Medical Aspects of Chemical Warfare (2008) - The Black Vault

History of Chemical WarfareFig. 2-16. Company A, Seventh Machine Gun Battalion,guarding the Marne from Chateau-Thierry, France. At thetime this photograph was taken, Chateau-Thierry was underbombardment from German lines across the river. June 1,1918. US Signal Corps photograph.Photograph: Courtesy of US Army Military History Institute,Carlisle, Pa.shells used against the 1st Division was 7-fold that ofgas shells, and the reported chemical and woundedcasualty statistics were similar. The Germans predominantlyused chlorine, bromine arsenic, mustard, andphosgene shells on the AEF at Cantigny.Aisne DefensiveThe significance of the Cantigny victory was overshadowedby the battle along the Aisne, some 50 milesto the northwest, where the Germans broke throughnine British and French divisions with the aid of gasand captured 50,000 Allied soldiers (Exhibit 2-8). TheFrench and British defenders were taken by surprise,and their positions were quickly overrun on a 40-milefront. The German army progressed rapidly, capturingAisne bridges completely intact along the way. Theirthrust toward Rheims failed, but Soissons was taken,and by May 31, the German army reached the outskirtsof Chateau-Thierry on the Marne, less than 40 miles fromParis (Figure 2-15). If the AEF had not quickly plugged thebreach in this line at Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood,the Germans would have marched the 40-mile track toParis unchallenged along the Paris-Metz Road. 35,37,38Chateau-ThierryChateau-Thierry formed the tip of the German advancetowards Paris. The AEF’s 2nd and 3rd divisionsFig. 2-17. US Field Artillery, 2nd Division sending overFrench 75-mm gas shells into the Bois de Belleau, France,during the Battle at Belleau Wood. June 30, 1918. US SignalCorps photograph.Photographs: Courtesy of US Army Military History Institute,Carlisle, Pa.(Figures 2-16, 2-17, and 2-18) launched a counterattackon June 3–4 with the assistance of the French 10thColonial Division. This offensive pushed the Germansback across the Marne to Jaulgonne. 35,38 During thedefense of Chateau-Thierry, the 3rd Division suffered1,777 chemical casualties. 37Belleau WoodThe 2nd Division (5th and 6th Marine regiments)captured the Bois de Belleau Wood under heavy gasshelling, mostly mustard, from June 6 to 26. The casualtieson the first day of the assault (Figure 2-19) werethe highest in Marine Corps history until the captureof Japanese-held Tarawa in November 1943. 35,38,3929