Figure 1.--Here Boy Scouts are honoring the graves of American War dead after World War I on Decoration Day. General John A. Logan, as commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, (GAR) issued a proclamation that "Decoration Day" be observed nationwide. It was observed on May 30, a date chosen because it was not a date on which an important battle was fought. Some states, especially Southern states had observances on other dates. After World War I, Decoraion Day took on greater poigency. Here the Scouts are placing a flag on unknown sailors from the War of 1812. America's fallen warriors from all its wars are honored on Decoration Day. The name of the day has since been changed to Memorial Day.

The United States entered World War I after the major combatants had been fighting for 3 years (April 1917). There was no large army to deploy. The United States did not have a substantial standing army. The Army had to be recruited, equipped, and trained. The American Expeditionary Force (AEF) was transported to France before they were trained. The lead elemdnts were traned in France. This there were no substabntial American casualties in 1917. Amerivan units did not enter combat until the German Spring Offensive (1918). And then only a part of the AEF was deployed to prevent a German break through. The AEF was not deployed in force until the Allied Hundered Day Offensive (August-November 1918). The offensive was conduted lsargely by the British and Commonwealth countries and the American AEF. The French Army were no longe capable of extensive offensive operations. Thus the AEF was involved in extensive combat for only 3 months. but it was 3 months of heavy fighting that broke through the German lines and forced the Germans to ask for an armitice. Overall the United Stayes suffered 53,402 combat deaths. There were 63,114 other deaths, most from disease. These occured both in Frnce and in U.S. training camps. Total deaths amounted to 116,516. There were also 204,002 men wounded. An additional 3,350 men were missing. Most of these men were killed, but their bodies not recovered or identified. One of the unidentified bodies was of course interned at Arlington Cemetary as the Unknown Soldier. American losses were relatively limited compared to the other major combatant countries. Given that most of the combat deaths occurred in a 3-month period is testimony to the aggressive deployment of the AEF during the Hundered Days Campaign.

Time Span

The United States entered World War I after the major combatants had been fighting for 3 years (April 1917). There was no large army to deploy. The United States did not have a substantial standing army. The Army had to be recruited, equipped, and trained. The American Expeditionary Force (AEF) was transported to France before they were trained. The lead elemdnts were traned in France. This there were no substabntial American casualties in 1917. Amerivan units did not enter combat until the German Spring Offensive (1918). And then only a part of the AEF was deployed to prevent a German break through. The AEF was not committed in force until the Allied Hundered Day Offensive (August-November 1918). The offensive was conduted largely by the British and Commonwealth countries and the American AEF. The French Army were no longer capable of extensive offensive operations. Thus the AEF was involved in extensive combat for only 3 months.

Combat Operations

The AEF had a rather short combat record, but hardly uneventful or unimopactful. There is no doubt that the deployment of the AEF defeated the Germans and ended the War. They did not do this alone, but the AEF added to ghe other llied forces already aligned againsrt was beyond the capacity of the Germans to handle. The British were taking terrinble casualties as the attacked the Siegfriend Line. They moved forward slowly, but the German defenses were established in depth and they were only half way to the Meuse River. Prime-minister LLoyd Gerorge thought that if casualties conyinued at this rate there would be social revolution. The French were hesitant to launch offensive operations. The Americans after helping to blunt the German Offensive. As part of the Allied Hundred Days Campaign, the AEF plunged into Argon Forest. It would be the greatest American military operation in Europe. It is called the Meuse-Argon Offensive because at the northern end of the Argon Forest was the Meuse River--a barrier of immensw strategic importance. And the Americans croosed the River (November 10). It is no accident that the German General Staff agreed to the Armistice (November 11).

Château-Thierry and Belleau Wood (June 1-26)

The AEF played a major role in helping the French Army during the Aisne Offensive at Château-Thierry and Belleau Wood (June 1918). The AEF that helped stopped the Germans was a force that the Germans did not have to face. They were there becuse of the deecisions of a German Government which believed that the Americans would bean easytargt and could be knocked out of the War. The battle would be fought in large part by the U.S. Marine Corps. Unike World War II, America entered the War essentially without an Army and before a draft lw was passed. The Marne Corps was small, but was a force in being and ths was rushed to France. The Aisne-Marne Sector was 5 miles immediately northwest of the town of Chateau-Thierry on the River Marne. The AEF units were under the command of the XXI Corps of the Sixth French Army. The Second Division was composed of the 4th Marine Brigade, 2nd Engineers. The Third Division: Elements of 7th Infantry Regiment. The German Army Group in the sector was commnded by Crown Prince Frederich Wilhelm w who had been pusing his father for more drastic action. It was the Crown Prince who had demanded the unrestricted submarine warfare be resumed bringing America into the War. Like many Germans, he did not see the mericans as nuch of a threat. The Germans in Belleau Wood were the 461st Regiment of the German 237th Division. At Bouresches there were elements of the 10th Division, later reinforced as the fighting intensified by the 28th, 87th, and 197th Divisions. Belleau Wood had been the hunting preserve of a French aristocrat. It wa a dense enthement of trees and undergrowth about half the size of New York's Central Park. Yje Germans fortified it with machine guns, bunkers, and barbed wire. Belleau Woods was where the AEF experienced the heavy casualties associated with the Great War. The aggresivess and determinatio of the Marines was not what the Germans had expected. Belleau Woods was at the center of the sector. The French were retreting. The Americans moved forard into Belleau Woods after first crossing exposed heat fields. Sections of Belleayu Woods chnged hands seven times. It was diddicult to get supplies pp to the Marines. A major fctor n th fighting was the superior marksmnship of the Marines. It took 3 Weeks, but the American commnder, Major Shearer submitted a report simply stating, "Woods now U.S. Marine Corps entirely," (May 26)

Second Battle of the Marne (July 15-August 6)

The German objective from the first day of the War was to seize Paris. The last major defense line for Paris was the Marne. It was here that te Germans had been stopped at the onset of the War (September 1914), saving Paris and bhinning a 3 year staltemate on the Western Front. The Germans as a result of their spring offensive had reached the Marne a second time. And here in the Champagne region of France, the Germans launched what would prove to be be their war-winning strike tht would final offensive by seizing Paris and win World War I. It is now known as the Second Battle of the Marne. German General Erich Ludendorff believed that an attack to the east in Flanders aginst the BEF was the most likely route to a German victory in the war. And he prepared for this assault and thus would be most heavily defended by the Allies. He decided to launch a sizeable diversionary attack to the southeast to deaw Allied troops away from what he planned to be the main attck. This would be an attack across the Marne River. It was made possible because of the capture of the strategic Chemin des Dames ridge from the French near the Aisne River (May 27). The German with 23 divisions of the 1st and 3rd Armies attacked the French 4th Army east of Reims. Another 17 divisions of the 7th Army, assisted by the 9th Army, attacked the French 6th Army to the west of Reims. Ludendorff’s intention was to divide and conquer the French forces, which were had been joined by 85,000 U.S. troops as well as units of the BEF located primarily in Flanders. As the battle shaped up the Germans began to cross the Mare achieving some success and French units began to withdraw. Dead center in the crossing area was the American 3rd Division which did not withdraw. The Americans inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans crosing the eiver, disrupting the German thrust, earning the title--Rock of the Marne. The Allies orgnied counter stroke. French and American forces supported by several hundred tanks, overwhelmed the Germans on their right flank. The Germans suffered substantial casualties. It is variously seen as the end of the German Spring Offensive or the beginning of the Allied Hundred Day Capaign that would force the Germans to seek an Armistice endung the War.

Meuse-Argon (September-October 1918)

The major battle fought by the AEF was the Meuse Argon. It was the major American contribution of the AEF to the war-winning Allied 100 Days Campaign. The AEF began arriving in mumbers in the latter half of 1917. Many units were transported to France with virtually no training. It was only commited to combat after it arrived and was trained. The first units were committed to defeat the final German offensive. The AEF was then committed in force for the 100 Days Campaign. This meant 3 months of heavy fighting. The AEF attacked in an aggresive manner and there were heavy casualties. As part of the Allied Hundred Days Campaign, the AEF plunged into Argon Forest. It would be the greatest American military operation in Europe. It is called the Meuse Argon Offensive because at the northern end of the Argon Forest was the Meuse River--a barrier of immensw strategic importance. And the Americans crossed the River (November 10). It completely compromised the German Siegfried Line and the forces there on the wester side of the Meuse. This was the primcipal German combat force. It is no accident that the German General Staff agreed to the Armistice (November 11). This breakthrough forced the Germans to ask for an armitice. Here the Americans crossing the Meuse was particuilsrly important. The short period of battle limited American casualties, but losses were heavy because the Americans were attacking Germans in well entrenched positions. American losses were relatively limited compared to the other major combatant countries. This was not tthe case in 1918 once the AEF was committd. Given that most of the combat deaths occurred in a 3-month period is testimony to the aggressive deployment of the AEF during the Hundered Days Campaign.

Casualties

Overall the United Stayes suffered 53,402 combat deaths. There were 63,114 other deaths, most from disease. These occured both in France and in U.S. training camps. This was the case in most wars up until World War I. In World Waer II, most deaths were theresult of combat. Total deaths amounted to 116,516. There were also 204,002 men wounded. An additional 3,350 men were missing. Most of these men were killed, but their bodies not recovered or identified. The numbers horrified Americans. Whilre small compared to the major European combatants, they would have an enormous impact on public opinion.

Cemetaries

World War I was first war America fought in Europe. The first overseas war was the Mexican Army, but the size of the army and number of casualties was much more limited. The men who died were buried in cenetaries in France and Belgium. The same is true of World War II. The bodies were not brought home for burial. Some of the wounded brought home died and were buried in national cemetaries around the country, including Arlington. One of the unidentified bodies was of course interned at Arlington Cemetary as the Unknown Soldier. There were also soldiers who died while training in American camps before leaving for France. American veterans have the right to be buried in national cemetaries. Thus the graves at Arlington marked as World War I veterans are mostly soldiers and sailors who returned home and died after the War.

Impact

The individuals involved of course were the soldiers and sailors and their families. This included both lives ended and bodies broken. In addition to the individuals, the country ws also affected. The casualties sustained only confirmed the anti-War and pacifist opinions of most Americans. The great majority of Americans concluded soon after the end of the War that American participartion had been a mistake. As a result, Congress passed the Neutrality Laws to prevent American participation in another European war. As a result, President Roosevelt faced a very difficult situation with the rise of NAZIism in Germany and the development of a military that threatened American national security. Another important development was on American military thinking. Both military and political leaders wanted a military that would not incur the enormous casualties experienced in World War I. Thus the United States have considerable attention to technology and this meant to a large degree--air power. And even during the inter-War era when military spending was limited, the B-17 strategic bomber was developed. Tge Uhited States did not develop a large airforce in the 1930s, but considerable research and testing took place which laid the foundation for massive air force that would be built in the 1940s.

Created: 4:46 AM 2/4/2008
Last updated: 12:16 PM 12/30/2018