The New York Times’ 1918 Report On The Battle Of Belleau Wood
by Edwin L. James - war correspondent for The New York Times
June 20, 1918
I believe that when the history of the war is written the Americans’ capture of the Bois de Belleau will be ranked among the neatest pieces of military work of the conflict.
Five days ago [June 9], after the capture of the town of Bouresches, the Americans started the task of taking away the Bois de Belleau from the Germans. In the rush at Bouresches they had been unable to secure the rocky strongholds in the woods, and passed on, leaving many nests of machine guns there, which afterward kept up a harassing fire. The Americans several times made big raids into the woods, clearing out part of the Germans, but the next day the Germans would reappear with a harassing fire. Despite strong artillery work, the Germans seemed able to stay there.
On Sunday, the 9th, a rain of extra heavy artillery fire began on the woods. This kept up all Sunday night and Monday. On Monday night the fire was redoubled and the woods literally raked with lines of shellfire.
At about 3 o’clock Monday morning [June 10] the marines started, as soon as the artillery fire was stopped, to go through those woods. At the nearer edge of the woods, devastated by our shellfire, they encountered little opposition. A little further on the Germans made a small stand, but were completely routed; that is, those who were not killed. By this time the marines were fairly started on their way. They swept forward, clearing out machine gun nests with rifle fire, bayonets, and hand grenades.
The Germans started in headlong flight when the Americans seized two machine guns and turned them on the Germans with terrific effect. The Germans soon tired of this, and those nearest the Americans began surrendering . In the meantime, the marines kept up the chase.
While this was going on, the Americans almost rounded the woods, and the Germans, fleeing from some of the Americans, ran into the machine gun and rifle fire of the others. Then those left rushed headlong the other way to surrender. In a short time the gallant marines had got to the other side of the woods, and immediately, with the aid of the engineers, started the construction of a strong position.
Prisoners counted that day numbered more than 300. It was found that they belonged to the crack 5th German Guard Division, which includes the Queen Elizabeth Regiment. There had been 1,200 Germans in the woods. With the exception of the prisoners nearly all the rest were slain.
The prisoners said they were glad of the chance to surrender and get out of the woods, because the American artillery fire for three days had cut off their food and other supplies and they had lived in a hell on earth. The Germans seemed deeply impressed by the fury of the American attack. One of the captured officers, when asked what he thought of the Americans as fighters, answered that the artillery was crazy and the infantry drunk. A little German private, taking up his master’s thought, pointed to three tousled but smiling marines, and said: “Vin rouge, vin blanc, beaucoup vin.” ( “Red wine, white wine, much wine” ) He meant he thought the Americans must be intoxicated, to fight as they did for that wood.
Our boys took especial delight in corralling the machine guns. These guns had been very well placed behind trees and in rocky caves and well supplied with ammunition. The Americans had practiced on a German machine gun previously captured, and knew just how to use them against the “Heinies.” The captured guns were cleverly camouflaged and were almost overlooked by the Americans. The mortars had been used to throw gas shells from the heights into the woods upon the Americans.
There was the greatest surprise among the American officers at the evident low morale among members of the 5th Guard Division, thought to be one of the Kaiser’s very best.
The Germans had tried their best to get the Americans out of the wood and to hold the valuable position. They had sent attack after attack there, always failing to gain complete free possession, but making things very unpleasant for our men. It was after four days of this that the marines got on their hind legs and went after the Germans.
An American General tonight characterized the capture of Belleau Wood as the most important thing the Americans at the front had yet accomplished. Its possession straightens our line, taking away from the German his protected wedge into our positions, and gives an excellent starting point for further operations….
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If you like history, read “All Quiet of The Western Front”
Haven’t seen anything in print on the Belleau Wood battle. Although the History and Military channels have covered it only briefly.
Another good perspective on WWI is the TV movie “The Lost Patrol”.Talk about some bad-asses. No wonder the Germans were impressed.
November 10th, 2007 at 8:09 amHow timely. I was just speaking w/my mom and hour ago and she had mentioned how her Uncle had lung problems from a phosgene attack in WW1 Her dad and two uncles served in WW1. The caranage… Hey Franchie, just remember the hundreds of thousands that died freeing France in two wars.
November 10th, 2007 at 9:02 am@steve m
God bless the Heroes in your family, but don’t expect appreciation from Franchie, she is Vichy through and through…note her love of Hausser the Nazi. A pair matched in hell.
November 10th, 2007 at 9:40 amfish
Thx. Had family in EVERY war from ww1 thru this one. but i’m not the only one here…We all need to be thanking every vet we know tomorrow
November 10th, 2007 at 10:06 amSteve m,
dunno the exact number of them, but there isn’t a place over here that isn’t a memory to our dead soldiers, americans englishs frenchs ;
1,5 million french soldiers died in WW1
fifish, you know it’s you I love
already told you so though
November 10th, 2007 at 10:18 amGood to read this. Now that I’m here in Iraq as a “war correspondent” it’s funny to read how it was done 90 years ago.
You know times have changed when the NYTimes wrote things like this.
“Our boys took especial delight in corralling the machine guns.”
November 10th, 2007 at 10:48 amMatt
That is no lie. Todays NYT placed in WW1 would have been rounded up lock stock and barrel in the first seep of the Wilson Espionage and Sedition acts.
““Our boys ” in the WW1 NYT’s article I found funny. I could just imagine the hours of reprimand and derogatory that would get from the “We are World Citizens” crowd.
November 10th, 2007 at 12:24 pmTotal deaths in WWI - 40 million
US casualties: 117,465 KIA 205,690 WIA
WWII 72 million total deaths
US Total casualties 996,000 out of the 16 million who served.
China suffered 9 million deaths
Of those deaths in WWI&II I lost two uncles in France. One a Bronze Star winner with V for Valor postumous award in WWI. One a silver star winner in WWII (postumous award).
One remains in France somewhere.
November 10th, 2007 at 2:05 pmMatt Sanchez:
Hey dude, I read your columns at WND.
Sooner or later we’re giving out the “Ernie Pyle” award for combat reporting. It’s going to be hard to pick the best. You, Pat, Michael Yon, Bill Reggio…Might just have to nominate you all for a single award….just to make it fair.
Keep up the good work. The smart people don’t give a shit about the LLMSM anymore. They get their news on the war from guys like you.
November 10th, 2007 at 4:11 pmDan I agree -
All Quiet On The Western Front is not only a great book about arguably the worst conflict men have ever endured, but it is the best book about the human spirit ever in my opinion. Dont read into spirit, happy oprah shit. The spirit in this book is the dark, enduring, complex spirit of men in constant conflict.
I highly recommend it as well.
November 10th, 2007 at 4:35 pmThanks for the posting Pat. Wished the NYT still had the same enthusiasim for reporting our Nation’s successes in battle.
This battle is but one of many for the Corps that have made for our peerless reputation. The Marines would bark as they bayonneted the Hun and in their terror, the Germans named us Tufel Hunden (sp?) or Devil Dogs, a term of both endearment and respect among Marines ever since.
At the Marine Corps Birthday Ball it is tradition to acknowledge the oldest and youngest in attendance. At my first Ball in 1987 a veteran of that battle was honored at our celebration. As a young Lance Corporal, not long out of boot camp, it was an inspiring moment to meet a living part of our great history.
Happy Birthday, Semper Fi
November 10th, 2007 at 5:16 pmI recall, 11th of november is the armistice day, a day off by us ; we still have a few old WW1 soldiers still alive ; each year, the centenaries are going though…
a short description of a movie, “A very long engagement” (from the movie-maker, of “Delicatessen”, Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
The action of the movie is mainly in “tranchées” ; very realistic ; for someone who knows JPJ’s works, that means something.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Very_Long_Engagement
November 11th, 2007 at 1:55 amDan (The Infidel):
[If you like history, read “All Quiet of The Western Front”
**Haven’t seen anything in print on the Belleau Wood battle**. Although the History and Military channels have covered it only briefly.]
Check out Robert B. Asprey’s “At Belleau Wood” on UNT Press.
A little dry, but very thorough.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:02 am