.”

               Prisoners are not hiding their great surprise at the speed and activity of the Americans or at the good work of the French artillery, which for three days cut off the arrival of reinforcements and supplies, causing enormous losses. Practically all the officers of one division were killed.

“Americans Always Fight.”

             A letter found on a prisoner by the French said: -- “Americans are very courageous; they never surrender but always fight.”

       It is interesting to note that the Germans have nicknamed one American unit the “black snakes” and another “devil hounds.” The latter is the one which in a single week captured a thousand prisoners and left the fields strewn a dozen times with German dead.

          Other documents shed illumination on the German attitude to Americans. It is known now that after the Americans had decimated a German unit opposite them the Germans rushed the famous fifth division to the front with orders to break up the Americans and throw fear into their hearts. A large number of prisoners have been taken by the Americans during the last three days from among members of this Fifth division, which are shock troops, so it is no wonder the scales are falling from the eyes of the Germans.

         The point northwest of Château-Thierry held tenaciously by the Americans is a sore spot to the Germans. Yesterday morning they threw a furious barrage about the village of Buscheres and a thousand gas shells. The Americans held on unflinching. A few Germans got in the village but were killed or driven out. The Americans are still there. This was the ninth attempt of the Germans to gain the village. The Americans, though badly hurt from the uninterrupted fighting, laugh at the despair of the Huns and say “they’ll get sick after a while.”

             I had lunch yesterday at the regimental headquarters. Some seats were vacant at the table. Fresh mounds of earth not far away told why. The place is within range of the German guns, which are never weary of spurting death. The officers are indifferent to the booming of shells a hundred yards away, and treat them as if they were mere tennis balls. They have had two weeks of it.

Under Fire Near the Front

                   While I was looking at a road a hundred rods away two huge shells struck close by, gouging great holes in it and lifting a cloud of earth, dust and smoke which drifted lazily off like the smudge of a forest fire. That goes on day and night. The officers get used to it, but it is hard on the men up at the front, for they cannot get proper rest. The artillery duel at this point is continuous. The shells coming and going furnish a terrifying possibility. To some it is something of a medley, but there is no doubt the Americans hail of shell is causing thrice the havoc among the Germans.

                The soldiers are finding solace in the knowledge that Germany has been balked at present at least in its push to overwhelm Paris. It is no secret anywhere that Germany is playing her last card to batter her way to victory, knowing that she will never have a chance if she fails this time. The talks I have had with prisoners prove that German’s military ring has its back to the wall. It is like an animal, with victory in sight, held at bay, growing steadily weaker while her foe is gaining.

                    Still it is no mistake to realize that Germany has the ability, through a wanton and reckless sacrifice of men, to make a terrific onslaught. It is evident she has no hope of gaining Paris by this offensive. She has first determined to straighten the line, giving a bold front before Paris, then to repeatedly launch offensives until the issue is decided. The mumblings in Germany spell the doom of the militarists unless complete victory should result from the terrible slaughter. Meanwhile the French are confident and the Americans are eager.
          In the earlier version published in the Paris Herald on June 14, the first part was identical but last four paragraphs were different and read:

Paris Drive Held Up.

               Our soldiers are finding solace in the knowledge that Germany has been balked, for the present at least, in her push to overwhelm Paris. It is no secret anywhere that Germany is playing her last card to batter her bloody way to victory, knowing that she will never have another chance if she fails this time.

              Talks I have had with prisoners prove that Germany's military ring has got its back to the wall. It is like an animal with victory in sight, held at bay and growing steadily weaker while its foe is gaining. There is no doubt of Germany’s ability, through wanton and reckless sacrifice of men, to make another terrific onslaught. It is evident that she has no hope of gaining Paris in this offensive. Her first determination is to straighten out the line, giving a bold front before Paris and then repeatedly launching offensives until the issue is decided.

               Mumblings in Germany will spell the doom of the militarists unless complete victory results from the terrific slaughter.

          Meanwhile the French are confident and the Americans eager.