man shock troops specially selected and trained, and spurred on by
the belief in their own irresistibility and the exhaustion of their
opponents. The full wave of the hideous instruments of warfare which
the devilish ingenuity of the Germans had invented, liquid fire,
monstrous shells, various kinds of gases including the horrible mustard
gas, had struck the Americans squarely and fully, and they had stood
and fought on and won.

The French, so calm in their trials, so restrained in their own
victories, gave full vent to their joy and enthusiasm at the splendid
fighting and success of the Americans. The talk of them was everywhere
in Paris. Hundreds of thousands of American soldiers already in
France, thousands coming upon every steamer, millions more to come if
needed--and they had shown the great stuff they were made of! All
gloom vanished, overnight. The full magnificence of the French
fighting morale shone out again--both behind the lines and at the
front. "Ils ne passeront pas!" "On les aura." [1]

And the Bolshevik-Socialists, Boloists, weak-kneed pacifists, and that
whole noisome tribe slunk back into their holes and corners and hiding
places, and never emerged again.

And, as the people of Paris and the poilus at the front correctly
interpreted the meaning of that battle in those early days of June, so
did the supreme military genius of Marshal Foch interpret it. He knew
what the new great fighting force could do which had come under his
orders, and he knew what he meant to do and could do with it. It is an
eloquent fact that when six weeks later he struck his great master
stroke which was to lead ultimately to the utter defeat and collapse of
the enemy, American troops formed the larger portion of an attacking
force which, being thrown against a particularly vital position, was
meant to deal and did deal the most staggering blow to the enemy; and
other American troops were allotted the place which from the paramount
responsibility attaching to it, may be termed the place of honor, in
the center of the line, in immediate defense of the approaches to Paris.

They made good there--officers and men alike. They made good
everywhere, from Cantigny to Sedan. They made good on land, on the
seas, and in the air; worthy comrades of the war-seasoned heroes of
France and Great Britain, worthy defenders of American honor, eager
artisans of American glory. When for the first time the American army
went into a