[Illustration: BY AUGUST 4 (4/8) THE SALIENT HAD BEEN ENTIRELY FLATTENED
OUT.]
The Offensive of August 1.
Having established themselves on high dominating positions forming a
strong line of resistance, the Germans believed they would now be able
to check the Allies, who, after fifteen days of hard fighting, would, no
doubt, be exhausted. In a semi-official _communiqué_ addressed to the
German people, Hinderburg explained and justified his “strategical
retreat” and again promised victory, adding that the “decisive blow” had
only been “temporarily postponed.”
He was soon undeceived, however, supposing him to have been sincere. On
August 1, the battle began again, north of the Ourcq and at the gates of
Soissons. The Armies of Generals Mangin and Degoutte, so far from being
exhausted, attacked again between Tigny and the Ourcq, their objective
being to outflank and carry the wooded Hartennes Plateau, which formed
the key to the defences of Soissons in front of the Crise Stream. In the
Tigny-Hartennes region violent barrage and machine-gun fire somewhat
retarded the Allies’ advance. Between Plessier-Huleu Wood and Saponay
the enemy resisted and counter-attacked violently. However, progress was
made as far as the line: Grand-Rozoy, Cramaille, south-west of Saponay,
and, further to the east, Cierges, Meunière Wood, Goussancourt and
Romigny. On the right the Armies of Generals de Mitry and Berthelot,
continuing their advance, progressed beyond the Dormans-Rheims road,
encircled Ville-en-Tardenois, and advanced along the Valley of the
Ardre.
Hartennes fell on August 2, and Mangin pressed forward towards the
Crise. Von Boehn’s army fell back for the fourth time, the retreat now
being general. Soissons was evacuated, and in spite of enemy detachments
of machine-gunners left behind to retard the Allies’ advance, the
Chasseurs of the 2nd Division entered the city at 6 p.m. The Crise was
crossed throughout its length before nightfall, Ville-en-Tardenois
captured, and in the evening the following line reached: Soissons,
Branges, Tramery, Romigny, Gueux and Thillois.
The Germans hurriedly fell back on the Vesle, but the Allies harried
them vigorously and threw their rear-guard into disorder. On the evening
of the 3rd the pursuing armies reached the River Aisne as far as
Sermoise, the southern bank of the Vesle from Ciry-Salsogne to
Villesavoye, the southern outskirts of Fismes, the Villages of
Branscourt, Sapicourt, Courcelles, Rosnay and Gueux-Thillois, and the
Aisne Canal north of Courcelles.
On August 4 detachments crossed to the north bank of the Vesle at
various points, on which river the enemy was apparently determined to
make a firm stand, especially between Unchair and Fismes which, however,
the Americans and the French (32nd Division) captured. On the 5th the
Germans had only two bridgeheads south of the Vesle, one at Courlandon
and the other to the east of Muizon, but they stubbornly resisted the
Allies’ attempts to cross the river, re-engaging several of their best
divisions. Nevertheless the Allies succeeded on the 7th in gaining a
footing on the north bank, east of Braine and Bazoches, and strongly
occupied both banks of the river.
The counter-offensive was over. On August 6th Foch was made Marshal of
France, Pétain received the Military Medal (the second highest
recompense for French commanders), while the Grand Croix de la Légion
d’Honneur was conferred on General Pershing.
[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL CHARLES H. MUIR.