America was eager to be of the greatest possible help in the grave danger to Paris and France. The Allies were short of reserves. General Pershing, putting his own honors second in the same generous way he had done at school, decided to scatter the Yankee troops all through the French and British lines, wherever they were needed. [Sidenote: =Rushing troops to France=] Germany had sneered at our nation because she thought our people were so devoted to dollars that we could not or would not fight. Now she began to learn how high the war spirit flamed in the soldiers we were preparing to send by millions to France. By the help of England's great fleet, we were able to send over more than a million men by the summer of 1918. The American troops then formed a united army, fighting under their own flag. They took over a hundred miles of the front, relieving tired Frenchmen. Another million arrived by November. The Allied command gave Pershing command of the region between the Aisne and the Marne. The Germans thought the Americans untried, and expected to break through by using their best "shock troops." [Sidenote: =The battle of Château-Thierry=] In July the Germans struck a terrific blow at Château-Thierry. Without waiting for artillery, Pershing struck, and in six hours had captured as much ground as the Germans had spent six days in getting possession of. The Americans were advancing with great rapidity. The Germans were dumbfounded. They did not have time to remove their supplies. [Sidenote: =The turning point of the war=] By the brilliant generalship of Foch the great German attack was stopped in the middle of July, and after that it was the German army which was in danger. Now Pershing got ready for St. Mihiel. He drew from the French and English ranks the Americans he had sent to learn war from these veterans. Now he also had tried men. St. Mihiel was important. It threatened the famous battlefield of Verdun and protected the great German fortified city of Metz. [Sidenote: =American victory at St. Mihiel=] =247. Germans Cry "Kamerad."= On September 12 the Americans burst forth in a rain of shot and shell such as the Germans had seldom before witnessed. The fierce battle raged for four hours. The Americans then charged across the river yelling like demons. The German soldiers had been taught to despise these "green American troops." But these same Germans now cried "Kamerad" in dead earnest. Five miles of ground were gained before these "green" Americans halted. [Illustration: SUBMARINE PURSUED BY AIRPLANE] The next day our artillery opened fire at 1:30 in the morning. Before the day was done, more than one hundred and fifty square miles of German territory were in our possession. Both the French and the English were busy. The French were driving at the center of the great line stretching from the North Sea to Switzerland. The English were driving the Germans out of the Belgian cities. [Sidenote: =The greatest American battle=]