Don Martin diary entry for Saturday,
June 15, 1918:
Had a car to
myself today. Went to the Second division. It had 900 casualties last night.
Its headquarters are in a farm house just outside of Bezu. I returned early and
wrote 1,000 words for New York. Wrote a five-page letter to Dorothy. I wish it
could be published.
I saw 10,000 Americans marching toward the
front today. Many of them will never return. They are being used to check the
German offensive. The French are hard pressed for men. The French are beginning
to realize that America is now a real factor. The French soldiers now salute
the Americans. It is about time they showed real appreciation. I am seeing more
of war preparation than I ever saw before.
The letter Don Martin wrote to his daughter on June 15, 1918, which he wished could be published, is now published here a hundred years later. He writes that it is “a queer kind of letter to write to a little girl,” eleven years old. He wrote that "The Germans are making their greatest effort of the war...They expected to sweep straight through to Paris... before the middle of the summer.” He glorified the fighting of the American soldiers. “The Germans tried to blast the Americans out of one strong position in the Belleau woods. They used their heaviest artillery and some of their best troops but the Americans licked them to a standstill. The Kaiser himself -- and I was told this by two German officers who were taken prisoner – sent his pet division, the 28th, to smash the Americans and give them a lesson. The 28th ran into a snag the first thing. Many of them are now prisoners and a new German division is pitted against them now with no successful results for the Germans.”
He wrote about the “glamor of war”: "I have seen two or three aeroplane fights; have seen considerable bombarding; have seen some of the big German shells strike not far off leaving holes large enough to hide an automobile and have seen all the preparations for a gigantic defensive ... Fifty times I have seen shrapnel bursting around German planes which were seeking to make observations over our lines. I didn’t think I would be so fortunate as to see the war in the way I have seen it. We have credentials which permit us to go anywhere we wish...”
But the horrors of war were having their impact on him. He wrote “I have been in many of the American hospitals just after engagements and gas attacks and have seen some things which form a grim tragic contrast to the glamor of war. It is a terrible thing and is growing more frightful because of the Germans' determination to fight the war with gas of the most frightful character.” “One of the pathetic features of the situation is the exodus of people from the villages which are threatened by the Germans. They pack up all their earthly belongings which can be carried, pack them all on the big wagon with only two very large wheels, drawn by two or three horses one ahead of the other; with the old folks and the children loaded on the top of the wagon, and start for somewhere where perhaps they will find friends to take them in. I saw one of these wagons go by here the other day and on it were seven little children, the oldest perhaps fourteen, the youngest a baby in arms. They made a most touching picture.”The growing importance of the Americans was again emphasized in a dispatch dated June 15, published in the New York Herald on June 16, 1918.
AMERICANS SET THE PACE FOR HUNS
IN THE BIG BATTLE ON THE WEST,
DRAWING PICKED TROOPS TO LINE
Compel Radical Changes in German Schemes on the Marne Front
FORCE THEM TO SEND BEST MEN OPPOSITE
As General
Pershing’s Line Lengthens,
This Will Have Crucial Bearing on Campaign
By DON MARTIN.
Special Correspondent
of the Herald with the American Armies in France.
[Special Cable to the Herald.]
Herald Bureau, No. 49 Avenue
de l’Opera, Paris, Saturday. [Jun 15]
The importance of American troops in the big
battle is shown by facts I have now learned. One unit of Americans is still
holding with effectiveness two German divisions, the 197th and the
237th, also part of the Tenth.
Furthermore, by the vigor of their attacks
on the Germans and by their steel wall of resistance to all assaults by picked
German troops the Americans have compelled the placing of two new German
divisions in line, the Twenty-eighth and also the Fifth division of the Guards,
two first class divisions which it is known the Germans desired to send north
to Noyon to help batter a way through the French.
The Germans are staggered by the fighting of
the Americans. They have failed in repeated attempts to get Belleau Wood, which
the German high command is determined to possess because it commands the road
to Paris. The Americans still there are as brave as on the first day. I was
informed to-day by an expert in such matters that the Americans at this point
in ten days killed, wounded and captured an equivalent of one German division
and a half (about 18,000 men).
The American units are still able to hold
out against anything the Germans can send against them. Last night in despair
of their inability to force the Americans back they threw thousands of gas
shells. The men stood their ground and waited in their masks for the infantry attack
which did not come.
Here is an excellent map showing the battles in the Château-Thierry area, which Don Martin has been reporting on. It is taken from Over The Top, June 2018, published by Michael Hanlon.
Here is an excellent map showing the battles in the Château-Thierry area, which Don Martin has been reporting on. It is taken from Over The Top, June 2018, published by Michael Hanlon.
I went to a hospital close to the line and
saw Americans suffering from gas. If folks at home saw this their hatred of the
Huns would be greatly deepened. They are masters of fiendishness in war, but in
square and humane fighting are no match for any civilized army.
Letters of Huns
Gloomy
I got a copy of a letter taken from a German
prisoner. It says: --
“Another day has gone, but at night there is a crashing in all corners
and the worst of it is we must lie in our holes in the ground and not even move
lest we be hit and killed. Had much rather attack than wait now. Another long
night without cover, but in the morning we will have a look at the big
Americans. Mercy he may not expect from us, for the embitterment is too great.
We will cut them all to pieces. We will succeed.
“We
should have been relieved for a rest, but now the American unit has been
identified and our General Staff has selected the best of our divisions, for
they are the Baden Second and our Twenty-eighth. We should give those gentlemen
the final death blow.
“We
were again the first division to reach the Marne, and the Kaiser telegraphed to
his wife that the Twenty-eighth is again the best. The Kaiser watched us from
the Winterberg. We are now only storming divisions. If things do well it will
be lucky for us, as in a few days we will be relieved by our division
commander, Prince Freiherr von Buchu.
“We
have lost, owing to an airplane bomb. They give much trouble, but I believe
ours pays them back. We should take Paris by June 28. Then it will still be a
long time before the war is finished.”
The letter was written by a sergeant.
Spirit of the
Americans.
I saw a member of a famous American unit in
a hospital, his eye bandaged, but he was husky. He is Merrill Corbett, of St.
Louis. He said: -- “War is hell. I have been through a week of steady fighting,
then fell down and got a stick in my eye. I am all right except for a big
bandage, but I am going back. I have got to go back, they need sergeants. So
long. Tell the folks back home ‘Heine’ struck a snag when he struck the
Americans."
Information from positive sources shows that
the Germans are exasperated at the Americans and cannot understand how they
fight so well. As the line lengthens, the character of the troops being
identical may have a crucial bearing on the big battle, compelling the
withdrawal of German troops from other sections.
A German division before the war consisted
of two brigades, each of two regiments (six battalions) of infantry, with one
reserve brigade, an artillery brigade and a regiment of cavalry. The war
strength of a complete division, without reserves, was about 15,000 combatants.
Some were three brigade divisions, having a strength of 21,000 men. These have
been so depleted, however, that a division at present is believed to number no
more than 12,000 men. The Prussian Guard corps is a force of picked men drawn
from the whole kingdom and is usually sent to critical points requiring special
strength.
The article was followed by this.
Don Martin,
HERALD correspondent with the American Army, is sending thrilling special
cables every day, telling of the glorious achievements of Pershing’s fighting
men at the front. Don’t miss them.
- -
- - - - - - - - - -
A dispatch for Paris, dated June 15, was published in the Paris Herald on June 16.
AMERICAN TROOPS TAUGHT
GERMANS WHOLESOME LESSON
Three of Kaiser's Divisions Were Cut Up
North-West of
Château-Thierry.
By DON MARTIN.
WITH THE
AMERICAN ARMY, Saturday. [June 15]
It is now known that one American division
which has been holding a sector in the section north-west of Château-Thierry
has sent three German divisions temporarily into retirement for recuperation
and is now engaging the most zealous attention of two of the best German
divisions, the 28th and the 5th Guard, being faced now by the Kaiser's pet
division, the one which first crossed the Marne in 1914 and was the first to
reach up in the present drive. Prisoners have been taken from both. It may be
stated also that the 28th and 5th were some time ago chosen to aid in the
German offensive in the vicinity of Noyon, but were diverted to the sector
opposite the Bois de Belleau in order to impress German will and force upon the
Americans. It seems a safe deduction, therefore, that, while the Americans have
played, perhaps, but a small role—picturesque and heroic though it is conceded
by all to be—they have, in cutting up three German divisions and keeping two
stronger units away from the big attack, been an important factor in the great
battle upon which may hinge the fate of Europe.
The German divisions which faced this one
American division for a week or ten days and were sent back to "find
themselves"' again were the 197th, the 237th and the 10th. The
losses sustained by these units amount practically to a division and a half.
The losses suffered by the American division were small by comparison.
Since this group of Americans took up its
position in the line, the Germans have made eight attempts to capture the Bois
de Belleau, but have been unable to keep a hold on any large part of it. The
Germans originally held the wood, which occupies an important strategic
position, being the gateway to one of the roads to Paris, and in order to
insure holding it against any assault, had placed machine-guns in almost every
tree. The Americans now have more than thirty of these machine-guns, and have
counted the remnants of many more which were twisted and broken in the terrific
artillery fire directed some days ago to the wood.
Failing in every attempt to dislodge the
Americans, and seemingly being determined to harass their foe, the Germans on
Thursday night threw a terrific fire of heavy explosive shells into the woods.
They followed it by a shower of gas shells. They used various kinds of gases in
the expectation of forcing the Americans from their position, but made no
attempt to advance with infantry. The Americans awaited such an attack, but the
Germans here apparently have lost their appetite for hand-to hand encounters
with the "contemptible army" from America.
"Nothing
to These Heinies."
Yesterday I saw one of the heroes of this
American division leaving a hospital with a bandage over his left eye. He was a
rugged type of Middle-Western American, with broad shoulders and thick chest,
with huge freshly scarred hands and an athletic swing to his gait. I asked him
how he was hurt.
"War's a hell of a funny thing,"
he said, chuckling. "Here I am, a tough guy too, been seven days in shell
fire, gas, rifle fire and God knows what else—I have seen it all—and came
through without a scratch. Then this morning I am walking through the woods and I step in a little hole and get a stick in my eye. Can you beat it? Doctors say
I ought to stop here a couple of days, but nothing doing. It's back to the line
for me. There are only two sergeants left in my company. They need me and I
told the doctors I'm going back to finish this fight with a bandage on one
eye—and I am too. Tell the folks back home, if you see them, that there's
nothing to these Heinies. They fight like wolves—all together or not at all.
We've got their number."
Saying which Sergeant ambled on his way. His
words reflect the spirit of all the boys who have been up in the front line.
A dispatch by Don Martin with a translation of a German newspaper article from May 11, presenting the Junkers party position, was published in the Paris Herald on June 15 1918.
JUNKERS, THANKING KAISER,
CALL FOR POLICY OF FORCE
Wilhelm II Ruled to Last Moment as Peace Lord,
Says "Deutsche Tageszeitung."
Says "Deutsche Tageszeitung."
By DON MARTIN.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY.
The following from the ''Deutsche
Tageszeitung" (May 11) indicates the attitude of the Junker party in
Germany, crying—not more democracy, but less—for the people in the future :—
"The whole German people, including
former opponents of militarism, to-day thank the Kaiser for keeping up the
wonderful organization of the German Army. Without it we could never withstand
the mighty superiority of our Enemies, much less overcome them. Our fleet, too,
which overthrew the British in the Skager Rak, is a personal creation of the
Emperor. It has given the German people a new and brilliant opportunity to
develop:—witness the acquisition of Heligoland. This policy, the services of
one man, created the road from Berlin to Bagdad, won us the friendship of the
Mohammedan world, and now shows up brilliantly in the working of the
Quadruplice.
"The monarchy which has done this bears
the responsibility during and after the war, of assuring its creations. The
Kaiser is the incarnation of the monarchy. He is answerable for it. Till the
last possible moment he ruled as a 'Peace Lord.' Wilhelm II can bear no shadow
of blame for the war, yet by it he is given the task of strengthening the
structure built up from his inheritance and genius.
"For this task the monarchy must keep
the lead in Germany. Individuals and parties must cast aside their personal
ambitions. The greatest fault of Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg was that he found
110 word of praise for the monarchical system, the, accomplishments of our
Kaiser. It was always 'what the people have done' or 'the virtues of the
Reichstag.' He made possible the attempt of the Reichstag majority to curb the
constitutional powers of the Kaiser, to take away the leadership of politics
that rightfully belonged to him. No one now approves the methods of July 19,
1917.
"It is high time that such a course be
changed. Only a policy of force, consonant with our Army Command, can win the
peace we need. An end to the Reichstag debates, hollow foppery, and senseless
nagging of certain politicians. The German people wish a clear policy of force.
Let the monarchy take a firmer rein, and assure to Germany a new, lasting
security and power."
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