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| "Men of Iron" 109th Infantry, 28th Division, at the Second Battle of the Marne |
On 15 July 1918 American forces in France began fighting a two-month campaign that—to that point—would become the largest battle the nation had ever engaged in. The Second Battle of the Marne marked the turning of the tide in World War I. It began with the last German offensive of the conflict and was quickly followed by the first Allied offensive victory of 1918 The 270,000 soldiers committed and the nearly 40,000 casualties suffered dwarfed the previous totals of the previous record holder, the Battle of Gettysburg, which had lasted 3 days and involved 165,000 men counting both sides.
There are a lot of reasons why this rather remarkable fact is overlooked. The title of the action used herein, the Second Battle of the Marne, isn't universally respected. Some histories use terms like the Aisne or Aisne-Marne Offensive, or the Battle of Soissons, or bundle the somewhat disjointed Allied operations with earlier engagements around nearby Chateau-Thierry. Further, American forces didn't fight independently—they were under French command and were intertwined with French, British, and Italian forces. Also, in accounts I've read about the battle, historians seem to understate the size of the American contingent, with some apparently not grasping that American divisions of the Great War were roughly 28.000 effectives, over twice the size of other countries divisions, friend or foe. In fact, the Yanks constituted about half of all the troops engaged in the fighting. Finally, some histories don't include the period 15-17 July, when American units were deeply involved in the defense of the Marne River line and the Champagne against the last German offensive of the war.
In any case, the record for largest American Battle ever, was quickly superseded by the St. Mihiel and then the Meuse-Argonne Offensives. But Jeopardy fans should stay alert for the question: "As of 1 September 1918, what was the largest battle America had ever fought?" Now here's a little information on the Second Battle of the Marne that I published on my old Doughboy Center site.
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| 42nd Division Troops East of Reims, Awaiting the Opening Attack |
Quick Facts
Where: The Aisne-Marne Sector, 75 Miles Northeast of Paris in a Triangular Area Bounded by Chateau-Thierry, Soissons and Reims
When: July 15 - September 16, 1918
AEF Units Participating: Nine U.S. Divisions Under French Command, Coordinated by Marshal Ferdinand Foch. Click HERE To See a List of U.S. Divisions and Their Commanders
Opposing Forces: German First, Third, Seventh and Ninth Armies
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| Areas Captured by U.S. Divisions in the Battle (42nd Division, East of Reims, Was Strictly on the Defensive) |
Summary of Operations
Three and one-half German Armies attack in the early morning. The 3rd Division and a regiment of the 28th Divisions of the AEF makes a strategically important stand on the left end of the Marne River line.
German units occupy southern bank of Marne between Epernay and Chateau Thierry and advance their line 7 miles east of Reims, where the 42nd (Rainbow) Division holds the line.
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| 3rd Division Engineers Building Bridge to Cross the Marne |
French 10th and 6th Armies attack the salient from the west, with 1st and 2nd U.S. division and elements of 4th Division attacking south of Soissons. 3rd and 26th U.S. Divisions join crossing of River Marne. German high command decides to reinforce the salient to avoid a rout.
American units south of Soissons start meeting fanatical resistance. German air force commands the air.
Second assault against the salient from the south. Five more AEF divisions would eventually be committed.
Battle before Sergy; Ourcq River line crossed.
Tenacious battle before Vesle River at Fismes and Fismette as German Army defends vigorously on the Vesle.
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| 4th Division Supply Train on Way to the Front |
French 10th Army launches major offensive near Soissons
U.S. 32nd Division captures key town of Juvigny cutting the Soissons-St. Quentin road. Germans find Vesle line untenable and withdraw before River Aisne.
Vesle River crossed; U.S. 28th & 77th Divisions advance.
Last full American division in sector [77th] relieved as the axis of the French and American offensive operations shifts east to the Champagne and Verdun sectors.
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| American-Manned Tanks Preparing to Attack Juvigny |
Newly captured prisoners began to give real information - a grand offensive was to be made [where] the Marne was only about 50 yards wide...We had 600 yards of [this] front all to ourselves...[When it began] it seemed [the Germans] expected their artillery to eliminate all resistance...French Officers attached to our Brigade stated positively there was never a bombardment to equal it at Verdun.At 3:30am the general fire ceased and their creeping barrage started - behind which at 40 yards only, mind you, they came - with more machine guns than I thought the German Army owned...The enemy had to battle their way through the first platoon on the river bank - then they took on the second platoon on the forward edge of the railway where we had a thousand times the best of it - but the [Germans] gradually wiped it out. My third platoon [took] their place in desperate hand to hand fighting, in which some got through only to be picked up by the fourth platoon which was deployed simultaneously with the third...By the time they struck the fourth platoon they were all in and easy prey.It's God's truth that one Company of American soldiers beat and routed a full regiment of picked shock troops of the German Army...At ten o'clock...the Germans were carrying back wounded and dead [from] the river bank and we in our exhaustion let them do it - they carried back all but six hundred which we counted later and fifty-two machine guns...We had started with 251 men and 5 lieutenants...I had left 51 men and 2 second lieutenants...
Two future Marine Corps Commandants correspond:
From Co. "H"
At: ?
Date: July 19. Hour 10:45 am
To: Major [Thomas] Holcomb.
I am in an old abandoned French trench bordering on road leading out from your P.C. and 350 yds. from an old mill. I have only two men out of my company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try and get here as we are swept by machine-gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold.
[Clifton] Cates, 2nd Lt. 96 Co.
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| Bridge to Fismette Looking from Fismes |
Absolutely unable to get patrols into FISMETTE. Got down as far as 100 yards from bridge. Streets of FISMES running north and south covered by machine-gun fire and one-pounders. Two casualties in one patrol of six men. REIMS Road covered with machine-gun fire from left. Noticeable absence of flares. FISMETTE very quiet. No firing on FISMETTE since 1000 hrs., August 27. If there any of our men in FISMETTE they are very few and scattered and in hiding. No evidence to confirm any of our men holding out. Will make further reconnaissance. 27 August, 1015hrs.
...All [German] divisions [on 15 July] achieved brilliant successes, with the exception of the one division on our right wing. This encountered American units! Here only did the Seventh Army, In the course of the first day of the offensive, confront serious difficulties. It met with the unexpectedly stubborn and active resistance of fresh American troops.While the rest of the divisions of the Seventh Army succeeded in gaining ground and gaining tremendous booty, it proved impossible for us to move the right apex of our line, to the south of the Marne, into a position advantageous for the development of the ensuing fight. The check we thus received was one result of the stupendous fighting between our 10th Division of infantry and American troops...
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| America's Beautiful Oise-Aisne Cemetery, Where Many of the Fallen of the Second Battle of the Marne Found Their Final Resting Place |
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