ies, all of our forces, to be
used as he might decide. At his request the 1st Division was transferred
from the Toul sector to a position in reserve at Chaumont en Vexin. As
German superiority in numbers required prompt action, an agreement was
reached at the Abbeville conference of the Allied Premiers and commanders
and myself on May 2 by which British shipping was to transport ten
American divisions to the British Army area, where they were to be
trained and equipped, and additional British shipping was to be provided
for as many divisions as possible for use elsewhere.

On April 26 the 1st Division had gone into the line in the Montdidier
salient on the Picardy battlefront. Tactics had been suddenly
revolutionized to those of open warfare, and our men, confident of the
results of their training, were eager for the test. On the morning of
May 28 this division attacked the commanding German position in its
front, taking with splendid dash the town of Cantigny and all other
objectives, which were organized and held steadfastly against vicious
counterattacks and galling artillery fire. Although local, this
brilliant action had an electrical effect, as it demonstrated our
fighting qualities under extreme battle conditions, and also that the
enemy's troops were not altogether invincible.

The Germans' Aisne offensive, which began on May 27, had advanced rapidly
toward the River Marne and Paris, and the Allies faced a crisis equally
as grave as that of the Picardy offensive in March. Again every
available man was placed at Marshal Foch's disposal, and the 3d Division,
which had just come from its preliminary training in the trenches, was
hurried to the Marne. Its motorized machine-gun battalion preceded the
other units and successfully held the bridgehead at the Marne, opposite
Chateau-Thierry. The 2d Division, in reserve near Montdidier, was sent
by motor trucks and other available transport to check the progress of
the enemy toward Paris. The division attacked and retook the town and
railroad station at Bouresches and sturdily held its ground against the
enemy's best guard divisions. In the battle of Belleau Wood, which
followed, our men proved their superiority and gained a strong tactical
position, with far greater loss to the enemy than to ourselves. On July
1, before the 2d was relieved, it captured the village of Vaux with most
splendid precision.

Meanwhile our 2d Corps, under Major Gen. George W. Read,