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Product Identifiers

PublisherUniversity Press of Kansas

ISBN-100700629572

ISBN-139780700629572

eBay Product ID (ePID)4038445443

Product Key Features

Book Title4th Marine Brigade at Belleau Wood and Soissons : History and Battlefield Guide

Number of Pages472 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication Year2020

TopicUnited States / 20th Century, Europe / France, Military / World War I, World

IllustratorYes

GenreHistory

AuthorJ. Michael Miller

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height1.5 in

Item Weight26.1 Oz

Item Length9.4 in

Item Width6.2 in

Additional Product Features

LCCN2019-045401

TitleLeadingThe

Reviews"Relying on extensive reminiscences from marines who fought at Belleau Wood and Soissons in the summer of 1918, Mike Miller's book vividly re-creates what it was like to 'be there' on the battlefields. It especially underscores the personal experiences of the intense fighting that would mark the emergence of the US Marine Corps as a major fighting force for the AEF. The book's tour guides are a valuable bonus that will allow battlefield visitors to consider up close what the brave marines actually faced during that fateful summer."-- David J. Bettez , author of Kentucky Marine: Major General Logan Feland and the Making of the Modern USMC "For three weeks in June 1918, an inexperienced 4th Marine Brigade clawed a bloody way through Belleau Wood in a triumph of bravery. But only a month later the same marines complemented valor with skill in the allied victory at Soissons. The learning curve's price was steep, comprehensive, and enduring. The Marine Corps' list of defining battles is long--Iwo Jima, Chosin Reservoir, Khe Sanh. But this comprehensively researched work demonstrates that none overshadow Belleau Wood and its aftermath."-- Dennis Showalter , author of Instrument of War: The German Army 1914-18 "Although the Marines trace their origins back to 1775, the true birth of the Corps was in 1918 during the hard-fought battles of Belleau Woods and Soissons. Miller's detailed, intimate, and exceptionally well-researched narrative vividly captures the moment when the Marines truly entered the American consciousness and the Corps transformed itself from a dispensable appendage of the US Navy to a vital national institution. Many historians have written about the Marines' experience during the Great War, but few can match the power and perceptiveness of Miller's chronicle of the 4th Marine Brigade."-- Richard S. Faulkner , author of Pershing's Crusaders: The American Soldier in World War I, "A first rate military history of the 4th Marine Brigade at war in 1918, with particular focus on the bitter battles at Belleau Wood and Soissons."-- New York Military Affairs Symposium Review, 'eoeRelying on extensive reminiscences from marines who fought at Belleau Wood and Soissons in the summer of 1918, Mike Miller's book vividly re-creates what it was like to 'be there' on the battlefields. It especially underscores the personal experiences of the intense fighting that would mark the emergence of the US Marine Corps as a major fighting force for the AEF. The book's tour guides are a valuable bonus that will allow battlefield visitors to consider up close what the brave marines actually faced during that fateful summer.'e-- David J. Bettez , author of Kentucky Marine: Major General Logan Feland and the Making of the Modern USMC 'eoeFor three weeks in June 1918, an inexperienced 4th Marine Brigade clawed a bloody way through Belleau Wood in a triumph of bravery. But only a month later the same marines complemented valor with skill in the allied victory at Soissons. The learning curve's price was steep, comprehensive, and enduring. The Marine Corps' list of defining battles is long--Iwo Jima, Chosin Reservoir, Khe Sanh. But this comprehensively researched work demonstrates that none overshadow Belleau Wood and its aftermath.'e-- Dennis Showalter , author of Instrument of War: The German Army 1914-18 'eoeAlthough the Marines trace their origins back to 1775, the true birth of the Corps was in 1918 during the hard-fought battles of Belleau Woods and Soissons. Miller's detailed, intimate, and exceptionally well-researched narrative vividly captures the moment when the Marines truly entered the American consciousness and the Corps transformed itself from a dispensable appendage of the US Navy to a vital national institution. Many historians have written about the Marines' experience during the Great War, but few can match the power and perceptiveness of Miller's chronicle of the 4th Marine Brigade.'e-- Richard S. Faulkner , author of Pershing's Crusaders: The American Soldier in World War I, "Whether a seasoned armchair traveler, a general World War I enthusiast, or a dedicated Marine historian, readers will benefit from Miller's comprehensive study and battlefield guide."-- Army History "Highly recommended for anyone who wants to read detailed accounts of the 4th Brigade at Belleau Wood and Soissons."-- Marine Corps History "J. Michael Miller has written a superb new account of two battles with great significance to both the history of the Marine Corps and the events of World War I."-- Michigan War Studies Review "An excellent resource for anyone desiring a full understanding of these two battles, which are part of the same campaign."-- U.S. Military History Review "A first rate military history of the 4th Marine Brigade at war in 1918, with particular focus on the bitter battles at Belleau Wood and Soissons."-- New York Military Affairs Symposium Review, "An excellent resource for anyone desiring a full understanding of these two battles, which are part of the same campaign."-- U.S. Military History Review "A first rate military history of the 4th Marine Brigade at war in 1918, with particular focus on the bitter battles at Belleau Wood and Soissons."-- New York Military Affairs Symposium Review, "J. Michael Miller has written a superb new account of two battles with great significance to both the history of the Marine Corps and the events of World War I."-- Michigan War Studies Review "An excellent resource for anyone desiring a full understanding of these two battles, which are part of the same campaign."-- U.S. Military History Review "A first rate military history of the 4th Marine Brigade at war in 1918, with particular focus on the bitter battles at Belleau Wood and Soissons."-- New York Military Affairs Symposium Review, "Relying on extensive reminiscences from Marines who fought at Belleau Wood and Soissons in the summer of 1918, Mike Miller's book vividly re-creates what it was like to 'be there' on the battlefields. It especially underscores the personal experiences of the intense fighting that would mark the emergence of the US Marine Corps as a major fighting force for the AEF. The book's tour guides are a valuable bonus that will allow battlefield visitors to consider up close what the brave Marines actually faced during that fateful summer."-- David J. Bettez , author of Kentucky Marine: Major General Logan Feland and the Making of the Modern USMC "For three weeks in June 1918, an inexperienced 4th Marine Brigade clawed a bloody way through Belleau Wood in a triumph of bravery. But only a month later the same Marines complemented valor with skill in the allied victory at Soissons. The learning curve's price was steep, comprehensive, and enduring. The Marine Corps' list of defining battles is long--Iwo Jima, Chosin Reservoir, Khe Sanh. But this comprehensively researched work demonstrates that none overshadow Belleau Wood and its aftermath."-- Dennis Showalter , author of Instrument of War: The German Army 1914-18 "Although the Marines trace their origins back to 1775, the true birth of the Corps was in 1918 during the hard-fought battles of Belleau Woods and Soissons. Miller's detailed, intimate, and exceptionally well-researched narrative vividly captures the moment when the Marines truly entered the American consciousness and the Corps transformed itself from a dispensable appendage of the US Navy to a vital national institution. Many historians have written about the Marines' experience during the Great War, but few can match the power and perceptiveness of Miller's chronicle of the 4th Marine Brigade."-- Richard S. Faulkner , author of Pershing's Crusaders: The American Soldier in World War I, "Relying on extensive reminiscences from marines who fought at Belleau Wood and Soissons in the summer of 1918, Mike Miller's book vividly re-creates what it was like to 'be there' on the battlefields. It especially underscores the personal experiences of the intense fighting that would mark the emergence of the US Marine Corps as a major fighting force for the AEF. The book's tour guides are a valuable bonus that will allow battlefield visitors to consider up close what the brave marines actually faced during that fateful summer." -- David J. Bettez , author of Kentucky Marine: Major General Logan Feland and the Making of the Modern USMC "For three weeks in June 1918, an inexperienced 4th Marine Brigade clawed a bloody way through Belleau Wood in a triumph of bravery. But only a month later the same marines complemented valor with skill in the allied victory at Soissons. The learning curve's price was steep, comprehensive, and enduring. The Marine Corps' list of defining battles is long--Iwo Jima, Chosin Reservoir, Khe Sanh. But this comprehensively researched work demonstrates that none overshadow Belleau Wood and its aftermath."-- Dennis Showalter , author of Instrument of War: The German Army 1914-18 'eoeAlthough the Marines trace their origins back to 1775, the true birth of the Corps was in 1918 during the hard-fought battles of Belleau Woods and Soissons. Miller's detailed, intimate, and exceptionally well-researched narrative vividly captures the moment when the Marines truly entered the American consciousness and the Corps transformed itself from a dispensable appendage of the US Navy to a vital national institution. Many historians have written about the Marines' experience during the Great War, but few can match the power and perceptiveness of Miller's chronicle of the 4th Marine Brigade."-- Richard S. Faulkner , author of Pershing's Crusaders: The American Soldier in World War I

Dewey Edition23

Dewey Decimal940.434

Table Of ContentList of Illustrations Foreword by Lt. Gen. Richard P. Mills, USMC (Ret.) Preface Acknowledgments Introduction 1. May 31 - June 1, 1918--Movement to the Marne: "I Could Feel the Warm Drop of His Tears on My Hand" Belleau Wood Tour Stop 1. Montreuil-aux-Lions Stop 2. Le Thiolet, 2nd Division Boulder Stop 3. Lucy-le-Bocage, 2nd Division Boulder 2. June 3, 1918--Digging In "When One Hits You Direct, You Are Just Saving Someone from Digging a Grave" 3. June 3, 1918--First Contact: "Those Germans Just Melted Away" 4. June 5-6, 1918: "Would the Lieutenant Like Some Cow Stew, Sir?" Belleau Wood Tour Stop 4. German Cemetery Stop 5. Bussaires Stop 6. Les Mares Farm Stop 7. Marigny-en-Orxois Stop 8. La Voie du Chatel 5. June 6, 1918--Berry's 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines: "It Is Uncertain Who Holds Bois de Belleau" Belleau Wood Tour Stop 9. Wheat Field Attack, Belleau Wood Road Stop 10. Belleau Wood Monument 6. June 6, 1918--Sibley's 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines: "Come on You Bastards and Just Go. . . . What Do You Want to Do, Live Forever?" Belleau Wood Tour Stop 11. Attack of the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines 7. June 6, 1918--Evening: "Come on Down and Join the Party" Belleau Wood Tour Stop 12. Bouresches 8. Belleau Wood Conclusions: "America Became the Deciding Factor in the War" Belleau Wood Tour Stop 13. Aisne Marne Cemetery Stop 14. Belleau 9. Grant Strategy: "Thanks to the Arrival of American Reinforcements, Time Was Working Not for Us but against Us" 10. July 16-17, 1918--International Battles and the Movement to Soissons: "We the Lousy Infantry, SOL as Always" Soissons Tour Stop 15. Oise Marne Cemetery: Cimetière Américain Stop 16. Courcy Stop 16A. Taillefontaine Stop 16B. Grenedier Guards Stop 16C. Lieutenant Henri de Chasseval Stop 16D. General Mangin's Headquarters Stop 16E. Captain Joost van Vollenhoven Stop 17. Longpont 11. July 18, 1918--Daybreak: "Revenge, Revenge" Soissons Tour Stope 18. Verte Feuille Farm 12. July 18, 1918--Morning Assault: "It Looks Like as If We've Got to Take on the Whole Germany Army by Ourselves" Soissons Tour Stop 19. Beaurepaire Farm Stop 20. Maison Neuve Farm Stop 21. Chaudon Stop 22. Vauxcastille 13. July 18, 1918--Evening Assault: "Rage Carried Us over Those Last Few Yards to the Boche" Soissons Tour Stop 23. Vierzy Railroad Station Stop 24. Vierzy Cemetery 14. July 19, 1918--Attack of the 6th Marines: "We Threw Away the Hope of Life, and Yelling at the Top of Our Voices, We Struck Their Line" Soissons Tour Stop 25. 2nd Division Boulder Stop 26. German Grenedier Positions Stop 27. La Raperie Stop 28. British Cemetery Stop 29. Villemontoire Stop 30. 6th Marines' High-Water Mark Stop 31. 2nd Division Marker, Tigny Stop 32. Highes's Advance 15 Aftermath: "How Many Hopes, Cherished during the Last Few Months, Had Probably Collapsed at One Blow!" 16. Final Conclusions: One Battle Remembered, One Battle Forgotten Soissons Tour Stop 33. French Cemetery Stop 34. German Cemetery Stop 35. American 1st Division Monument Stop 36. 15th Scottish Division Cemetery Appendix. Tables of Organization: Allied and German Units Notes Bibliography Index

SynopsisThe battles of Belleau Wood and Soissons in June and July of 1918 marked a turning point in World War I and in the stature of the US Marine Corps, whose fighting proved so critical in repelling the Germans that the French would later rename Belleau "Bois de la Brigade de Marine." In this book J. Michael Miller, a historian of the Marine Corps and veteran chronicler of battle, takes us to the battlefields of Belleau Wood and Soissons, immersing us in the experience of a single brigade of marines at the forefront of the fighting. Through a close-up look at the doughboys' singular impact on Allied victory in 1918, his work illuminates America's bloody sacrifice during World War I. The 4th Marine Brigade at Belleau Wood and Soissons for the first time treats these two battles as one campaign and demonstrates why it is impossible to fully understand one without the other. Miller outlines the company and platoon levels of combat throughout the campaign, establishing a basic tactical understanding of the fighting; he also draws on letters, diaries, memoirs, and interviews to create a vivid and personal reconstruction of the battles. His use of French and German sources, also a first, adds unprecedented insights to this boots-on-the-ground account. The book includes detailed mapping of both battlefields, with a thirty-six-stop guide linking the text with the actual terrain. For each of these stops Miller gives GPS coordinates to provide a virtual tour of the sites he discusses. With its strategic overview and ground-level perspective, Miller's work suggests a new interpretation and offers a new experience of an iconic moment in American military history--and in the story of the Marine Corps., The battles of Belleau Wood and Soissons in June and July of 1918 marked a turning point in World War I and in the stature of the US Marine Corps, whose fighting proved so critical in repelling the Germans that the French would later rename Belleau "Bois de la Brigade de Marine." In this book J. Michael Miller, a historian of the Marine Corps and veteran chronicler of battle, takes us to the battlefields of Belleau Wood and Soissons, immersing us in the experience of a single brigade of marines at the forefront of the fighting. Through a close-up look at the doughboys (TM) singular impact on Allied victory in 1918, his work illuminates America (TM)s bloody sacrifice during World War I. The 4th Marine Brigade at Belleau Wood and Soissons for the first time treats these two battles as one campaign and demonstrates why it is impossible to fully understand one without the other. Miller outlines the company and platoon levels of combat throughout the campaign, establishing a basic tactical understanding of the fighting; he also draws on letters, diaries, memoirs, and interviews to create a vivid and personal reconstruction of the battles. His use of French and German sources, also a first, adds unprecedented insights to this boots-on-the-ground account. The book includes detailed mapping of both battlefields, with a thirty-six-stop guide linking the text with the actual terrain. For each of these stops Miller gives GPS coordinates to provide a virtual tour of the sites he discusses. With its strategic overview and ground-level perspective, Miller's work suggests a new interpretation and offers a new experience of an iconic moment in American military history--and in the story of the Marine Corps., The 4th Marine Brigade at Belleau Wood and Soissons illuminates America's bloody sacrifice during World War I, following a single brigade of Marines to measure the impact of the US entry into the war and contribution to ultimate victory.

LC Classification NumberD545.B4M55 2020