_The American troops achieved their most important exploit on June
6, 7, and 8 in the region northwest of Château-Thierry. Here they
drove back the Germans for nearly two miles along a front of several
miles, took from them the important Belleau Wood, captured over 1,000
prisoners, successfully resisted and seriously demoralized two crack
divisions of Prussians which had been picked especially to punish them,
and effectively blocked a desperate attempt of the Germans to break
through the line, an attempt which, if successful, would have given
them an open road toward Paris and created a situation of extreme peril
to the Allies. Edwin L. James, a correspondent of_ THE NEW YORK TIMES,
_described this achievement as follows:_
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There was considerable wonderment among French and American officers
last week when it was discovered that the crack 5th Guard and 28th
German Divisions were in front of us. It was generally believed then
that the Germans planned no immediate attempt to advance northwest of
Château-Thierry, and there was much speculation as to why Hindenburg
had sent these troops there. This is now explained by a captured German
officer's statement, and is substantiated by documents found on him.
He said these two divisions already were on their way to the rear for a
four weeks' rest, to take part in another offensive, when suddenly they
were ordered to go at once to the front northwest of Château-Thierry,
"in order to prevent at all costs the Americans being able to achieve
success."
[Illustration: TERRITORY BETWEEN THE TWO DARK LINES WAS WON BACK IN
HEAVY FIGHTING BY AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND MARINES]
This showed the anxiety of the German High Command regarding the
effect that an American success would have on the German Army and the
populace, and of the great desirability of preventing such a happening.