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This article is about the U.S. Marine nickname. For other uses, see Devil Dog (disambiguation).

A recruiting poster from 1918

Devil Dog is a nickname for a United States Marine coined during World War I.[1][2]

History

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The Bulldog fountain in Belleau

Multiple publications of the United States Marine Corps claim that the nickname "Teufel Hunden"[a]—"Devil Dogs" in English—was bestowed upon the Marines by German soldiers at the Battle of Belleau Wood in June 1918.[5][6][7][8][9] However, on April 14, 1918, six weeks before that battle began, hundreds of U.S. newspapers ran a fanciful, unsigned wire service report that stated:

That time-honored nickname, borne by the United States marines for generations—"leathernecks"—is no more! At least, the Germans have abandoned it, according to reports from France. In its place the Teutons have handed the sea soldiers one with far more meaning. They call the American scrappers "teufel hunden," which, in English, means "devil dogs."[10][11][12][13]

The American press immediately seized upon the new term, and it was used on a Marine Corps recruiting poster by Charles Buckles Falls in July 1918, showing an American bulldog chasing a German dachshund wearing a pickelhaube.[14][15][16]

The veracity of the German origin of the term, however, was questioned as early as 1921 when journalist H. L. Mencken wrote that the term was the invention of an American war correspondent.[17] In modern scholarship, Robert V. Aquilina of the United States Marine Corps History Division stated that the term was likely first used by the Marines themselves and that there is no evidence of German use or origin of the term.[18] Similarly, Patrick Mooney of the National Museum of the Marine Corps wrote that "We have no proof that it came from German troops...There is no written document in German that says that the Marines are Devil Dogs or any correct spelling or language component of 'Devil Dog' in German."[4] Further, when asked about the term by Stars and Stripes, Lt. Col. Heiner Bröckermann of the German Military History Research Institute said that he had "never heard anyone using the word 'Teufelshund' or 'Teufelshunde' in Germany."[4] Nevertheless, "Devil Dog" has become firmly entrenched in the lore of the United States Marine Corps.[18]

See also

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Explanatory notes

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  1. ^ The correct German spellings are "Teufelshund" (singular) and "Teufelshunde" (plural).[3] However, while "Teufelshund" is a valid grammatical construction, the word is unknown in Germany.[4] The more likely choice for a German speaker would be "Höllenhund"—"hellhound" in English—casting further doubt on the origin story.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Simmons, Edwin H. (2018). Westermeyer, Paul (ed.). The Legacy of Belleau Wood: 100 Years of Making Marines and Winning Battles. Quantico, Virginia: Marine Corps History Division. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-16-094412-3.
  2. ^ Wright, Evan (2004). Generation Kill: Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain America, and the New Face of American War. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. p. 47. ISBN 9780425224748.
  3. ^ "German Myth 13: Teufelshunde – Devil Dogs and the Marines". ThoughtCo. Dotdash. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Schogol, Jeff (January 4, 2011). "Did Marines, not German soldiers, coin the phrase 'Devil Dogs'?". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on January 7, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  5. ^ United States Marine Corps (2010). U.S. Marine Guidebook. New York: Skyhorse. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-60239-941-9.
  6. ^ "6th Marine Regiment > Units > 1st Battalion > History". United States Marine Corps. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  7. ^ Neller, Robert B. (November 10, 2018). "A Message from the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps" (PDF). Letter to United States Marine Corps. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  8. ^ Price, Will (May 28, 2006). "Remembering the Battle of Belleau Wood". United States Marine Corps. Retrieved August 26, 2021. Little wonder that from the time of this fierce battle to the present day, Marines are still known by the nickname given them by the awed Germans they vanquished at Belleau Wood: "Teufelhunden," which means "Hounds from Hell," or "Devil Dogs."
  9. ^ Hanks, Nathan (November 30, 2016). "Marines Maintain Warrior Spirit Through MCMAP". United States Marine Corps. Retrieved August 26, 2021. In 1918, during the battle of Belleau Wood, France, the Marines were given the nickname "teufelhunden," or "Devil Dog," by the Germans for their fierce fighting ability.
  10. ^ "Essay in Marine Nomenclature". The New York Herald. April 14, 1918. p. 8.
  11. ^ "'Devil Dogs' New Name for U.S. Marine Corps". The Detroit Free Press. April 14, 1918. p. 13.
  12. ^ "Germans Call 'em Teufel Hunden: Recruiters Report a New Nickname for Marines". The Boston Daily Globe. April 14, 1918. p. 12.
  13. ^ "'Devil Dogs', Foe Calls Marines". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 14, 1918. p. 6.
  14. ^ Sturkey, Marion F. (2003). Warrior Culture of the U.S. Marines. Plum Branch, South Carolina: Heritage Press International. p. 104. ISBN 0-9650814-1-9.
  15. ^ "Teufel Hund Posters at Marine Office". The Bend Bulletin. July 20, 1918. p. 4. 'Teufel Hund'...is the leading display line on the new Marine recruiting placards and posters...the Marine bulldog is showing chasing the German Daschsund. The last line...is 'Devil Dog Recruiting Station'...
  16. ^ Donald, Graeme (2009). Loose Cannons: 101 Myths, Mishaps and Misadventures of Military History. New York: Osprey. pp. 124–125. ISBN 978-1-84603-377-3.
  17. ^ Mencken, H. L. (1921). The American Language: An Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States (2nd ed.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf. p. 333.
  18. ^ a b Schehl, Matthew L. (June 14, 2016). "This photo of Gen. Neller drinking from the devil dog fountain will motivate you". Marine Corps Times. Retrieved August 22, 2021. The term very likely was first used by Marines themselves and appeared in print before the Battle for Belleau Wood," Bob Aquilina of the Marine Corps History Division told Schogol at the time. "It gained notoriety in the decades following World War I and has since become a part of Marine Corps tradition.
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