Don
Martin diary entry for Tuesday, July 2, 1918:
Went to the 2nd division headquarters with [Edwin] James
[New York Times]. Got a cleanup story on Vaux which was a brilliant victory for
the Americans. Wrote a Fourth of July cable for New York and a follow on the
Vaux affair.
The two reports on the battle at Vaux,
which Don Martin wrote in the early morning of July 2, were published in the Paris
Herald and in the New York Herald on Wednesday, July 3, giving the opportunity
to see the difference in his reporting for Paris and for New York. First, the
Paris Herald story.
AMERICANS SWEEP FORWARD IN BRILLIANT ATTACK,
STORM VAUX VILLAGE AND WOODS
Infantry Drive on Mile-and-Half Front, Northwest of Château-Thierry, Follows
All-American Artillery Preparation and Barrage—Mile Advance
Is Made—Defending Forces "Practically
Annihilated."
(SPECIAL
TELEGRAM TO THE HERALD.)
By DON MARTIN.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES. Tuesday [July
2]
Here is what American troops did on Monday in
the sector west of Château-Thierry: —
Advanced slightly more than
one kilometre on a front of approximately three kilometres;
Drove the Germans from the
village of Vaux and straightened the American line from the Bois de Clerembouts
to a point north and east of Vaux;
Put the operation through on
schedule time, reaching their destinations at the precise moment set down in
the programme;
Inflicted heavy casualties on
the Germans;
Took at least 500 German
prisoners; and
Gave the Germans
a bitter and deadly taste of intense artillery fire with American guns and
American ammunition.
In comparison with the historic
developments of the last four years, the operation of the Americans was no
doubt small, but nothing has surpassed it for clock-work execution and
preciseness. The men were told to be in Vaux at twenty-five minutes after six
o'clock Monday evening. They were there on the dot. They were told to be in the
Bois de la Roche at a certain time and they were there. They went over the top
in thin wave formation just behind the first creeping barrage ever thrown by
American artillery, and although now and then faced by a hurricane of
machine-gun bullets they never wavered or faltered, but dashed to their
objectives, killing, wounding or capturing all the Germans who stood in their
way.
FIRST ALL-AMERICAN OPERATION.
It was the first complete military operation
planned and executed by the Americans, backed by their own artillery, and it
furnishes a good answer to the Germans who, in official documents, have been
branding the Americans as weaklings in war, incapable of independent action and
helpless in artillery preparation.
The Germans attempted to organize
counter-attacks during the engagement, but the constant and savage artillery
fire from our guns demoralized them completely, and those who did not surrender
were either captured or wounded, or, in a frantic dash to the rear, were caught
in a second barrage which was first dropped at a point well back of the
Germans, and gradually drawn forward to squeeze the Germans between the deadly
curtain of shrapnel and the advancing Americans.
I saw the beginning of the advance
and the shelling of Vaux, and was impressed by the businesslike manner in which
the Americans conducted the affair. It is proof of the fact that, as their
activities enlarge, the Americans will bring to the grim task of war the same
degree of efficiency they have applied to industrial and business matters at
home.
So far as reports show at the time of
writing, there was not a hitch or slip in the arrangements or execution, and at
this moment the Americans are continuing their shelling of the German back
areas and waiting eagerly for any counter-attack which the Germans may attempt.
It is hardly likely, however, that there will be any attempt at a counter-blow
for the time being, because the Germans lost very heavily and, in the words of
some of the prisoners, among whom were several officers, were badly shot to
pieces.
Artillery preparation for the attack
began at six o'clock on Monday morning, when high explosives, shrapnel and gas
shells were turned loose on the Germans, both in their front lines and in the
back areas. Patrols had supplemented other information so completely that the
exact location of the Germans at the various points was known. Batteries were
shelled and silenced.
VILLAGE WIPED OUT BY GUNS.
Early in the afternoon, it being known
that there were three or four thousand soldiers in Vaux, heavy guns were
trained on the village. At the end of a half hour a report from an aerial
observer was transmitted to the local headquarters as follows: —
"Fires blazing in many parts of
Vaux. There is not a building in the village which has not been struck at least
once. No soldiers to be seen. Many left village. Rest have gone to
cellars."
As was afterward learned from
prisoners, the Germans hurriedly left the town when the shelling began. They
said it was the most intensive fire they had ever seen. Seven hundred Germans
were left to resist when the Americans entered the village. They took to the
cellars and abris, some of which were destroyed with heavy losses to the
Germans.
For several hours the shelling of Vaux
continued, and what earlier in the day had been a beautiful village in a
beautiful landscape seemed but a smudge of smoke and dust, through which glared
an occasional blur of red.
Meantime the back areas were being
treated to a merciless shelling. At two minutes before six o'clock in the
evening, after twelve hours of steady artillery preparation, a barrage was
started on the German front line. At six o'clock, the infantrymen, in thin
skirmish formation, started up a gentle slope to an eminence overlooking the village
of Vaux, as well as through fields which run up to the Bois de la Roche.
German artillery, meanwhile, was
dropping shells both on the slope and the fields, and had machine-guns trained
with more or less accuracy on the battle areas. Nevertheless, the Americans
followed their barrage, keeping at a perfect distance behind it, and escaped
severe losses. They went over the brow of the hill and disappeared on the other
side, with Vaux but a few hundred yards before them.
RESISTANCE SWIFTLY OVERCOME.
There was less fighting in the village
than might have been expected. This was due to the fact that the artillery work
had terrified the Germans and destroyed the morale of many of them. The
Americans met resistance, but it was quickly overcome.
Thirty Germans were found cringing in
a cellar. Its location was known and the men who had been detailed to seek out
this place made a dash for it. The Germans had their hands up and were taken
prisoners and sent back. In a cave which had capacity for 100 persons, Germans
threatened a real resistance, but a few hand-grenades transformed them to the
mildest sort of beings, and they were led out.
Sweeping through the village strictly
according to programme, the Americans continued their advance. They took the
Bois de la Roche. Here they met stubborn resistance. In a ravine they were
subjected to bitter shellfire, but it did not weaken their spirit to go on till
their task was finished. In two hours after the barrage started every objective
was reached. The message sent back read: —"All objectives reached
according schedule. Now digging in."
The prisoners were herded together and
sent back for examination. They were apparently average troops. Some of them
were Poles, but all are veterans. The number reported at midnight Monday was
250, including four officers. As this despatch is written I am told that there
are at least 450 prisoners, and that the number may be swelled to 500.
The number of German dead cannot be
estimated, but it is known to have been large. Many German wounded were sent to
the American dressing stations. They and the other German prisoners told
stories similar to those told by all the others: the German soldiers are tired
of the war; they expect it to end this summer, probably with a great Hindenburg
drive in August; they can stand anything better than American artillery fire;
they get plenty to eat, but are beginning to doubt the stories told them by
their officers. They said they had not been looking for offensive action by the
Americans, but suspected it when the heavy artillery fire started early in the
morning.
In the expectation of checkmating the
Americans the Germans started a barrage on our front line shortly after five
o'clock in the evening, but our artillery stopped this.
Evidence of the accuracy of the
American artillery work was afforded by the destruction of five small groups of
German infantrymen who started forward from well back of the front line, evidently
with the intention of organizing a counter-attack. The artillery was ranged on
them and observers reported that every one in the groups was either killed or
wounded.
Many thousand shells were used by the
Americans in the artillery preparation and the shelling is still going on. The
sky to the north resembles a hundred aurora borealis playing simultaneously,
and the thunder of the guns mounted on scores of hillsides crashes and rolls
over the hills, on which a brilliant waning moon casts its glamor. The German
replies are infrequent and thus far have been ineffective.
And now
the New York Herald story.
VAUX
FALLS TO AMERICANS’ GREATEST ATTACK;
500
GERMANS AND VAST SUPPLIES CAPTURED;
HUNS ANNIHILATED IN VAIN COUNTER STROKE
DON MARTIN SEES AMERICANS
USING CREEPING BARRAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AN ATTACK
Marines Dent German Line,
Storm Village of Vaux,
West of Château-Thierry on the Paris Road, in Brilliant Action, Capturing Many of the
Enemy and Killing More
ALL OBJECTIVES GAINED TO
THE MINUTE,
ACCURACY AND QUICKNESS
AMAZING HUNS
Correspondent Watches Men
Follow the Barrage and Take Village and Has
Interview with Prisoners Taken and with Americans in First Aid Hospital
By Don
Martin
Special Correspondent of
the Herald with the American Armies in France
[Special Cable to the Herald]
WITH THE
AMERICAN ARMIES IN FRANCE, Tuesday [July
2]
Quick and brilliant fighting, preceded
by the-masterful artillery of American guns manned by Americans, to-day dealt a
stinging blow to the Germans and demonstrated again that our men fight like
demons. It also proved to the Germans that they have a resistless foe to deal
with.
In the biggest operation undertaken by
Americans since the civil war they advanced more than a kilometre on a three-kilometre
front, capturing the village of Vaux and the woods north of the village. About
four hundred and fifty prisoners were taken and hundreds of Germans were
killed, the Americans gaining all their objectives to the minute, as arranged by
schedule.
I saw the men go over the top from a
distance back, saw the dash of the thin skirmish formation over the gentle
slope disappear and then the storming of Vaux, which already had been subjected
to the most furious artillery fire known on this front.
It is impossible to praise too highly
the courage and skill of the youngsters, who advanced in the face of machine
gun fire and also in the midst of savage shelling. The operation, which was an
entire success, was projected wholly by Americans who perhaps are amateurs in
war, as militarists have understood the term.
Their First Creeping
Barrage.
A creeping barrage was used for the
first time by the Americans, and no artillery experts anywhere could have excelled
them. It was started at six o'clock in the evening, and the infantry advanced
just behind it, reaching Vaux, one of the objectives, in twenty-three minutes,
which was the time set by the staff. A short time later word was flashed back
to local headquarters, where I waited: —"Company reached objective; Is
digging in."
In less than two hours the Americans
had attained their end and settled down in their new positions, sending the
prisoners, including four officers, back to the rear.
Unquestionably it was a most brilliant
achievement. It was small in comparison with the great battles, but was
important, for it shows the ability of Americans to act on their own
initiative. It further shows that they possess much artillery and have men
capable of directing its fire with deadly accuracy.
As I write prisoners are arriving and
the sky is red with the constant flash of American guns still hurling shells in
the back areas of the Germans to prevent reinforcements and also to shut off
the retreat of those escaping the terrific hurricane of shells, shrapnel and
gas which began at six o'clock this morning and continued incessantly. The sky
is alight with flame like a thousand aurorae boreales together. The roar of
guns is deafening, reverberating from the rolling hills, glorious in the
moonlight, like a giant thunderstorm.
Awaiting the Counter
Attack.
A runner just back from the midst of
what for hours was an inferno reports Vaux quiet, with the Americans in
possession, and at various points ready to meet a counter attack, which the
Germans had been unable to make up to the time he left, owing to their
inability to get reserves through the tornado of death which was spurting from
our guns upon the hillsides far back of the lines.
Later bulletins from the battle state
that the Germans began a fierce counter attack at three o'clock in the morning,
the chief result of which was an increase in the number of prisoners taken and
of the dead, virtually all of the attacking force not captured being killed,
none escaping. An entire German regiment was annihilated in the fighting
between Hill 204 and the village of Vaux.
The American attack was made by a regiment
of the same unit which earned everlasting laurels at Bouresches and Belleau.
The attack was made on a line from the Bois de Clerembouts to a point just east
of Vaux, all due west of Château-Thierry. This is one of the vital points of
the whole front, for it commands the Paris highway. It is also one of the
points where the Germans penetrated nearest toward Paris.
To-day's accomplishment takes from
the Germans approximately a kilometre of the Paris road, besides a stretch of
important railway back of Vaux.
Great Moral Effect of
Victory
The material gain was surpassed by
the moral effect of the victory, which' was clean and complete. It demonstrates
the efficiency of our staff and our artillery and furnishes a bitter, stunning
reply to the Germans who have been insolently declaring that Americans are incapable
of anything without French direction. The operation was a model of perfection
and is an example of what American armies can do. The staff arranging the
programme showed mastery of warfare, and the men in carrying it out repeated
the demonstration that no task is too great for the determination and bravery
of the soldiers.
The fighting was the big development
of the front to-day. While it was proceeding I saw as many as twenty airplanes
aloft. There were several combats, resulting in the defeat of the Germans. One
enemy sausage observation balloon came down in flames, proving that the
American front is rapidly becoming a live place.
The advance was made to straighten the
line, get possession of the woods and get command of points which strengthen
the position. Astonishing maps are made, showing the houses certain platoons
should capture and indicating windows into which squads are expected to throw
grenades. A cellar in the centre of the village, which has the capacity to
shelter a hundred persons was assigned to a squad who were expected to guard
one end with a machine gun and hurl grenades into the other, thus insuring the
death of the soldiers in hiding. Others were assigned to turn the machine gun covered
brook, which is known to be a hiding place in case of emergency.
American
Efficiency Applied
This uncanny prearrangement,
with alternates assigned to the tasks of destruction in case death came to the
others, was the climax of American business efficiency applied to grim war. The
thing was rehearsed as far as possible, the men taking the keenest interest,
although knowing the difficulties of the undertaking. Corporals, sergeants,
lieutenants, all had colored maps showing the places where their work lay.
The stage was set in a
marvelous way, and the work of preparation started at six o'clock in the
morning, the guns back of the line throwing shells in the back areas on
batteries and all points where damage was possible. The magnitude of the bombardment
will be understood when it is known that several thousand ordinary shells,
several thousand large ones and fifty-five hundred gas shells were fired
constantly for twelve hours.
Early in the afternoon
Vaux was bombarded, as it was known to be filled with German soldiers. The
range was perfect. I watched with a powerful glass and saw clouds of dust, smut
and occasional spurts of flame. Later an aerial observer with a telescope wirelessed
that flames had broken out in many spots. Every house in Vaux was struck at
least once.
The Barrage Begins
The bombardment
continued. There was no cessation in the shower of heavies on the back areas.
The countryside echoed to the deep roar. Then the barrage was started, a shell
exploding every fifteen feet. It advanced steadily, a veritable curtain of
steel, flame and death. It would have been impossible for any human being to
penetrate it. Just behind it the Americans in a thin skirmish line went armed
with rifles and hand grenades, the latter small in number in comparison. The
schedule, which was only the tentative average manoeuvre, called for the
arrival of the soldiers at Vaux at 6:24 P. M. At that minute the Americans
entered. They found the buildings in ruins, the streets empty. A few dead
bodies were lying about. The men then located their destinations and took their
places. They covered the brook and cellars here and there. They found the
Germans terrified. Some fought but were quickly despatched. Many surrendered.
The job was done quickly. Our casualties here were nil.
The Germans, frantic
with fear, were eager to hold up their hands and shout "Kamerad!"
Sweeping through the village and sending back more than hundred prisoners, the
men advanced toward La Roche Wood, which they had orders to capture. Crossing a
ravine, they were subjected to a severe fire from machine guns of Germans in
the wood and also from shells which fell over a wide area. A wheat field was
crossed on their stomachs, and they swept into La Roche Wood, which was quickly
cleared of Germans after close fighting with grenades and rifles.
Huns Driven from Woods
Driving the Germans from the woods,
the Americans established positions on its edge and dug in. There they remain.
All the time the men advanced with the same precision, faltering now and then
before a hail of machine bullets, but recovering and continuing till the
Germans were dead, captured or fleeing.
In the midst of the carnage the
Americans began a creeping barrage before the retreating Germans, pulling it
closer, insuring the death of the Germans if they continued to run or forcing
them to surrender.
At one time aerial observers reported
squads of Germans aggregating, hundreds moving toward the front. Instantly word
was flashed to the artillery, which dropped a rain of shells, and the squads
were wiped out to a man. This example of shooting is seldom seen.
Efforts were made early by the Germans
at a few points to rally and counter attack, but they were of no use. Their
courage shrank in face of the desperate shellfire and the resistless advance of
the Americans. One group of Germans was surrounded and surrendered, with their
officer, a lieutenant. A quaking group of thirty were found in a cellar in Vaux,
eager to get out of the inferno. A few insisted on fighting, but none of those
lived, though the Germans outnumbered the Americans.
The German artillery was active all
the time, but it was evident many guns were put out of action by our heavies
late in the day when the locations were learned by the aerial observers, who
boldly hovered directly over the scene of battle, reporting the effects of the
bombardment and also the advance of the Americans.
I saw the first batch of prisoners
marched to headquarters close in line. There were some Poles among them. All
were members of a new division, which makes the ninth engaged by the same
American unit in the Chateau-Thierry section. I also saw both German and
Americans.
The Germans said there were four
thousand soldiers in Vaux in the morning, but the fierce artillery fire of the
Americans forced the retirement of all but seven hundred, who were left as a
guard. Many of these were killed, a few escaped and many were captured. The
Germans said they never had known anything as savage as our artillery, which is
an echo of the statements of all Germans encountering it. I talked with
Americans in the hospital of first aid.
A chap from Kentucky with his chin
hurt by shrapnel was typical of all. He said: -"The Germans are long distance
fighters, but we can lick them to a frazzle when we get anywhere near them.”
Leo Kellogg, Angela Pirsaro and John
Griffin, machine gunners, captured fifteen Germans.
There are numberless stories of
personal bravery, but the outstanding feature was the precision with which the
operation was consummated and the conclusive way the Americans proved their
ability to match their skill with the masters of war. They are not content with
holding the line, but while the Germans are preparing to renew their giant
offensive they start an offensive of their own and carry the war right into the
teeth of the Germans, who are realizing now that they have a foe they cannot
overcome.
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