Figure 1.-- The German Spring Offensive which they hoped would separate the British and French armies and crack the Allied front wide open made some gains. As a result, the Allies asked that American units be committed sooner than planned. Talk about a history lesson! We are notsuremom nwouklfd haveapproived. These French children were watching history unfold before their eyes. The caption here read, "French children watching the Americans moving their guns to the front. Soulcese, France, April 10, 1918." We are not sure where Soulcese is. It may be mispelled.

"Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely."

-- Major Shearer, May 26, 1918

The German Spring Offensive threaened to break through the British and French lines. The Germns realizedit was now or never. The War had to bewon before the Americn Army had been trained an deployed in force. Pershing had wanted more time to train his green troops. And the AEF was still arriving. In the emergency, American units still not fully trained were rushed to the front to support hard-pressed British and French units (March 28). The AEF fought the War largely with Allied (British and French) weapons. The active AEF contribution on the western Front began when the 1st Division entered the front lines west of Montdidier as part of a French corps and army (May 1918). But the situation was critical. The Americans planned and conducted an attack on new German positions near the town of Cantigny (late-May). Supported by French artillery and tank units, it was an American battle plan and fought by mosly American troops. This first American attack of the war was relatively small, but was a success. It was here that the tenacity and stamina of the American Dough Boy shown for the first time. It was not what the Germans expected. German officers told there men thatthe polygot Americans were not a true nation and could not prodce real soldiers. The Americans held the positions they seized even when assulted by strong Germn counter atacks. And they held even when the French withdrew most of their supporting artillery. Cantigny demonstrated that the American forces were not only numerous and fresh, but even more importantly tough and determined. Many American units in the first months of combat demonstrated inexperience, but rarely were the Germans sucessful at pushing back American units. [Millett] The AEF played a major role in helping the French Army during the Aisne Offensive at Château-Thierry and Belleau Wood (June 1918). The AEF that helped stopped the Germans was a force that the Germans did not have to face. They were there becuse of the deecisions of a German Government which believed that the Americans would bean easy target and could be knocked out of the War. At the same time that the American units were moved to the front from training camps, troop ships were brining Dough Boys to France in huge numbers. Reports of the German offensive rushed the deployment to France. And these troops had some military training. Some 313,410 Americans disembarked in French ports (July 1918). This was the largest month for American deployment to France.

German Spring Offensive

The German Spring Offensive known as the Kaiserschlacht/Kaiser's Battle was conceived as a war winning campaign, finally ending the War. They hd to crack through the British and French lines. The Germans realized that it was now or never. The War had to be won before the new American Army had been trained and deployed in force. The Germans gambled that unrestricted submarinear fare would knock Briain out of the War. It did not, butit brought Anerica into the War. Now there were a million untraine Doiughboys in France with more arriving weekly. Brinng America ino he War was an act of monumental stupidilty, butone which would be repeated by nohr German leader two decades later. The German wareggort had been hampered by a two front war (1914-17). Now with Russia out of the War, the Germans could focus on the Western Front (1918). Only mind boggling insane diplomcy mean hat the Western Front has been strengthed by a new Ameican Army.

Montdidier/Cantigny (May 1918)

The active AEF contribution on the western Front began when the 1st Division entered the front lines west of Montdidier as part of a French corps and army (May 1918). But the situation was critical. The Americans planned and conducted an attack on new German positions near the town of Cantigny (late-May). Supported by French artillery and tank units, it was an American battle plan and fought by motly American troops. This first American attack of the war was relatively small, but was a success. It was here that the tenacity and stamina of the American Doughboy shown for the first time. It was not what the Germans expected. German officers told there men thatthe polygot Americans were not a true nation and could not prodce real soldiers. The Germans saw a core ethic community as the basis of matinhoodxd. The Americans held the positions they seized even when assulted by strong Germn counter atacks. And they held even when the French withdrew most of their supporting artillery. Cantigny demonstrated that the American forces were not only numerous and fresh, but even more importantly tough and determined. Many American units in the first months of combat demonstrated inexperience, but rarely were the Germans sucessful at pushing back American units. [Millett]

Allied Crisis

Pershing had wanted more time to train his green troops. And the AEF was still arriving. In the emergency, American units still not fully trained were rushed to the front to support hard-pressed British and French units (March 28). The AEF would fight fought the War largely with Allied (British and French) weapons. The German offensive had pierced the trench line that held for over 3 years. They were advancing on a broad front toward the Marne. At the center of their assault on the Marne was the little French town of Château-Thierry. Field Marshal Pétain pleaded with Pershing to commit the AEF. Pershing who was still planning months of intensive training saw that he had no choice.

Château-Thierry and Belleau Wood (June 1-26)

The AEF played a major role in helping the French Army during the Aisne Offensive at Château-Thierry and Belleau Wood (June 1918). The AEF that helped stopped the Germans was a force that the Germans did not have to face. They were there becuse of the decisions of a German Government which believed that the inexperienced Americans would be an easy target and could be knocked out of the War. The battle would be fought in large part by the U.S. Marine Corps. Unike World War II, America entered the War essentially without an Army and before a draft law was passed. The Marne Corps was small, but was a force in being and thus was rushed to France. The Aisne-Marne Sector was 5 miles immediately northwest of the town of Chateau-Thierry on the River Marne. The AEF units were under the command of the XXI Corps of the Sixth French Army. The Second Division was composed of the 4th Marine Brigade, 2nd Engineers. The Third Division: Elements of 7th Infantry Regiment. The German Army Group in the sector was commnded by Crown Prince Frederich Wilhelm who had been pusing his father for more drastic action. It was the Crown Prince who had demanded the unrestricted submarine warfare be resumed bringing America into the War. Like many Germans, he did not see the Aericans as much of a threat. The Germans in Belleau Wood were the 461st Regiment of the German 237th Division. At Bouresches there were elements of the 10th Division, later reinforced as the fighting intensified by the 28th, 87th, and 197th Divisions. Belleau Wood had been the hunting preserve of a French aristocrat. It was a dense enthement of trees and undergrowth about half the size of New York's Central Park. The Germans fortified it with machine guns, bunkers, and barbed wire. Belleau Woods was where the AEF experienced the heaviest casualties associated with the Great War. The aggresivess and determinatio of the Marines was not what the Germans had expected. Belleau Woods was at the center of the sector. The French were retreting. The Americans moved forard into Belleau Woods after first crossing exposed open wheat fields. Sections of Belleayu Woods chnged hands seven times. It was difficult to get supplies through to the Marines. A major fctor in the fighting was the superior marksmnship of the Marines. It took 3 Weeks, but the American commnder, Major Shearer submitted a report simply stating, "Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely," (May 26)

Harlem Hellfighters

The Harlem Hellfighters were a regiment in the 369th Infantry who fought on the front lines and the whole regiment received the French Croix de Guerre--France's highest military honor. The most famous Harlem Hellfighters were Henry Lincoln Johnson, Needham Roberts and James Reese Europe. Most African-American soldiers were used in service units behind the front lines. The 369th was an exception. The French had been pleading with Pershing for troops. Pershing backed by Wilson insisted on the AEF fighting as an American command. But he decied to make an exception and turnd the Africn-American 369th over to the French. He was not going to commit them to combat. They fought on the Western Front with the French Army, most notably in the Battle of Chateau-Thierry and the Battle of Belleau Wood during the Aisne-Marne Campaign (May 27 - June 5). Ironically they were the first combat unit the American press learned of because the French has looser censorship rules than the AEF. Thus som of the first World War I action report in American newspapers were about African American troops. At a time of vicious racism in America, the peformnce of the 369th Hell Fighters was a rare positive item about Africn-Americans appearing in the Americn press. It in many ways can be seem as the launch of the Civil Rights Movement.

Second Battle of the Marne (July 15-August 6)

The German onjective from the first day of the War was to seize Paris. The last major defense line for Paris was the Marne. It was here that te Germans had been stopped at the onset of the War by the Fench (September 1914), saving Paris and beinning a 3 year staltemate on the Western Front. The Germans as a result of their spring 1918 offensive had reached the Marne a second time. And here in the Champagne region of France, the Germans launched what hoped would prove to be be their war-winning strike that would finally allow them to seize Paris and win World War I. It is now known as the Second Battle of the Marne. The battle occurred in an area of France that civilians had not evacuated. And there ere the Americans baically deciding their fate. German General Erich Ludendorff believed that an attack to the east in Flanders aginst the BEF was the most likely route to a German victory in the war. And he prepared for this assault and as the A;;ies reacted would heavily defended by the Allies. So Ludendorff decided to launch a sizeable diversionary attack to the southeast to draw Allied troops away from what he planned to be the main attck. This would be an attack across the Marne River. It was made possible because of the capture of the strategic Chemin des Dames ridge from the French near the Aisne River (May 27). The German with 23 divisions of the 1st and 3rd Armies attacked the French 4th Army east of Reims. Another 17 divisions of the 7th Army, assisted by the 9th Army, attacked the French 6th Army to the west of Reims. Ludendorff's intention was to divide and conquer the French forces. Fake trenches absorved the preliminary German artillery bombardment. The French were also being reenforced by 85,000 U.S. troops. Thse were green troops nt yet fully trined. Pershing hsd no choice, but to commit them. BEF uniys located primarily in Flanders also enteed the fight. As the battle shaped up the Germans began to cross the Mare achieving some success with French forced to fall bck. Dead center in the crossing area was the American 3rd Division which did not withdraw. The Americans inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans crosing the River, disrupting the German thrust, earning the title--Rock of the Marne. The 3rd ID proved to be a eyrstone of the Marne defenses and the entire region. The 3rd Infantry Division stand to assist their beleaguered allies, helped to stop the ferocious German advance. The 3rd ID’s heroic fight against the German Army changed the whole course of the War. The Allies orgnized counter strokes. French and American forces supported by several hundred tanks, overwhelmed the Germans on their right flank. The Germans suffered substantial casualties. These were casualties the Germans could not ffiord whileat thecsame tiome Amerian troops continued to arrive at French ports. It is variously seen as the end of the German Spring Offensive or the beginning of the Allied Hundred Day Capaign that would force the Germans to seek an Armistice ending the War. Ludendorff and the Crown Prince were delt a stunning defeat. They did not think the Americans could stop the German Army andwere defeated on the battlefield. After the War, both who create the 'stab in he back myth' that the Grman Army had neve been defeated on the field.

AEF Arrivals in France

At the same time that the American units were moved to the front from training camps, therewee about 1 million Dough Boys in France. And troop ships brining Dough Boys to France were continuing to arrive in large numbers. Reports of the German offensive rushed the deployment to France. And these troops had some military training. Some 313,410 Americans disembarked in French ports (July 1918). This was the largest month for American deployment to France. When Kaiser Wilhelm declared unconditional sunmarime wrfare, the German Admirals assured him that he need not be concerned with the Americans. Their U-boats could sink American troop ships so fooish as try to cross the Atlantic. Despite the huge nuber of troop ships croissing the Alantic, however, the U-boats did not manage to sink a single troop ship laden with Dough Boys--although they did sink two empty troop ships returning to America.

Created: 10:38 AM 2/20/2017
Last updated: 2:19 AM 9/7/2025