Through archival collections there is access to many documents relevant to identifying the identity mentioned above. Utilizing official military orders, situation reports, and maps, the skeleton of the battle can be seen. These are the details that give the Battle of Belleau Wood life, but not yet movement. They consist of the troop movement details, statistics, casualties, weapons, and the like. They are the bare naked, black and white of the events that took place during that event. They will also be helpful in providing a brief introduction to what the Marines had done prior to Belleau Wood and World War I which supports the idea that over a hundred years after their inception, the Marines decided they were and always would be, those fighting on the ground at Belleau Wood. This will help in identifying why the engagement was such a milestone for the Marine Corps within United States and her Military History. The maps and official military documents are clear matters of fact. They dictate movement, ground gained, and casualties. They also demonstrate change that can be seen when comparing situational maps used only days apart. Looking at situational maps on different days of the offensive demonstrate evolving tactics and strategies, and show ground covered and advancements made. Noting positions of troops on these maps also indicates why some units suffered higher casualties than others.

When comparing some of the changes to tactics and strategy to today’s standard operating procedures in battle, the lasting impacts of Belleau Wood can be also easily identified. As the Marines fluidly shifted tactics and strategies there in France, they were able to identify what was efficient, and what could be done better. Observing these changes and seeing how the Marines continued to use them over decades following the Battle of Belleau Wood solidifies the theory that Marines built their warfighting identity and what it meant to be a Marine on the battlefield in June of 1918. Old warfare tactics gave way to new and improved strategies that would eventually reduce loss of life and better utilize available resources. Utilizing current training manuals of Marine Corps, demonstrates how those evolutions have stood the test of time and continued to prove effective, despite an ever-changing battlefield.

Award citations bring the men to life that the orders and maps represent with arrows and lines. The number of awards and citations from the Battle of Belleau Wood speak to the accomplishments of the Marines who fought during the branch’s first opportunity to act independently of the army and navy during large scale combat operations. Personal accounts are also very helpful in identifying the mental state of those fighting in Belleau Wood. Newspaper prints documenting the battle and war at the time aid in identifying the feeling of those observing from the sidelines. In some of these items, a popular misconception comes to life that remains strong to this day. While not significant to the outcome of the fighting at Belleau Wood, the cult myth of the Devil Dogs or Teufel Hunden still supports the idea that Marines think of Belleau Wood as the foundation of who they are. These are the types of documents that will add movement, life, and color to the narrative.

A great deal of research has already been done regarding the Battle of Belleau Wood and its significance to the war, the nation, and the Marine Corps. At times the topic has been dug into more deeply to demonstrate relations with coordinating units. Propaganda has also been researched more in depth in recent years. This adds a layer to the narrative of what the people on the home fronts were being told of their men on the war fronts. The previously conducted research should also be used from carefully selected sources to gain an understanding of the arguments already in place and to avoid being repetitive. They provide additional findings of fact to establish solid foundations for some of the more intangible details.

The historiography about World War I has somewhat dwindled in the recent decades. To grasp an understanding of the Battle of Belleau Wood, some details of the war itself need to be included in the narrative. Even a brief description of the war provides context into the significance of the battle itself. The 1980s saw several publications in historical journals that went beyond the facts of the war. While detailing what happened when and who was present is significant, examining what lies beneath the surface is no less relevant. The lack of scholarly works in comparison to the Civil War, Revolutionary War, and World War II can be seen quickly when conducting an online search or visiting a local bookstore.

The missing attention of World War I is so apparent to some that they’ve done work on the lack of awareness itself to identify where the gap originates. Authors like Aaron Gillette begin his article written in 2006, by addressing “The popular amnesia regarding World War I…” He argues that the difference between knowledge and documentation of the war when compared to World War II is due to the clarity of the wars’ origins. World War II made it easy to identify the enemy early on and what their motives were, even before the war began. World War I’s onset is a little more complex and layered. The purpose of Gillette’s article is not to make an argument about the origins of the war, but details a project designed for students of history to complete. He believes, in part, that part of the reason for the lack of documentation is that there are areas within the war’s timeline that are difficult to understand, or the facts are muddied for one reason or another. In his article, he also discussed some of the things that make the war’s origins so cloudy. One example provided is how current events have changed the direction historians use for their argument. For example, scholars writing on the subject after September 11, 2001, have “emphasized the important role Serbian terrorists played in deliberately provoking the war.” Some others, like Stephan Van Evera, have argued that the beginning of the war itself was more the result of a cult-like belief that being on the offensive was a position of power.

In part, it can also be assumed that the lack of narrative is due to the small gap between the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II. Many of the events that led to the onset of World War II started with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I. In comparison, World War II was a much longer conflict and consisted of more moving pieces in the chess game of war. War correspondents were more present and represented a larger number of publications. Methods of communication also had advanced which made sharing information easier. Simply put, there was more ground to cover when it came to research and more people available to document events. Just as historians might have really begun to research World War I, the world was already on its way to another large-scale conflict that distracted the focus of many from the war of the past to the oncoming war of the future.

As far as the battle itself, there are no documents more reliable than those created from the front lines. This includes, but is not limited to, personal accounts. Situational maps and orders marked up by those leading the charge can demonstrate change as it is occurring. Within months of the Battle of Belleau Wood historians and scholars began telling the tail of those three weeks. A few articles exist written by correspondents who were present during different parts of the fighting. An article published February 1919, written by Otto H. Kahn for the Journal of Education, establishes its argument in the title, When the Tide Turned. Many saw the Battle of Belleau Wood as more than just a victory for the American Expeditionary Force and its allies. Kahn speaks from experience when he writes of the weeks leading up to the battle, as he had been among the troops during that time. He describes those weeks before the battle as anxious and gloomy with morale being lower than it had at any time in the war up to that point. His argument that the Battle of Belleau Wood was more than a step on the journey to victory unfolds clearly in his article. The reader can understand that taking the objective in the battle renewed the Allies’ hope that had been slowly dwindling.

With changes to how history is brought to the masses, some have taken steps to stay current in their attempts to reach the public. Instead of the standard journal article, book, or documentary, historians have begun to utilize podcasts and other online platforms in recent years. With the world going digital and schedules becoming more and more tight, finding and reading traditional types of reference has become more complicated. The advantage of a podcast is that the listener can learn as they participate in other activities like driving or while cleaning. Robert Estrada is among many who present their researched information in the form of a podcast. The episodes in his podcasts are kept short, most not exceeding 30 minutes so the information contained within the podcasts is very limited. His content is provided by documents found in the library of the Marine Corps University and the Marine Corps History division. Most of the information presented is without argument, but more of findings of fact. Estrada keeps his content to movements and numbers. Several others have created podcasts that detail nearly every field of history, going well beyond matters of fact and making arguments based on historical interpretations. One must be careful when utilizing this method and ensure sources are credible, unbiased, and reliable.

One thing remains clear about almost every work completed on the history of World War I and that is the nearly incalculable number of casualties including dead, wounded, and missing in action. Several scholars have constructed works with casualties being central to their arguments. Art has also been used to demonstrate the sacrifice of the men that fought at Belleau Wood. Especially during the early 20th century, art and advertisements were used to bring information to the people. Not everyone had access to libraries and as the cliché goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. These images normally show Marines charging forward through a wheat field as they run past their fallen brothers. Recruiting posters for all types of employment are also useful when examining propaganda during the time that may have influenced perspectives. An example of this is a recruiting poster from the year prior to Belleau Wood that brings into question a popular opinion of the nickname Devil Dog. Other works of art from the time depict Marines engaging in close combat with German soldiers in their machine gun nests. The images are often brutal and unsettling for some, but they serve as an important representation of the fighting that occurred in the infamous wood. Without many words at all, these works of art tell the story to many of this battle and many others throughout history.

The most valuable of sources when attempting to add personality to an otherwise black and white narrative are those personal accounts of people who were present. The Indiana Magazine of History published the writings of one of those Marines fighting in France. Harrison Cale details his experiences in a 13-page article through several engagements with Germans, including Belleau Wood. This document also includes a summary of training Cale received prior to his arrival in France. This is helpful in gathering some peripheral information that is relevant to the overall topic of the identity of the Marine Corps. The energy emerging from the words Cale uses can be felt by the reader as the article progresses. Cale even claims that the resistance and fighting of him and his fellow Marines are what led the Germans to refer to the Marines as Devil Dogs, a long-standing title that Marines still claim with pride to this day. General John A. Lejeune, a legend among legends of Marines, also writes extensively on what truly defines a Marine, which contributes to more in-depth details. These types of accounts are vital when it comes to experiencing the energy and mindset of those on the battlefields.

The study of Belleau Wood and the United States Marine Corps can quickly lead down a deep rabbit hole. It highlights some of the moments that Marines set themselves apart from other branches of the military. A brief synopsis of Marine Corps history prior to Belleau Wood will establish why this battle is the one that Marines decided to build their identity around. It will demonstrate the acts of heroism by Marines who would continue their legacy with service beyond World War I, and how lessons learned have benefited America’s greatest fighting force to this day.