The Battle of Belleau Wood free essay sample

The Battle of Belleau Wood was one the most famous battles of World War I in which the U. S. Marine Corps made their debut into the Western Front. This battle was decisive because it confirmed the entry of the U. S. into World War I which is one of the main reasons, that the allies won the war. American involvement for the first couple years of World War I had been kept to simply supply the allies with weapons and supplies. It wasn’t until 1917 when the United States changed its view on isolationism due to a building pressure and Germany’s several indiscriminate attacks on civilians and attempt at a secret alliance as described in the Zimmerman note. The Battle of Belleau Wood was the Marine Corps attempt to aid the ailing French in losing their territory, most importantly Paris, to the German invaders. The primary source document referenced is a first-hand account from Lt Col Frederick May Wise, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines at Belleau Wood. We will write a custom essay sample on The Battle of Belleau Wood or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The article was written from anywhere between the June 1 and June 26, when the battle was recorded to have occurred. Lt Col Wise describes in the beginning of the account how he saw several â€Å"German sausages† high in the air. These â€Å"sausages† were observation balloons that gave the German’s a warning of the allied advance and indicated to the Marines that a defensive fortification was nearby. The men were ordered to hide in the trees of the Bois de Belleau were they were soon pelted by German artillery fire. The continuous shelling was followed but a never ending machine gun and rifle fire from the Germans and the Marines made their best attempts to dig a trench and take cover. Lt Col Wise went to discuss the next course of actions and take suggestions from the commanders of other battalions. Orders then came in from higher up that an attack from the southern edge of Bois de Belleau was to commence which would be a frontal assault on the German positions. After the initial allied shelling of the woods, German machine guns returned fire as the Marine battalions were ordered to their feet to make their advance on the German line. Lt Col Wise described as he received several reports of the Marine successes in the battle as reports of objectives gained came in. Also several German prisoners were taken. The Germans put up a good fight with their machine guns but as Capt. Wass, one of Wise’s officers said, â€Å"But then you once get within bayonet reach of any of them, they’re eager enough to surrender†. In the end, the Marines were victorious in taking Bois de Belleau; however, it was at a heavy cost. Of the nine hundred and sixty five men and twenty six officers in Lt Col Wise’s battalion, he was left with three hundred and fifty men and six officers after his ten months training them. A secondary source article titled â€Å"’Belleau Wood’ The Legend, The Reality, and The Myth† written by Colonel John Miller, USMC. This document was written as an explanation to the reality of the events at Belleau Wood. The article mentions that there was a built up legend to the Marines in Europe that was shown to the American public of how glorious and victorious the Marines in Europe were. The Marines were also fighting to keep their existence as the fact that they were seen as a second land army. The text also covers the myth of the battle and is meant to debunk many ideas that were stirring in the public. Marine recruiters would often sell the argument that the term â€Å"Devil Dogs† came from the Germans to describe the Marines when this was actually not said in the same way it was meant and through some confusion in interpretation, the phrase came to be. Another secondary source researched is from a book by Robert Asprey titled â€Å"At Belleau Wood†. This book is written as an analysis from different points of view. The author has compiled several accounts and research to show arguments of alternative actions that could have been taken and to tell of accounts from people that were actually there. This book puts the events in chronological order and explains the progression of the war and the many famous historical events. The account from Lt Col Wise is important because it is a direct interpretation of what he witnessed during the battle. Many writers and journalists can interview soldiers and marines and ask them to explain their experience, but a primary source is the closest you can get to the accurate truth of someone’s experience. The fact that there are no longer World War I survivors remaining show the importance of keeping the history alive through writing. The author definitely has a bit of bias in writing his account. Lt Col Wise made it appear as if the German infantry were less courageous than their machine gunners because the Germans never attacked like the marines did. Lt Col Wise might have also exaggerated the numbers of prisoners when he described that one single wounded marine herded around fifty German troops as prisoners. Capt. Wass, as mentioned earlier, would be quick to state that the Germans were far inferior to the marines in hand-to-hand combat. Some information the author might have ignored were the reasons why the Germans surrendered in such large amounts. Did they run out of ammunition? Did they lose the will to fight because their command gave up on them? Maybe the German’s viewed the marines as a much more vicious fighting force than their numbers might have suggested? The reader should be interested in this document because its detailed description of the war allows for vivid imagery of the scenes of carnage and destruction on the battlefield. A true military enthusiast would find this recollection enjoyable. This document helps us understand U. S. naval history by mentioning one of the most famous battles of World War I. This is where the U. S. Marine Corps displayed its true colors and attracted the attention of many young men and women to join. Ultimately, this primary source document provides a realistic account of what actually happened as it was written by the commander of a marine battalion.