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

Medical Aspects of Chemical WarfareFig. 2-18. Linemen of the 5th Field Signal Brigade, 3rd Division,repair broken wire during a gas attack. Chateau-Thierry,France, June 21, 1918. US Signal Corps photograph.Photograph: Courtesy of US Army Military History Institute,Carlisle, Pa.The Germans took back the sector, which changedhands six times before the Germans were expelled.The 2nd Division suffered 3,152 chemical casualtiesin the Chateau-Thierry sector during the capture ofBelleau Wood, Vaux, and Bouresche, 39 and the Frenchrenamed the wood “Bois de la Brigade de Marine,”in its honor.Champagne-Marne DefensiveThe Allies were prepared for the two-pronged Germanassault on each side of Rheims on July 15 (Figure2-20). Plans for the attack had leaked out of Berlin, andAllied airplanes had detected unusual activity behindthe enemy front. Marshal Ferdinand Foch, commanderof the Allied forces, had time to draw up reserves,and Henri Philippe, the French commander, skillfullydeployed his troops in defense-in-depth tactics. 35,41Consequently, the German drive east of Rheims fellfar short of its objective. The attack west of the citysucceeded in pushing across the Marne near Chateau-Thierry once again, but was checked there by Frenchand American units. The primary AEF units involvedin this action were the 3rd and 42nd divisions, withsupport from the 26th and 28th divisions and the 369thInfantry. 41 (The 3rd Division’s 38th Infantry becameknown as the “rock of the Marne” at this battle. 35,41 ) The3rd and 28th Divisions suffered 789 and 378 chemicalcasualties, respectively, during the defense. 37 The 42ndincurred the largest number of chemical casualties hereFig. 2-19. Treating American gas casualties, mainly mustard,during the attack of Belleau Wood. 1918. US Signal Corpsphotograph.Photograph: Courtesy of US Army Military History Institute,Carlisle, Pa.(1,246). 40 By July 18 the German offensive was haltedonce more, and the initiative passed to the Allies. TheGerman war effort never recovered from the tremendouspsychological blow of this failure.Aisne-Marne OffensiveSeveral days before the Germans launched theirabortive Champagne-Marne drive, the French highcommand made plans for a general converging offensiveagainst the Marne salient. France issued orderson July 12 for the attack to begin on the 18th, with fiveFrench armies taking part. Five divisions of the FrenchXX Corps, accompanied by the American 1st and 2ndAEF divisions (see Figure 2-20), led the assault. 35,41,42Early on July 18 the two American divisions and aFrench Moroccan division launched the main blowat the northwest base of the salient near Soissons. ByJuly 28 the American contingent included the 3rd,4th, 28th, 32nd, and 42nd divisions (see Figure 2-20).The Germans retreated across the Aisne and Veslerivers, resolutely defending each strong point as theywent. By August 6 the Aisne-Marne offensive and theGerman threat to Paris were over. The eight AEF divisionsin the action spearheaded much of the advance,demonstrating offensive gas capabilities that helpedinspire new confidence in the war-weary Allied armies(Figures 2-21 and 2-22). About 270,000 Americans tookpart in the battle. Heavy losses were incurred by the3rd Division (2,146 chemical casualties) and 28th Division(1,092 chemical casualties). 37 The 32nd Divisionsuffered nearly 1,300 chemical casualties in the takingof Fismes, the key to the advance from the Vesle to theAisne River. 4230