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Showing posts from August, 2018

August 31, 1918: Don Martin reports Juvigny victory, role of French tanks

Don Martin diary entry for Saturday, August 31, 1918:  With Smith [Chicago Tribune] and [Edwin] James [New York Times] went to the 32 nd headquarters. There was not much of a story. The Americans advanced and took the village of Juvigny. I stopped at the hospital and talked with some of the men who had been in the Juvigny fight. They are all from northern Wisconsin and Michigan. Wrote about 900 words cable.       Published in the New York Herald on Sept 1. Americans Advance on Germans to Northwest of Soissons  in Face of Vicious Fire of Many Machine Guns FRENCH SHOCK TROOPS AID IN GREAT ATTACK Aim of General Pershing in New Terrific Assault  Is to Demoralize the Enemy HUNS MAKE FIRM STAND Many Americans of German Descent  Show Loyalty in Desperate Fighting By DON MARTIN Special Correspondent of the Herald with the American Armies in France [Special to the Herald] WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES IN FRANCE, Saturday    ...

August 30, 1918: Don Martin reports from the battle front north of Soissons

Don Martin diary entry for Friday, August 30, 1918:  Went to the 32 nd division headquarters with Smith [Chicago Tribune] who is a very fine chap. Hung around the headquarters for a couple of hours. Stopped at a hospital near the Foret Villers Cotteret on the way back. Took lunch with us. Returned at 6:30. Wrote a cable of about 500 words.       Don Martin's August 30 cable for New York was an upbeat report on American action. It was published in the New York Herald on August 31. Americans, Eager to Fight, Charge Foe as Soon as They Reach the Front After Hike Doughboys Strike Hard  When They Relieve Tired French North of Soissons 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, Friday            Brilliant operations by the Americans north of Soissons have characterized the fighting on this sector. North of Soi...

August 29, 1918: Don Martin vists 32nd Division headquarters in quarry

Don Martin diary entry for Thursday, August 29, 1918:  Got up at 5:30. Found [Lt.] Delany had put McFall of the A.P. in car I had engaged. Refused to go. Waited till 9 when [Edwin] James [New York Times] and I started out with Fowle. Went to a quarry which is the headquarters of the 32 nd division. It is a weird place – 40 feet underground, wired and lighted with electricity --   more than 200 men working as efficiently as if they were in a Wall Street office building. While there, lights were turned off and message brought that gas shells were dropping nearby. Looked bad for a few minutes. I had my gas mask so I didn’t worry much. Got story about the Americans – the boys from Wisconsin and Michigan making slight progress. Germans are resisting vigorously here. Returned by way of Fresnes and there saw the staff of the 3 rd corps. Quiet on the Vesle. Got back to Meaux – 100 kilometers – at 6. Had dinner with Battersby of Reuters. Wrote 700-word cable and a column story fo...