and in that of the American people. There is at this moment no other question than that of fighting. Infantry, artillery, aviation— all that we have are yours to dispose of as you will. Others are coming which are as numerous as will be necessary. I have come to say to you that the American people would be proud to be engaged in the greatest battle in history)) The time was opportune, and Pershing's utterance, widely reported, enthused the tired and doubt ful people of France and Britain. At that time the speed with which the Americans could get into the battle was the supretne question. Ger many was pressing for a decision before the weight of Atnerican help could be felt against her. The Frencit and British were grimly set to hold on until the American troops could take some of the pressure off their lines and enable them to turn the tide of battle.
A few days later Foch ordered the 1st American division into the trenches in front of Cantigny, near Montdidier, and here on 28 May the division, under the command of Major General Bullard, charpd the enemy's trenches and took the town of Cantigny in a well-fought engagement The manner in which it was carried through attracted attention and gave great satisfaction to the large number of people who were waiting to see how the Americans would fight. The London Evening New ex pressed the common feeling when it said: °Bravo, the Young Americans, Nothing in to-day's battle narrative from the front is more exhilarating than the account of their fight at port, with the result that the Marines suffeted heavily. Finally guns were brought up in great numbers and the woods were raked thoroughlit Then the marines went forward and toolc the position. The battle of Belleau Woods was a test of courage well met It became a standard for the endurance of the army.
On 15 July the Gerrnans opened their fourth drive, crossing the Marne from Dormans to a point west of Jaulgarme, a distance of 15 miles. On the right flanIc of this anack they =count. cred the 3d American division, who, pressed bacic, (middy rallied and drove the enemy across the river on their immediate front with heavy losses and then gave aid to the French on their right Here they held their own for five days, until the heavy attacic of Foch on the west side Cantigny. It was clean-cut from beginning to end.° Already tbe third German drive had begun, breaking the Aisne front and sweeping down to the Marne. On 30 May two other American divisions, the 2d and the 3d were thrown against this tide, meeting it at Chateau-Thierry and -a little northwest and east of it. They went into action at once, taking over the lines from the exhausted Frenchmen who had been fighting vrith little rest for five days as they fell back. Here again the Americans proved satis factory. The advance of the Germans was checked and on 6 June a portion of the Ameri cans, a brigade of the United States marines, began a six-day attack on Belleau Woods. It was tmdertaken without. adequate artillery sap
of the Marne salient caused the withdrawal of the troops south of the Marne, when they followed and took part in the pursuit wluch (trove the Germans out of the salient.
Three American divisions took part in the operations of the 18th, by which Foch seized the initiative and crushed in the western side of the salient, from Fontenoy, north of the Aisne, to Vaux, northwest of Chateau-Thierry. The parts taken by the lst, 2d and 26th divisions in that attack have already been described, as well as the fighting of the 3d, 4th, 42d, and other divisions in tbe southern part of the great salient in the last 10 days in July (see page 344). General Pershing proved hitnself a hard hitter. He threw in one division after another, giving them their first taste of fighting on a large scale. They showed that they were to be depended on, meeting some of the best German troops on equal ground. These days placed the new American army beyond the stage of tutelage. They proved its reliability, and henceforth it was placed on the footing of military equality with the other armies enlisted in the task of defeating Germany.
By the first of September the Americ,an divisions that had followed the retreating Ger mans were being withdrawn, in pursuance of a plan that was made with the approval of Marshal Foch for a distinctly American attack on the Germans. The point selected was at Saint Mihiel, where the battle-line passing west erly from Pont-i-Mousson reached the Meuse and bent sharply northward until it passed around the defenses of Verdun, keeping for the most part on the east bank of thc river. The position was very strong and the Germans had held it for four years when the Americans gathered the best trained of their divisions in that part of France and made ready to attack the forces in the angle. General Pershing, in command of the force, had under him, besides the Americans, the 2d corps of Colonial French troops which he placed opposite the angle itself, in such a position that they could enter the town as soon as the Germans withdrew. He had also a French division which he placed, with the 26th American division, in a position to carry the Heights of the Meuse north of Saint Milne!. Seven other American divisions were placed in line east of the town to Scille, five miles cast of the Moselle, and other divisions were held in support. The plan of campaign was to attack the defenses on each side of the town at the same time and pinch out the garrison. It was made less difficult than it might seem by the fact that all the roads that fed the German lines in the inner angle must pass through Vigneulles which WaS only five miles from the position at which the 26th stood and eight from the point at which the Americans approached it on the other side of the salient. If this place could be reached the retreat of the Germans in the interior parts of the angle would be cut off.