Blood on the Marne: American Troops Slaughter Germans in Bitter Battle

June 21, 1918, was a day of carnage on the Marne as American forces clashed with German troops in a fierce battle that left dozens dead. The bloody fight took place near Chateau Thierry, where American troops launched a surprise attack on the German line, pushing the enemy back a crucial five-eighths of a mile into the Belleau wood. The Germans, caught off guard by the rapid artillery bombardment, retreated without putting up a fight, leaving behind their positions for the Americans to occupy.