Miracle at Belleau Wood: The Birth of the Modern U.S. Marine Corps by Alan Axelrod

Miracle at Belleau Wood: The Birth of the Modern U.S. Marine Corps Reviews

• 
  Ron Wroblewski

  An excellent detailed story of the Marines in action at Belleau Wood in WW I. Now just the glory of stopping the German advance, but the mistakes that cost lives. Yes, I agree with others that maps would have been better to have, but the story to me, a Marine, was priceless. As the book says "The reputation of the marines as America's fiercest warriors, the nation's elite fighting force, was forged in this battle. After Belleau Wood, the marines claimed the right to be regarded as the American vanguard, the first to fight, and if necessary, the last to leave. The Marine Corps emerged from Belleau Wood in possession of a legend unlike any the army or navy could claim. That legend would animate the Corps through the next world war and through the wars in Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. "
  
  As a Vietnam Marine I agree. Once a Marine, always a Marine.
• 
  Manray9

  Alan Axelrod's Miracle at Belleau Wood: The Birth of the Modern U.S. Marine Corps is an unimpressive work. Frankly, it's boring. It suffers from errors of fact and, despite detailed descriptions of the maneuvering and fighting around Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood, contains no maps to allow the reader to follow the complicated operations described in the text. There is not a single map outside the poorly-annotated one printed on the book's endpapers.
  
  To give credit where due, Axelrod's book does depict well the utter chaos which reigned over the battlefield in and around Belleau Wood. U.S. Army and Marine Corps activities there revealed a lack of effective command and control. Using inadequate local maps, with few functional field telephones, faulty reconnaissance and reliance on runners for communications, the battlefield environment wasn't much different from Shiloh or Chancellorsville – except for the deadly additions of machine guns, toxic gas and high explosive artillery.
  
  From my perspective, Miracle at Belleau Wood: The Birth of the Modern U.S. Marine Corps barely rises to the Two Star level.
• 
  Jeff Dawson

  Fascinating read. Want to know where the Marines really cut their teeth on the world stage? This is it. It’s hard to believe that a few years earlier and ever during their deployment to Europe, there was talk in the war department of disbanding this small, elite force and incorporating them either into the army or the navy. Which, had not be decided but after the month of June 1918, the stage was set for the Marines, They would never look back and never worry about their fate, for it was sealed in the blood they left in France that fateful summer.
  If Pershing wouldn’t have held them back until he had a complete American Force and allowed the French to send them in piecemeal, it’s hard to say what would have become of the branch.
  When the battle was over, Pershing wasn’t extremely pleased with the press reports the 2nd Division was a Marine Division. It was an Army Division supported by Marine battalion that just happened to be send to the most critical point of the German offensive to capture Paris once and for all. Pershing also only has himself to blame before and after for not allowing the press to report what units he had under his control and their make-up. Granted, I understand his concerns and want of not allowing the enemy to know who or what they were about to come up against.
  While this battle shaped the fate of the Marine Corp, was it a necessary battle? One can compare it to the Hurtgen Forest in ’44. What was to be gained. Could it have not been bypassed and it’s occupiers forced to surrender? Ah, those are the questions we arm chair historians can debate for years to come.
  
  Five stars
  
• 
  Justin Daniel

  This past May/June, I got the opportunity to go to Paris, France for a special ceremony with the 1st Marine Division Band. The ceremony commemorated the many men who gave their life in the Battle of Belleau Wood. In preparation for this, I thought it prudent to read this book describing the battle.
  
  I won’t bore you with details of specifics, but rather give some thoughts to what I found interesting. First, this is a battle the Marines should never have won. Perhaps that is why the author (somewhat ironically) calls it a “miracle.” The Marines were plagued by faulty leadership throughout the battle as they were commanded by both inexperienced Marine Officers and out of touch Army Officers. Nearly every plan that they tried to execute in one way or another failed. Further, the disconnect between battalions due to the communication barrier (in those days they would send “runners” who could be killed or often times got lost) drastically impaired the ability of commanders to carry out the original plan. The maps the French supplied were old and the Officers never really knew where they were or what exactly they were doing.
  
  Second, I think that despite all these flaws, the tenacity of the Marines proved their improvisational abilities. In combat, we refer to the “fog of war” as the literal or figurative circumstances that cloud the ability of a plan to be seen to completion. When a warrior faces the fog of war, it is necessary not to stick to some dogmatic scheme when it is doomed to fail, but work within the training you’ve received to be flexible in order to gain superiority over the enemy. The Marines at Belleau Wood demonstrated this well, although perhaps many lost their lives in the process. Take for instances a quote from the book:
  
  “The army, corps, division, and brigade generals drew up their plans on smudged and meaningless maps, while the marines on the ground did what the insufficiency and unreality of those plans required. They improvised. They improvised to survive. They improvised to achieve victory. And whereas a plan may be the product of many minds, combat improvisation typically depends on a single man, a Hamilton or a Hoffman, standing up when the bullets fly, howling like an animal when necessary, wielding and thrusting the most atavistic warrior weapon in the modern arsenal, the cold, sharp steel of a bayonet.”
  
  Third, I don’t see the Battle of Belleau Wood as particularly important in the war to end all wars. The Germans were exhausted and really at the end of their offensive by the time they got to the outskirts of Paris. If the Marines had lost at Belleau Wood, I’m not sure they would have pressed any farther into France. What is important about this battle is it gave the Marines a name. Several newspaper correspondents were with the Marines and wrote about the battle which gave it a kind of notoriety with the American people, inflating its importance. What was established at Belleau Wood was more of the reputation of Marines as fighters and warriors. The real test through fire would be later in the 20th century at places like Tarawa and Iwo Jima where the Marines would continue spreading the idea of the so-called “greatest fighting force on earth.”
  
  I got to take part in a battle sites tour of Belleau Wood this past week. I can understand the confusion the Marines must have faced and it puts into perspective the challenges they had to face. Overall, this is an interesting book but I believe it’s folly is in the lack of maps. Often times you are trying to visualize the different description and I think it would have been much more helpful had there been a plethora of maps scattered throughout the book to illustrate the sometimes eclectic language used to describe the battle.
• 
  Dave

  I loved this book.
  Having served 6 years as a US Marine one might say that I am somewhat prejudiced, and maybe I am, but "Miracle at Belleau Wood" tells the story of "The Old Corps" at their finest.
  This long-forgotten battle, won at tremendous cost, helped to turn the tide of the First World War. Axlerod has done it justice with a book that hold's the reader's attention, reads very quickly, and yet cover all of the necessary details.
  So why would I give the book 4 stars instead of 5? Because a book like this really needs good maps to carry the story and the maps in this book, what few there are of them, are useless. So bad in fact that I almost gave the book 3 stars.
  But don't let that stop you from reading it. Because this is still a good, page turning, book about an important battle. Well worth a read.
• 
  Fredrick Danysh

  A retelling of the story of the military action at Belleau Wood, France, during World War I. Based on primary sources , Axelrod's account of this nearly a centruy old battle demonstrates how Marines became an elite military force and illustrates the valus of Marine Corps basic training and marksmanship [every Marine a skilled rifleman]. He does give credit to the US Army and French units involved in the battle, but Marine courage is what carried the day.
• 
  Andreas

  Partly flawed description about the first battle of the AEF and the birth of the modern Marine Corps. Below are some of the drawbacks, which made this book hard to follow through in my opinion:
  
  a) There are no maps throughout the book. The map in the inside cover misses many of the locations the author describes in lengthy detail like the entire chapter about hill 142. The old saying "A picture (map) says more than a thousand words" is painfully proven here. Furthermore trying to locate these missing locations disrupts the reading greatly.
  
  b) The author is either a Marine himself or is an ardent admirer of the Corps. Comments like anyone would be lost but a Marine, Marines never surrender, Marines are always superior in hand to hand combat and so on make the author sound more like a recruiting officer than a historian in parts of the book.
  
  c) There is no note about the fighting outside of Belleau Wood. Were the Marines the only unit actively attacking at that time, while the rest of the American and French forces were simply holding their lines? If others units were also attacking how did they perform and what was the impact of their fighting on the fighting at Belleau Wood?
  
  That said, the book is neither bad nor really good in my opinion but I will definitely try to find some other sources before forming my opinion about that part of the Great War.
• 
  Lisa Chan

  During a jaunt through Crown Hill Cemetery in search of Felix Sparks' grave (The Liberator - Alex Kershaw), I came across a gravestone of a US Marine who was wounded at Belleau Wood & died 3 months later in a city in France.
  
  I was intrigued, so I looked up the Battle of Belleau Wood. I haven't read much WWI, but it's something I've been wanting to change so I figured this would be a great place to start. The topic of this was very interesting to me. I enjoyed reading about the intricacies between/among the Marine/Army/Navy commanders and higher-ups. There was a lot of good information and it was incredibly well-researched. During the read I would often look back to the photo of the gravestone I found to see if his unit was being referenced (18th Company, 5th Regiment Marines 4th Brigade, 2nd Division AEF).
  
  My only qualm about this book was that some of it was a bit squishy and by that I mean there were some sentences/paragraphs/sections with just all the names, numbers, all melding together and created a bit of confusion/dullness on my part. That may just be a personal problem, but it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment (enjoyment???) of this book.
  
  "A fellow does not know till afterward that little pieces of his heart will rot in graves where friends are fast asleep." - Pvt Elton E. Mackin
• 
  Mark Luongo

  I have to give this book a "3" for the simple reason that maps that may have been useful in following the narrative were omitted. Without them it was confusing in trying to follow the progress of the engagement over its course. The only maps were the end papers and they weren't very good and were obscured as well by library labels. I'm a stickler about maps.
  Otherwise it was a great story told from mostly "field level" where troops on the ground were subjected to conflicting orders, poor communication, a battle proven enemy, poison gas, and poor reconnaissance. Hence their achievement is called a "miracle."
• 
  James Daly

  Want to read a book that glorifies combat? This is not that book. In 229 pgs this book tells a story of confusion, desperation and incredible sacrifice. This was an easy book to read as the writing was accessible and without unnecessary jargon. The title is “Miracle at Belleau Wood” but there is nothing miraculous within these pages. On the contrary, the reader is painfully aware that everything gained was fiercely earned. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have a new found respect for the Marine Corps and especially those in World War I.
• 
  Niz

  Maps. This story needs maps.
• 
  David

  Alan Axlerod is obviously a great historian. He has taken extensive research and first hand accounts to portray the Marines at Belleau wood. What they did, what they said, and did it in such a way as to make that ancient war alive once again.
  
  I would have rated this book 5 stars, but for the fact that certain dialog were repeated where it wasn't necessary. Almost like he lost his place in the narrative. That, and there were certain editorial responsibilities that he let slide.
  
  For example, on page 224 he accuses General Harboard of basically "conduct unbecoming" as it is known in military terms. Yet on page 199 Axelrod gives Captain Charles Dunbeck a pass when he reported back to HQ that his objectives had been reached. In fact, he then states that Dunbeck was lost. Well how is it that a US Marine Captain can't point a compass like a Boy Scout, and see that the needle pointed to his right. Which would mean that he was facing West, not north. Yet his report to HQ stated that he had met his objectives. Surely before sending a report, one would think he'd check with a map and compass. No matter how crappy the map or compass one could figure out that his position wasn't what he thought it was.
• 
  Jeffrey Williams

  Alan Axelrod did a superb job in setting up and explaining in fine detail this historic World War I battle. It is very well researched and he brings an in-depth approach highlighting the units and personalities that were there between the U.S. Marines, U.S. Army, French Army and Artillery as well as the German regiments that were involved.
  
  However, and this is not a slight on Mr. Axelrod, but the book was so in-depth that the publisher should have added battle maps to the book. There is one map on the inset cover that gives a generalized picture of the geography. Unfortunately, it was not drawn according to the text because a lot of key geographic features that Mr. Axelrod described in his narrative were not found on the map. If you download a detailed map of the battle to keep with you when reading the book, you will find it most useful. If you read it without a map (except the one on the inset cover), unless you've been there, you will most likely be as lost as I was.
  
  I give it four stars for being very well written and researched, but the map problem is worth at least one star in the rating, which is where this project fails.
  
  I would highly recommend this reading to anyone who wants a primer about Belleau Wood, with the caveat mentioned above.
• 
  Anthony

  I wish I had a map laid out while reading this novel and knew a little more about the leaders before I read it. A better visual would have made this reading experience so much more enjoyable because I would be able to understand the strategic picture more clearly. The author does an excellent job describing men, movements, emotions, and the fog of war, but sometimes a picture or video in this case would be worth a thousand words.
  
  I enjoyed this book because it highlighted the rifle skills, leadership, and fortitude of US Marines in a battle that would bring them into the modern era of fighting. I came to admire the courage these young men had fighting under extreme conditions and now understand the significance they had repelling the German's thrust towards Paris. At the time of the battle it was still possible for the Germans to win after they freed up resources from the eastern front by knocking Russia out of the war. I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in WWI or the US Marine Corps history.
• 
  Paul

  Great book if you're interested in U.S. participation in WWI or in the history of the Marines. It works well on two levels: the big picture strategic view of the battle of Belleau Wood and how it came to be a pivotal moment in the war and 2) it gives a gritty Marine's eye view of the combat with plenty of quotes and narratives of individual Marines and German soldiers.
  
  The one lack in the book which is a mystery is the absence of any maps at all, considering the book details the battle from village to village, road to road. I resorted to using Google Earth to try to visualize the actual course of the month long battle/campaign.
  
  Minus this limitation, I highly recommend this book for it's detailed analysis from the American, French and German sides and for it's real life portrayals of the combat of the time.
• 
  R G

  An in-depth look at one of the defining battles of the Marine Corps. It's well written and seamlessly weaves together the big picture as seen by commanding officers and the up-close, nasty business of war as seen by the enlisted men and non-coms. The map on the inner cover is not very detailed and I wondered if perhaps that was done on purpose? Throughout the book, Mr. Axelrod stressed over and over how useless the French maps were to the Marines on the ground. It made me feel a bit more connected to those young men, since most of the time I only had a vague idea of their locations and objectives, which is exactly what they were experiencing. Of course, I have the luxury of simply googling Belleau Wood and seeing exactly what happened. I'm not sure why so many people were so upset by the lack of more detailed maps. Google it!
• 
  Roger

  I bought this book because my grandfather was an 18 year old US Army soldier and fought at this battle. Althought the book focuses on the actions of the Marine Corp., much information was given on the actions of the US Army units. Thought the book was well written and gave the reader a real no nonsense flavor of the battle action. In addition, the author also gives you an idea on how fragile the emotions of the German troops and French troops were after 4 years of war versus the fresh eager to get into action US troops. Recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn of the fresh innocence of the US into WWI and the sharp painful lessons learned very quickly.
• 
  Steve Loomis

  The U.S. Marines entered the chaotic madness of WWI by stalling a German drive toward Paris in 1918 at Belleau Wood.
  
  In nine days of what one officer termed "a disorganized riot" US casualties numbered nearly 10,000 and the German losses perhaps more.
  
  Although this book was very instructive and full of riveting combat descriptions, the complete lack of maps made a confusing and frustrating slog through the pages.
  
  Disorientation and blundering by the commanders and troops alike characterized fighting amidst the maelstrom of blood and destruction of Belleau Wood.
  
  Even rudimentary maps to aid the reader would have been beneficial.
• 
  David

  The nuts and bolts of a well-known, but seldom written-about, battle. Axelrod has done his homework. This is a tribute to USMC training and espirit de corps. From a miliary history standpoint, "Miracle" is an excellent work, marred only by an absence of maps (the inside cover maps are useless).
  
  Semper fi!
• 
  hrh

  Well-researched report on the horrible toll at Belleau Wood. The text dragged in places, however. Maps would have been invaluable since the author gave so much details about positions. Also, final numbers on casualties, a listing of the different brigades and changing commands, and a better context of where this battle fit in the whole war would be welcome additions in future editions.
• 
  Steve Scott

  I thought this a somewhat disappointing narrative of the Marines and their first great defining battle. Axelrod fails to give a clear account of the units movement across the terrain. His maps are poorly done, and the chronology of the battle as he presents it is somewhat confusing.
• 
  Matthew Dambro

  Excellent short history of a very confusing battle. The lack of maps is inexcusable. The battle turned into a street fight; essentially without direction from above. Impressive use of American sources and well written.
• 
  John

  A little slow at times but interesting enough
• 
  Loren

  Mostly well written, had a tendency to go off on tangents. Wish there were more maps, it got confusing from time to time there. Still it was a good read on a battle that defined the Corps
• 
  Patrick Ross

  A great insight on the Great War and America's involvement.