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Marne, Second Battle of the
Marne, Second Battle of the (1918).Marne was the area west of Reims, France, in which the Germans made their greatest gains in World War I since the battle in the same area in 1914. On 15 June 1918, fourteen German divisions forced the Marne River against French and British armies. A French division and two Italian divisions folded. Earlier, at Cantigny, the U.S. 1st Division had halted the Germans, and the 2nd Division helped recapture Belleau Wood and Vaux. The U.S. 3rd Division, hastily committed against the point of the German drive, stopped the advance, in bloody, hand‐to‐hand fighting, although the Americans were beset on three sides. The German drive continued around the Americans, establishing a sizable bridgehead across the Marne. British divisions from the north arrived and blunted the German offensive, as they and the French reconstituted defenses on the river line, building on the 3rd Division's positions. Through the ranks of the German assault troops ran the rumor, “The Americans are killing everyone.”
Allied artillery and aircraft, striking beyond the salient, destroyed the Marne bridges, disrupting German reinforcement and resupply. With the French line holding from Soissons to Reims, the German offensive was halted. By 17 July, it was apparent to the German High Command that the offensive had run its course. American forces were arriving in France at the rate of 300,000 a month. Although Gen. Erich Ludendorff, commander of the German forces, planned another offensive in Flanders, the offensive in the Champagne‐Marne marked the last westward movement of the German Army in World War I. American forces had been “bloodied” in two scorching hot days of close combat; they had proven themselves brave, even aggressive, though still “green” in battle. The Third Division's steadfast defense, especially that of the 38th Infantry Regiment, earned it the title “The Rock of the Marne.” [See also Army, U.S.: 1900–41; Belleau Wood, Battle of; World War I: Military and Diplomatic Course.] Bibliography Edward M. Coffman , The War to End All Wars: The American Military Experience in World War I, 1968. Paul F. Braim |
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John Whiteclay Chambers II. "Marne, Second Battle of the." The Oxford Companion to American Military History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. John Whiteclay Chambers II. "Marne, Second Battle of the." The Oxford Companion to American Military History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O126-MarneSecondBattleofthe.html John Whiteclay Chambers II. "Marne, Second Battle of the." The Oxford Companion to American Military History. 2000. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O126-MarneSecondBattleofthe.html |
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Marne, Battles of the
Marne, Battles of the (World War I) (5–11 Sept. 1914, 15–20 July 1918) Two crucial battles at the start and end of World War I. In 1914, the Germans hoped to realize the Schlieffen Plan through rapidly conquering France. Having overrun neutral Belgium, they advanced to within 25 km of Paris. They crossed the River Marne on 6 September 1914 in an attempt to outflank a French counter-attack by Joffre. Eventually, they were forced to retreat, and moved north to the River Aisne where they dug in, setting the pattern of trench warfare for the next four years. On 21 March 1918 the Germans launched a strong offensive north of the Somme. This failed to break the Allied line and did not reach its objective of Amiens. On 15 July, however, Ludendorff renewed the attack further east. His troops crossed the Marne east of Château-Thierry and again Paris was threatened; but on 17 July Marshal Foch ordered his counter-attack, successfully using tanks. Thus the last German offensive of the war was repelled and all German hopes for victory dissolved in the subsequent Allied attack.
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JAN PALMOWSKI. "Marne, Battles of the." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JAN PALMOWSKI. "Marne, Battles of the." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O46-MarneBattlesofthe.html JAN PALMOWSKI. "Marne, Battles of the." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O46-MarneBattlesofthe.html |
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Marne, Second Battle of the
Marne, Second Battle of the a three-day World War I battle in 1918 in France between German and Allied Forces that ended in Allied victory. The German offensive had begun successfully in mid June, defeating French and Italian divisions, but its point was eventually stymied by the French Army and the U.S. 3rd Division. Surrounded on three sides, the 3rd received help on July 16–17 from British and French divisions, as well as from Allied artillery and aircraft, which bombed the Marne bridges, cutting off German supplies and reinforcements. On July 18, the German High Command halted the offensive, the last westward incursion by Germany in World War I. Though recent joiners to the war, American forces proved themselves in this bloody battle under intense summer heat, and the 3rd Division became known as “The Rock of the Marne.”
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"Marne, Second Battle of the." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Marne, Second Battle of the." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-MarneSecondBattleofthe.html "Marne, Second Battle of the." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-MarneSecondBattleofthe.html |
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Marne, Battles of the
Marne, Battles of the (5–12 September 1914; 15 July–7 August 1918) Two battles along the River Marne in east central France in World War I. The first battle marked the climax and defeat of the German plan to destroy the French forces before Russian mobilization was complete. By September the Germans were within 24 km (15 miles) of Paris and the government moved to Bordeaux. JOFFRE's successful counter-offensive has been hailed as one of the decisive battles in history. The retreating Germans dug themselves in north of the River Aisne, setting the pattern for TRENCH WARFARE on the WESTERN FRONT. The second battle ended LUDENDORFF's final offensive, when, on 18 July, FOCH ordered a counter-attack.
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"Marne, Battles of the." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Marne, Battles of the." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-MarneBattlesofthe.html "Marne, Battles of the." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-MarneBattlesofthe.html |
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battle of the Marne
battle of the Marne two important battles of World War I that are named for the Marne River. In the first battle (Sept. 6–9, 1914) the German advance on Paris was halted at the Marne by the Allies under Joffre , Gallieni , and Sir John French. The German retreat that followed signified the abandonment of the Schlieffen plan (see under Schlieffen, Alfred, Graf von ). In the second battle (July, 1918) the last great German offensive was decisively repulsed by the Allies.
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"battle of the Marne." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "battle of the Marne." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Marne-ba.html "battle of the Marne." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Marne-ba.html |
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Marne, Battles of the
Marne, Battles of the Two engagements on the River Marne, n France, during World War I. The first, in September 1914, was a counterattack directed by General Joffre, which checked the German drive on Paris. The second, in July 1918, was another Allied counter-stroke, which stopped the last German advance and preceded the final Allied offensive.
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"Marne, Battles of the." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Marne, Battles of the." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-MarneBattlesofthe.html "Marne, Battles of the." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-MarneBattlesofthe.html |
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