6 Augu8t, 1918, File 10. 55 Henry L
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GROUP RESEARCH GROUP VII. AMERICAN EFFORT, WORLD WAR AISHU - MARKS OFFERSIV! 18 JULT - 6 AUGU8T, 1918, FILE 10. 55 OPERATIONS OF THE 1s t DITI8I0N. SUBMITTED BT: HENRY L. P. KING, OAPT. 8IG.CORPS. THE COMMAND ft GENERAL 8 TAFF 80H00L, FORT LEATEHWORTH* KAM3A8. MEliORANDUU FOR: The Director, Second Tea* Glass, The Command ard General Staff Sohool, Fort Leavenwortht Kansacw SUBJECT: Operation of the 1st Division In the AISHaJ-MARHI offensive 18 July - 6 August, 1918, I. PAPERS AOOOMPAHTING. 1* A Bibliography for this study. 3. Maps. Ho, 1. Operations Map* 18 July, 1918. Icu 3. Operations Map, 19 July, 1918. lo, 3* Operations Map, 20-33 July,1918• III- HISTORICAL FACT8 RELATIIG TO THS SUBJECT. THE AX8IE-UARR OFFEISIVE: (l). The CHATEAU THISRRT salient or pooket, was formed as a result of the German attack on 37 May, 1918, be tween RHEIMS and 80I8SONS, Before the formation of the pocket had been completed ways and means were being considered for a counter attack southwest of 30IS30HS. General Pershittg states that he suggested such aotion to Fooh on 30 May and was informed that such action was being given consideration* How ever, practically all available reserves were required to t)ol4 the advanoe of the Germans and all plans for offensive aotion had to be deferred to a later date* Shortly after June 1, Fooh began assembling a new general reserve* Before any plans for offensive action could materialize the bulk of the reserves (1). Men Bank 3 to 6 incl. - 1 then assembled were required to stop a new German offensive made on 9 June in the direotion of OOMPIEGIE in order to improve the German lines of oommunioation and threaten PARIS* This offensive was stopped on 11 June by a violent oounter attack on the MERY-OOUROfcLLES plateaus by a foroe hastily oonoentrated under General MAGI*. This oounter attaok pro vided a pattern for the AISNE MARHE offensive. On 16 June General MAGIN returned to the oommand of the French Tentji Army which held the line from the OUROQ River north to the AISHE River and thence northwest to the 0181 liver. General MAGIN at once began a study of the possibilities of attacking the west side of the CHATEAU THIERRY salient. On 14 and 16 June, Pooh communicated with Petain, inviting his attention to the importance of the communication center of S0ISS0I3 to the Germans and directing that a study be made with a view toward plaoing this objective under .aerial and long range bombardment* He indicated that he was of the opinion: that the advance of the French line a few kilometers to the ravine of MISSY AUX BOIS would permit the plaoing of a heavy battery in position within range of the bridges at 3028S0HS* These communications) were referred to HANOI! on 18 June and he replied on 80 June, submitting a plan for a series of operations to effect thio result,- the first phase to be minor in nature and to be executed by the troops then com posing the Tenth Array to secure terrain favorable for an offensive; the second phase to consist of a limited objectives attack to secure the heights in the vicinity of VILLERS HELOH. The Tenth Army successfully completed the first phase on July 5th and General MANGIH recommended that in view of the poor quality of the German troops opposing the Tenth Army, that the seoond phase previously recommended be amplified and executed without delay. On 8 July, Petain approved Mangins recommendations. Meanwhile, information had been reoeived - 3 as early as 1 July to the effect that the Germans were prepar ing to deliver another offensive on both sides of RHEIUS. Foch beoame convinced that the Allies oould stop the German drive without using the troops that had been designated for the offensive of the Tenth Army,- he sar that if the attack could be launched when the bulk of the German troops were engaged else where, the results might be far reachingi possibly the oomplete reduction of the CHATEAU THIERRY salient. Accordingly on 9 July he directed Petains attention to the desirability of supporting the proposed attack of the Tenth Army by attaoks of the Sixth Army on the right of the Tenth Army and the Fifth Army on the east face of the salient south of RHEIMS. Petain directed the Fifth and 8ixth Armies to prepare plans to attack in conjunc tion with the Tenth Army, these attacks to be Secondary attacks. On 12 July Petain stated that the order to begin active concen tration of troops would be given not later than the morning of 14 July, on the same day tie issued a general directive setting forth the missions and schemes of maneuver for the three armies. Mangin's original plan for a limited objective attack to secure Artillery positions, had grown into a plan for a major offensive. The attack was to be characterized by secrecy of preparation and rapidity of concentration. The Tenth Army was to make the wain blow.On 13 July the order of executidn was given 18 July was fixed as the day of the attack and 14 July as the first day of active concentration, »-hour to be designated later. The concen tration commenced promptly and was accomplished practically according to schedule. The foot troops of some six or seven divisions, including the 1st American division, were transported in motor trucks. All movements were made under cover of darkness except in a few oases where unforeseen delays caused some move ments to be made at daylight. THE CONCENTRATION of <<he 1st DIVISION. On July 8 the let Division was relieved from the - 3 OJLHTIQHT SECTOR and placed in a reot area north of BEAUVANS at the disposal of the Commanding General, GAR (2). On July 11th orders were received directing movement of the division to the area of DAMUARTIH-en-GOELE at the disposition of the Tenth Army. The movement began on July 12th. The Fi*ld Artillery Regiment and all other mounted elements proceeded by marchingi all dismounted elements were moved by trucks furnished by the Frenoh and from the Division Train, (3). On July 15th tie Tenth Army placed the 1st Division at the disposal of the IX Corps and the same day detailed orders were received from the XX Corps directing the move of the 1st Division to the area west of MORTEFOHTAINEt The movement *as begun the night 1&-16 July dismounted elements and light artillery pieces and personnel moving by truck* the remainder of the division by marching. (4). During the night 16*17 and the day of 17 July thercoveiient of all elements into the area in rear of the XX Corps was completed. (5) It was found necessary to improvise truck transportation for the 155 mm howitzers to get them into position in time for the attack. During the same period the front line battalions of Infantry Regi ments were moved forward from bivouac in the vicinity of PLAESHE to bivouac in the vicinity of MORTE FOHTAIHI and on the 17th July reconnaissance by all arms was made with a view to oocupying the sector previously held by one brigade of the 1st Horocoan Division in the vicinity of COSUVRES. (6). THE TERRAIN: The terrain over which the division was to attack was peculiarly well adapted to defend. A high plateau lying west of 3OI3SOHS and south of the Aisne River was, at the time of the attaok, oovered with fields of wheat waist high. This plateau is out by numerous deep and wooded ravines which run generally north and south. Those of MISSY AUX BOIS, PL0I8T and OHAZELLE, in the tone of action of the 1st Division, are .speoially 2) Reo. Vol. II (Q-3 647) Vol. XII (0-3-335). 3 Rec. Vol. II (0-3 670) Vol. XII (0-3-335). 4 Reo. Vol. II (0-3 390) Vol. XII (0-3-335). 5 Reo. Uapo page 113. e; Reo.Vol.Xrt TG-3 335) & Hist.(100-103). - 4 suitable for defense against an attaok from the west. They are of such nature as* to form a formidable barrier to advanoing troops even if they were not occupied and organized for defense by a wall trained enemy* There were innumerable trails in the area* but few good roads toward the east* The villages and farm houses were of masonry and had been converted by the enemy into the strong points. Machine guns plaoed in these and soattered through the wheat enabled him to cover enemy avenue of approach with dense bands of fire (7), GBRMAI DEFENSES. The German front line was a series of shallow trenches, ocoupied lightly by outguards and extending generally north and south some 300 meters east of the TRANCHES DE LA PLATEAU. Hie main line of resistance was through RAPERIE, parallel to and about one mile east of the outpost line* The trench here was shallow, single and interrupted. There were no other trench lines but the entire area from here east was checkerboarded with pits in which were hidden numbers of deadly maxims. Every farm house was a potential string point* Local reserves were sheltered in . the numerous caves in which the region abounded. The reserve position ran through MISSY AUX BOIS ravine. The ravine held about thirty piaces of artillery and wa» thickly sown with mach ine guns which covered every approach, with dense bands of infalade fire (8). The 6th German Division had its reserves and artillery in this ravine* At 8A00NIN ET BREUIL were the reserves of the 11th Bavarian Division whioh held the line to the north.(8), On the front of the 1st Division the °erman forces were disposed as follows: The boundary between Oorpe 8TABB and Corps WATTLER patsed through MISSY AUX BOIS with Corps STABB on the north.