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The Battle of Fismes and Fismette was a battle in Fismes, France that took place during the First World War from 3 August to 1 September 1918 during the end of the Second Battle of the Ourcq and the Aisne-Marne Offensive.
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Location
Fismes is a small commune in the Marne department in the Champagne-Ardennes region of northeastern France. It is crossed by the Vesle River and linked to the hamlet of Fismette by a memorial bridge that commemorates the sacrifices made by the soldiers of the 28th Infantry Division ("Keystone") who fought to liberate the region during the First World War.
Battle
The Second Battle of the Marne was the last major German attack on the Western Front during World War I. The purpose of the attack had been to end the conflict, and Erich Luddendorff, Chief Quartermaster General, believed that an attack conducted through Flanders would give Germany the final victory that it needed. In order to hide his true intentions, Luddendorff set up a large diversionary attack along the Marne.
The Germans failed to break through the Allied line, and on July 20th they were ordered to retreat. By July 22nd, the 7th Army (German: 7 Armee Oberkommando) had established a new line from the upper Ourcq to Marfaux but were forced to retreat again, settling on the banks of the Vesle on August 3rd. There they prepared a new defensive position in Aisne.
The banks of the Vesle were the new front: on the north were the German Wichura forces and to the south was the American 3rd Corps, which had relieved the 1st Army Corps.
The two first days of the Battle, the 32nd American Division lost 2,000 men in its efforts to cross the Vesle River and reach Fismes. This Division was relieved by the 28th Infantry Division. For a month, the battle would continue in the areas surrounding Fismes and Fismette.
The Battle of Fismes and Fismette is unique in the history of World War I because of the extreme violence and street fighting that occurred, as well as the presence of storm trooper attacks and flame throwers. All of this culminated in the total destruction of Fismes (around 90%), more than in the neighboring Reims. Over the course of just a month, Fismes would be lost and won again five times by the Allied forces.