This shattered farmstead, stands at the edge of Belleau Wood. On the night of May 31st-June Ist, 1918, the infantry and Marine brigades of the 2nd Division, advanced with all speed past this house on their way to Belleau Wood. The weary French troops fighting in front fell back through this solid line of resistence [sic] established by these new allies from across the sea, and then Americans and Germans stood, at last, face to face.
The Germans were fully resolved to push on toward Paris, distant only about 45 miles. But several violent attacks which they made, each preceded by a devastating artillery bombardment, were all repulsed with heavy losses. On June 6th and again on the 10th, the Marines smashed through the most bitter resistence [sic] the Germans could offer and took large sections of the dense and rocky Bois de Belleau (Belleau Wood). Further to the right the 9th and 23rd Infantry had like success around Monneaux and Hill 204. No efforts of the enemy availed to recover lost ground once it had passed into the hands of the Americans, though fresh divisions rapidly succeeded one another as each was worn out by the vigor of the 2nd Division attacks. In the Belleau Wood sector and around Chateau-Thierry, where the 3rd American Division was, at the same time, acquitting itself with equal gallantry, the Germans found themselves mastered, and a foreboding of final and complete defeat began to make itself felt in the rank and file of their armies as realization dawned upon them of the fighting quality of the American hosts which were rapidly reinforcing the ranks of their enemies. |
