On
June 11th the official statement of the French War Office declared:
"South of the Ourcq River the American troops this morning brilliantly
captured Belleau Wood, and took three hundred prisoners."

Belleau Wood had been considered an almost impregnable position, but the
valiant fighting of the American Marines had carried them past it.
Fighting here was not merely a series of exciting engagements, but an
important action, which may have turned, and very probably did turn, the
whole tide of battle. The Americans put three German divisions out of
business, and caused a change in the German plans, by preventing an
extending movement to Meaux, which was the German objective.

From this time on the confidence shown in all reports from the Allies in
France was strengthened. They had found that the Americans were all that
they had hoped for, and they were sure now that they could hold on until
the full American strength could be brought to bear. General Pershing
himself was full of optimism and his fine example stimulated his troops.
From this time on all dispatches show that the Americans were more and
more getting in the game. Repeated German attacks against their forces,
on the Belleau-Bouresches line were repulsed, in spite of the fact that
crack German divisions, who had been picked especially to punish them,
had been found on their front. It was later found that these divisions
had been suddenly ordered to that point "in order to prevent at all
costs the Americans being able to achieve success." The German High
Command was apparently anxious to prevent American success from
stimulating the morale of the Allied army.

During the rest of the summer the Americans took an active part in
Foch's great offensive which ultimately crushed the German army. They
were heard from at widely divergent points: in Alsace, about
Chateau-Thierry, at Montdidier, and in the British lines.

Most of the fighting during June indicated a slow advance at
Chateau-Thierry. On June 19th the Americans crossed the Marne, near that
city. But Chateau-Thierry itself was not captured until the middle of
July. On June 29th they participated in a raid near Montdidier and on
July 2d captured Vaux. In the week of July 4th news came of American
success in the Vosges. On July 18th they advanced close to Soissons. On
August 3d the Americans captured Fismes, and then for nearly a month
made little actual progress, though bitter fighting went on in the
coun