Combat· World War I
Battle of Soissons
Soissons was an Allied counterattack meant to hit the side of a large German bulge in the line and seize the momentum after months of German offensives.
The 4th Marine Brigade, fighting in the 2d Division, was thrown in as one of the spearhead units. The Marines moved up quickly, often arriving exhausted and with little time to prepare, then attacked across open farmland and ripening wheat. They pushed forward behind a rolling artillery barrage into intense machine gun and artillery fire, capturing German positions, guns, and prisoners as they advanced. The ground offered almost no cover, and units took heavy losses in a very short span of fighting. Despite the cost, the attack helped force the Germans to begin pulling back, marking a turning point where the Allies seized the initiative on the Western Front.
Podcast episodes on World War I
Record no. 97