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Originally Posted by LAW0306
Where do you get your attack plan from for the 5th Marines? I would have to say that it did not happen that way. Read "through the wheat field". It explains USMC plans, personel and tactics. I had to read it in TBS in 2008 and also did a Masters paper on this for school.
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The USMC report straight out of their historical center, it was pretty damning about the wave attacks and recommended the use of "pre-war skirmish tactics" instead, it also further noted that skirmish lines were used for the rest of the Belleau fight with a notable reduction in losses.
Based on other reading, the 2nd Division was trained by French instructors once it had arrived in France, which could explain the wave attacks as this followed regular military thinking of the time. Add to the mix that the Marine Brigade was commanded by an Army Brigadier General more focused on fast results and I can see the initial use of wave attacks. The Marine Brigade history, did not have good things to say about their brigade commander at Belleau Wood.