The Ribot Cable

By Major Douglas A. Galipeau, USAF

By the middle of 1917 it was apparent that America would become enmeshed in the war in Europe. Many on both sides of the Atlantic thought that it would be unnecessary, if not impossible, to organize, equip, and transport a large enough ground force to have a significant impact on the numerical balance between the Allied forces and their enemy. Both the French and British felt that America should limit its ground participation to a moderate level. The Allies thought the United States could most effectively aid their cause by providing a powerful air force to the Western Front in time to participate in the 1918 campaign.

Premier Alexandre F. Ribot

In May of 1917, French premier Alexandre F. Ribot sent the following cablegram to President Woodrow Wilson:

It is desired that in order to cooperate with the French aeronautics, the American Government should adopt the following program: the formation of a flying corps of 4,500 airplanes - personnel and material included - to be sent to the French front during the campaign in 1918. The total number of pilots, including reserve, should be 5,000 and 53,000 mechanicians. 2,000 planes should be constructed each month as well as 4,000 engines by the American factories. That is to say, that during the first six months of 1918, 16,5000 planes (of the last type) and 30,000 engines will have to be built. The French Government is anxious to know if the AmericanGovernment accepts this proposition, which would allow the Allies to win supremacy of the air. (signed) "Ribot"

Known simply as the "Ribot Cable," this proposal was approved by the War Department on 27 May and was to become the basis for the army aviation expansion effort. The enormity of this undertaking seems to have been lost on U.S. policymakers. The Ribot Cable, in effect, was asking America to produce more in one year than France had done in three years of war.  Moreover, this expectation was prefaced on an industrial infrastructure that lagged far behind those of the European powers. Young Henry H. Arnold, then a major, certainly realized just how enormous the task facing the U.S. was

when he wrote:

Major Hap Arnold

We were told to prepare a bill for Congress. Our understaffed Airplane Division in the War Department received the news with great interest. It was our first program...At this time we ranked fourteenth among the nations of the world in aviation. Actually it was worst than that. Statistics aside, we had no airpower at all. In the raw, the country's manpower, industrial strength, and the national know-how in general assured the building of any kind of military force we wanted—if there was a realistic organization of energy and material, and if there was time. Was there time?

Although the concerns of Major Arnold and many others were focused primarily on industrial mobilization and the production of aircraft, it was also apparent that training and production of aviators would present a tremendous challenge. Any doubts about America's ability to meet these challenges were rapidly overshadowed by both public and political enthusiasm. In order to gain support for the unprecedented appropriations that such a program required, many in Congress and the military made some seemingly rash predictions about the ability to meet the goals set forth in the Ribot Cable. Even though Congress appropriated over $600 million for the effort, it was soon obvious that America would not be able to live up to the original agreement. Within months a revised air program was presented to the Allies.

The failure to meet the original air program was due primarily to the lack of experience on the part of American industry. This lack of experience was further exacerbated by the reluctance of the Allies to share their knowledge of aviation technology. "Probably no military secrets were more closely guarded in Europe than developments in aircraft." 

[Training aviators would prove one of the greatest challenges.] While the same lack of experience also caused the original estimates for the training program to be readjusted, the French, British and to some extent Italians were much more willing to share their expertise in training with the Army Air

Service. The Air Service was able to take advantage of these well established programs to create a program that encompassed the best training methods of the day.

Source: Issoudun: The Making of America's First Eagles, Major Douglas A. Galipeau, USAF, March 1997, Air University

The Centennial at the Grass Roots: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Gold Star Mothers Memorial, Heroes Grove, Golden Gate Park

A memorial ceremony commemorating the Centennial of World War I was held on Saturday 25 August 2018 at Golden Gate Park's Heroes Grove in San Francisco. The centerpiece of the grove is the Gold Star Mothers' Rock, which bears an inscription that displays the names of 758 local people who lost their lives during World War I. Two adjacent stones were added at the site to honor the upcoming centennial on  11 November 2018.

From 10 a.m. to noon, numerous volunteers worked to clean up the site and help with new planting. The Grove's gardener provided tools and directions for plantings and light clearing, and coffee and water were provided for the volunteers.  

The commemoration service, which took place from noon to 1 p.m., was convened by Major General James M. ("Mike") Myatt, USMC (Ret.), former CEO of the Marines Memorial Association in San Francisco. 

Photos by Thai Chu of Alive by Shooting/Thai Chu Photography. Story by Diane Rooney of the World War One Historical Association.

Pershing's Design Team

When Pershing became head of the American Battle Monuments Commission, he had access to the best design talent in America except, apparently, Frank Lloyd Wright.  Nonetheless, the architects and artists he approved were top notch. For example: 

John Russell Pope (24 April 1874—27 August 1937) was an American architect whose firm is widely known for designing some of the most noted buildings in Washington, DC. Pope had attended the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1896, honing his Beaux-Arts style. After returning to New York in 1900, he worked for a few years in the office of Bruce Price before opening his own practice. The National Archives and the National Gallery of Art were two of his designs, but his most acclaimed work in the nation's capitol is the Jefferson Memorial.

Earlier in his career, however, he was selected to design the most substantial monument on the former battlefields of the American Expeditionary Force—Montfaucon.

One of my traveling mates on my recent AEF battlefield tour, Jim O'Donnell, took a strong interest in the monuments of the ABMC and put me on to this. I hope Jim will contribute more information on the members of General Pershing's design team.

Images of U.S. Naval Aviation at War

DH-4s of the Northern Bombing Group

1918: Winning the War, Losing the War Reviewed by Ron Drees

1918:
Winning the War, Losing the War

Edited by Matthias Strohn
Osprey Publishing, 1918

German Troops Attacking, Spring 1918

The year 1918 was the final one in a long, bitter, incredibly devastating war from which the world has yet to recover. The book 1918 has ten articles, each with a different author, that examine the war from a multitude of viewpoints beginning with a summary of the last year, analysis of the four major armies, underrepresented battle fronts on several continents, the air and sea wars, and finally the lessons learned. While most attention concentrates on 1918, there are occasional references to battles of earlier years and their effects upon the waging of the war in its final year. Three of the authors are English, three American, one Austrian, two German, and one possibly Irish. Four authors are retired or reserve military.

The German, French, British, and U.S. Armies each take their turn to be praised and criticized. Throughout this book, we learn how the various armies learned to fight a different war than what was expected at the beginning. The Germans developed a defense in depth which resulted in Allied shelling falling on empty trenches while German troops waited far behind the lines until the enemy attacked, at which point they would swarm forward, overwhelming the exhausted attackers. However, the German Army did not learn some lessons, such as having a Plan B when the Schlieffen plan failed. As the war dragged on, the Army ran short of soldiers, Ludendorff made mistakes during the 1918 spring offensives, missed opportunities, undermined the government, suffered a nervous collapse, and wore out a starved populace. Much finger pointing and denial of responsibility followed, contributing to WWII.

The French opened the war without unity of command and much distrust between civilian and military leaders. This was resolved somewhat as the war wore on, but there were continual arguments between Foch and Pétain, with the latter going his own way on some occasions. Other lessons were that the 75mm was inadequate because of shell size and a flat trajectory, so Pétain emphasized bigger weapons, such as 105mm, 120mm and 155mm guns along with mortars up to 150mm. There was also a tremendous buildup in telephones, wireless sets, tanks, and airplanes. While France declined as a source of manpower, its industry was vital to the U.S. as American industry played only a limited role in this conflict. Finally, Foch became Supreme Commander of all Allied forces and gradually pushed the Germans back until they surrendered.

1918: France Triumphant
Soldiers Parading with the Maids of Lorraine and Alsace

By 1918 Lloyd George had lost confidence in General Haig, purged many of his subordinates, and refused reinforcements for the Western Front. The Army also went through a reorganization and had not prepared for the foreseen German offensives in the spring, which cost it 367,000 casualties. The Germans were stopped with considerable French assistance. The Germans were now depleted—short of men, logistics and ideas. In late July, however, the British started applying several lessons: pre-register artillery on a firing range so it wouldn't disclose the point of attack by long preliminary bombardments; overwhelm the enemy with short artillery preparations; use aircraft and tanks, and (perhaps most important) when the initial attacking troops bog down, leapfrog them with fresh troops and stop the offensive when overall fatigue sets in. In 1918, the Army was much better equipped with machine guns, artillery shells, knowledge of how to fire those shells accurately, and an overall improvement in logistics. Command structures also loosened up, allowing the "men on the spot" to make command decisions.

The U.S. Army was under-everything—under-equipped, under-trained, and without trained leadership. Pershing had to fight to retain control of the American Army which could not field a division until a year after the U.S. declaration of war. This chapter continues with a recounting of the battles of St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne. The author does not state that Pershing ceded command of First Army because of his nervous breakdown. He does point out that while advice and training publications were offered by British and French commanders, American officers ignored this information. Numerous generals were sacked when their performance was inadequate. Unlike other Army discussions, no progress report is made of the U.S. force. However, one gets the feeling that the U.S. was more concerned about the politics of American control than training.

There is a very brief discussion of the forgotten fronts in Europe and elsewhere: the Russian Civil War (after the Russian surrender), the Austro-Italian conflict, Greece, and the Serbs. None of these influenced the outcome.

Another discussion concerns the Middle East, Palestine, Syria, and Africa. The British out-generaled the Ottomans and bulled their way into Baghdad. While this author deprecates Colonel von Lettow-Vorbeck in East Africa, tying up 70,000 BEF with 10,000 Africans in a meaningless theater of war was still good for the German cause.

Even the Great War at sea is discussed, which involved every major body of water except the Pacific. While German submarine warfare sank many Allied ships, the effort was not enough to keep up with Allied ship construction and was slowed by anti-submarine warfare. Germany did not have the resources to control the seas, and that contributed to its war loss.

"The Air Campaign of 1918" is the most informative chapter of the whole book. Previous chapters covered familiar ground. Here we learn about technical innovations, evolution of the air services, and their impact. The air services began the war doing reconnaissance, which necessitated fighter support to prevent recon planes from being shot down. Communications improved, and recon missions became artillery spotters, adjusting gunfire from the air. No longer were preliminary bombardments or ranging shots, which gave away the infantry attack, necessary. By 1918, every air service had developed extensive air doctrines to organize and direct air operations. Low-flying aircraft informed HQ about ground armies and attack troops. Emphasis was placed upon close cooperation between air and ground forces.

Doctrine was not enough to win air supremacy; superior airplanes were required. Technological advantage seesawed between the Germans, French, and English, but then the Germans developed a thick, internally supported wing and coupled it with a fuselage frame of welded steel tubes, yielding the Fokker D.VII, rated as the best all-around fighter of the war. The French easily won the race to produce more aircraft and engines than anyone else, but because of inadequate quality many planes and aircrew were lost due to structural or power failure.

The air services contributed significantly to the initial successes of the German spring offenses and later the Allied response pushing Germany out of France. The Allies had far more airplanes, but the Germans were better coordinated at the squadron level, inflicting a heavy toll on American fliers.

The last chapter, concerned with war lessons learned, has an extraordinary statement considering the author is a British MG; the war could not have been concluded without the French Army or the American Expeditionary Forces. The author continues with a discussion of battles during the summer and fall. He does not identify specific lessons but emphasizes interdependence, innovation, and initiative. He quotes from the British Kirke Report that WWI was full of surprises, as will be the next one. Leaders must be trained to be "…versatile, mentally robust and full of common sense and self-reliance."

1918: Winning the War, Losing the War gives considerable insight into the major armies of the Great War, particularly the European adversaries. Maps are too few, not indexed, and cover too much area. The chapter on the U.S. Army was more a recounting of battles than an analysis of decisions, as was the case with reviews of other armies. Also, a chapter on the Russian Army, although gone from the scene by 1918, would have been useful because its failure had an impact upon 1918. The various theaters of war were covered whether on land or at sea. The air chapter was most informative as the technology and doctrine had not received much attention previously. The Italians should have been noted as they developed a three-engine bomber, quite an accomplishment at the time. An example—Caproni Ca.36—is on display at the Wright Patterson Air Force Museum near Dayton, OH.

Read this book to also get into the minds and personalities of the major individuals. One topic rarely discussed is the number of casualties due to illness, particularly influenza, which killed 12 times as many American citizens as soldiers on the battlefield. The Spanish are unfairly tagged with the disease because they published information about it while everyone else censored the impact. There is a case for calling it the Kansas influenza, obviously a topic for another book.

Ron Drees

Weapon of War: The Chauchat Light Machine Gun

Source: ABMC Website

100 Years Ago: Mont St Quentin Secured by Australian 2nd Division

2 September 1918

The Assault on Mont St Quentin

The tiny village of Mont-Saint-Quentin sits on a hillside overlooking the town of Péronne. During their occupation of the town from 1914, the Germans turned the mount into an exceptional observation point and strategic position. Incorporated into the strong lines of German defense it became a well defended, impregnable fortress, which was not taken in battle until September 1918. Between 29 August and 2 September 1918, several thousand men of the 2nd Australian Division attacked this position, which formed the key to the liberation of Péronne. They were well aware of the importance of the attack; Corporal Philip Starr of the 21st Battalion wrote "It would certainly have meant the withdrawal of the force threatening Péronne...had we failed." Mont St Quentin was finally captured and held securely in Australian hands by 2 September 1918. This feat is often regarded as one of the finest achievements of the Australian Imperial Force during the Great War.

Second Division Monument, Mont St Quentin

Source: Historial de la Grande Guerre

100 Years Ago: The 32nd "Red Arrow" Division Secures Juvigny

1 September 1918

After a much needed break from the fighting on the Ourcq River during the Second Battle of the Marne, the 32nd Division entered the front line northeast of Soissons, France, as the only American division assigned as part of French General Mangin’s famous 10th French Army.

In the Trenches Before Juvigny

During the fierce Oisne-Aisne Offensive of late August-early September, the 32nd Division advanced about 3 1/2 miles through entrenched German forces made up of five divisions: the 7th, the 7th Reserve, the 223rd, 227th, and 228th. Total casualties amounted to 2,848 including KIAs, wounded, and missing. In capturing the strong German positions on the Juvigny Plateau, the 32nd Division contributed to the French 10th Army outflanking the German line on the Chemin Des Dames, a strategic ridge that runs from east to west.

Signal Corps Installing Telephone Lines at Juvigny

Illustrator Correspondents at the Siege of Antwerp

View of the Antwerp Skyline During a Nighttime Bombardment

By Tony Langley

These drawings of the Antwerp siege on the left were produced by H.C. Seppings-Wright, a former British naval officer, who had been sketching war scenes since the end of the 19th century. He was an old Boer War hand and quite experienced at war and illustrating. Seppings-Wright's field drawings were so accomplished and detail-filled that they were often published "as is" by periodicals.

British Troops in Makeshift Trenches in Lier, During the Fight Along the Nethe Line

Newspapers and magazines of the period supplemented photography with action drawings that better
captured the panoramic scale of the battlefield while allowing the artist to highlight important details. Typically, these working drawings made by "illustrator-correspondents" were forwarded to the main office and there made more "artsy" by the in-house staff and then published fairly promptly.  Below is such a finished work submitted by correspondent Buck P. Richie.

Final Evacuation of Antwerp Across the Scheldt

Remembering a Veteran: Corporal Jake Allex, 33rd Division AEF

Aleksa Mandušić (1887–1959) was known to his mates in the 33rd Illinois National Guard Division as Jake Allex.  A 1905 immigrant of Serbian ancestry, who had been born in Kosovo, he  displayed outstanding leadership, courage and initiative at Chippilly Ridge on 9 August 1918. The action was in support of  the British 58th Division on the second day of the battle of Amiens. His Medal of Honor citatiaion reads in part:

At a critical point in the action, when all the officers with his platoon had become casualties, Cpl. Allex took command of the platoon and led it forward until the advance was stopped by fire from a machinegun nest. He then advanced alone for about 30 yards in the face of intense fire and attacked the nest. With his bayonet he killed 5 of the enemy, and when it was broken, used the butt of his rifle, capturing 15 prisoners.

In researching this article, I discovered one sad postscript to Allex's story. He returned to Serbia after the war to start a family and eventually bring them to America. According to one report, he spent several years in King Alexander's Royal Guard during this period.  Despite his wartime achievements as of 1929 he was unable to bring his ill wife and their children to America because of immigration restrictions. He returned to Chicago to work, allowing him to send money to his family.  At the time of the article, he was working as foreman of a gang of concrete layers. He is buried at the Serbian Orthodox Monastery of Saint Sava Libertyville, Lake County, Illinois.

Alpine Field Kitchens

The Troops Must Be Fed!

The Italian Army photograph above tells quite a story. It shows a field kitchen at 6,000-foot altitude in the Dolomite Alps. It is built cantilever-style on the side of a cliff. The latest meal has been placed in pails to be carried, suspended on each end of a pole, by the members of the ration party that's preparing to depart for mountaintop trenches, such as those shown below. 

Now consider this: both of these photos were taken in the summer. Using your imagination, superimpose snow, ice, wind, and shivering temperatures on these scenes. Even in that extreme environment, the food had to be cooked and delivered to the troops.

Lossberg's War Reviewed by Terrence J. Finnegan

Lossberg's War:
The World War I Memoirs of a German Chief of Staff

by Fritz von Lossberg
Edited and Translated by Major General David T. Zabecki and 
Lieutenant Colonel Dieter J. Biedekarken

University Press of Kentucky, 2017

Original German sources covering World War I are a treat for the enthusiast, and Fritz von Lossberg's account is especially so. His service during the war was exceptional, for he covered all the major battles on the Western Front, including the Somme in 1916. As is stated in the translators' Introduction, "Lossberg during World War I never commanded anything." The reader instead gets a feast of insights to German command thinking throughout the war, clearly showing the evolution of military strategy and tactics that defined the era.

What makes the work so important for those evaluating military thinking at the core of operations is that the German side over the century has been woefully lacking by most English and American scholars. The German Reichsarchiv monumental 14-volume history Der Weltkrieg 1914–1918, published during the interwar years describing in detail the ground war, should be essential for all scholarship addressing World War I military operations. However, German natives who address the history are few and far between. Getting to the pure substance of German thinking is a major challenge.

Concern with Fritz von Lossberg's work is the original date of publishing. By 1938, most German military works were tainted with ideological bias from the National Socialist publishing community. One has to be sensitive to the exact discussions reflecting what his actual notes covered. If the final work is Fritz von Lossberg's insight at the time of the war, then the read is a pure delight for it is contemporary German in its essence. However, his 1939 Prologue carries the exhaltation "As an old soldier I watch with great excitement the rise of the Wehrmacht of the Third Reich." Perhaps this generated the prevailing bias for a generation of military scholarship to not seriously consider von Lossberg's amazing contribution to contemporary German military thinking.

The casual reader will find Lossberg's work to be worthwhile because the Zabecki and Biedekarken translation is a delight. There is a tendency for literal translation to reflect German grammar. German articles Der, Die, and Das are routinely replaced with "the." This is not the case here.

For this reviewer, the mention of intelligence and aerial reconnaissance reports aiding 5. Armee headquarters in formulating early September 1914 assessments on the enemy was substantiation that the Germans were wedded early on to aviation's role in developing operational strategies against the western Alliance. Analysis on artillery was equally illustrative for seeing the German assimilate data from their aviation sources.

Von Lossberg's discussion on how First Marne resulted in victory for Entente forces was particularly insightful:

So far in the war the English had evaded any decisive fight to avoid losing their links to the Channel ports. For that same reason, the BEF's thrust into the gap between First and Second Armies was neither rapid nor energetic…It is not the courageous German Army that was to blame for the withdrawal from the Marne, but rather OHL and General von Moltke, who from the beginning of the war made one mistake after another…During the grave situation following 9 September 1914, the only important issue was the ability to assemble a superior force for the German right wing to attack with. Whether or not the right wing should have been pulled back farther was immaterial, because in a mobile war one does not fight for terrain, but for total destruction of the enemy.

Assignment to the Eastern Front in November 1914 provides another rarely seen view of the thinking of the command against the Russian adversary. There von Lossberg met with General von Hindenburg and Generalmajor Ludendorff—an introduction that increased his credibility in the years to come.

The assignment at the Somme is probably the most lucrative discussion from von Lossberg. He made many a personal reconnaissance of the region and provided in-depth views of the important battle. He saw the rolling terrain offering many possibilities for frontal and flanking observation and artillery fire. The Somme ground was also good for infantry defensive operations thanks to numerous solidly built-up settlements. Another insight was that the British and French had aerial superiority in this sector. They constantly flew over German-held terrain strafing infantry with machine gun fire from low altitudes and dropping bombs in the rear areas on any recognized movement. "Our flyers were powerless against this incredible superiority."

His superior work resulted in being awarded by the Kaiser the Orden Pour le Mérite, the first von Lossberg to be recognized with that honor from a long line of distinguished soldiers. On 11 April 1917, he was appointed by the Kaiser to be chief of staff of 6. Armee opposite British forces, followed in June 1917 to chief of the general staff of 4. Armee, facing British forces from the southern wing and French forces to the sea. It was then von Lossberg applied his depth to developing the defensive architecture with which he is credited.

Improvements in communications throughout the sector became the standard. From his army command post he could communicate with all the corps and divisional headquarters, the artillery groups, and the airfields. His praise for the German Army centers on the Battle of Flanders, where not a single German division failed and every piece of ground was fought for stubbornly. Insight after insight floods the reading and provides a rarely seen personal view from the German command. For the military student of the era, such revelations from a contemporary make for fresh reading and adds to a credible understanding of what is the rightful fascination of the Great War. Any future work that doesn't reference General der Infanterie Fritz von Lossberg's important observations should be considered incomplete.

Terrence J. Finnegan

An American Admiral Quells a Russian Mutiny

Black Sea Fleet Mutineers at Sevastopol

When Nicholas II abdicated on 15 March 1917, the creation of Provisional Government failed to stabilize the situation. A wave of political activity followed across Russia. Unsurprisingly, Sevastopol did not remain immune from such developments. On 19 March elections to a soviet (council) of deputies took place in the city. At the same time, sailors’ committees were formed on the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, commanded by Vice Admiral Alexander Kolchak.

The Bolshevik cause received a massive boost with the arrival of Vladimir Lenin in Petrograd to popular acclaim on 16 April 1917. He had returned from exile in Switzerland courtesy of a German sealed train. Under his leadership and alluring promises of "peace, land and bread," the Bolsheviks fomented popular concerns and anti-war protests—all carefully preparing the ground for their revolution later in the year. Kolchak sensed the impending catastrophe, predicting that he would soon have "to deal with the historical disgrace of a senseless mutiny during wartime." On 22 April Sevastopol witnessed mass crowds of people welcoming home former sailors released from either exile or prison, including those who had participated in the mutinies of 1905.

Bending to the demands of the crews, on 13 May Kolchak ordered the renaming of battleships with imperial names such as Imperator Alexander III, which became the Volya (Will). By the early summer, discipline within the Black Sea Fleet was fast breaking down. 

Rear Admiral James H. Glennon

On 20 June a delegation from the United States Navy, headed by Rear Admiral James H. Glennon, visited Sevastopol, an important port of call on a tour of naval bases to determine how best to support the Russian war effort against Germany.  Having inspected a number of coastal defense batteries and other shore installations, Glennon encountered ships "full of idle sailors in dirty white uniforms milling aimlessly around." A mutiny was already well under way. A Russian officer described what ensued:

Admiral Glennon had gone to a large public meeting attended by several thousands of seamen and soldiers…He told the men about the great American democracy, about the discipline in the American navy, about the traditions of freedom coupled with self-restraint which alone made democracy possible, called on them to desist from insulting their officers, urged that they return their weapons, and pressed upon them the necessity of accepting the rudimentary forms of discipline without which the Fleet would become worthless. He also spoke of Kolchak in terms of high praise, and pleaded with the men to be loyal to him. Glennon’s speech was superbly translated and made a deep impression on the meeting. Probably this was an instance unique in all naval history that a foreign officer made a speech that helped to quell a mutiny.

Although the American visitor, at great personal risk, intervened to save the lives of a number of Russian officers, Glennon could not restore them to their positions of authority. 

Two days later he departed Sevastopol by train bound for Petrograd. A dejected Kolchak, recalled by the Provisional Government for "failing to maintain discipline," made the same journey. He was lucky to be alive, having survived a violent confrontation with sailors aboard his headquarters ship, the Georgii Pobedonosets.

Sources:  Mental Floss and History Today

Recommended: "Over Here" by Mark D. Van Ells

By Mark D. Van Ells
From the American Legion Website

A century ago, George M. Cohan’s song “Over There” rallied the American public behind the Doughboys in France during the Great War. Today, World War I centennial events are helping Americans rediscover their nation’s role in that titanic conflict. Memorials, museums and historic sites are a popular way to connect with the past, and thousands travel across the Atlantic to visit the battlefields of Europe. However, there are plenty of places “over here” in America where one can also walk in the footsteps of the doughboys. 

The best place to begin exploring stateside World War I sites might be the Army’s 32 training camps where civilians became soldiers. They spanned the country, from Camp Devens, MA, to Camp Kearny, CA. Hastily constructed in the summer of 1917, the camps received the first troops that September, and by the time the war ended 14 months later roughly four million people had passed through their gates. 

Seventeen camps are still military property, and many have history museums that chronicle the Doughboy experience. Fort Jackson, SC, for example, is home to the U.S. Army Basic Combat Training Museum. Fort Lee, VA, has two: the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum and the Army Women’s Museum. The Lewis Army Museum at Fort Lewis, WA, is in the old camp recreation center the Salvation Army built for trainees during the war. Though located on active military installations, these museums are open to the public. A civilian must obtain a visitor’s pass to see them, and photo ID and vehicle registration (if entering by car) are normally required. 

The fate of other camps varied considerably. Camp Logan in Houston is now Memorial Park—a welcome green space in that sprawling city. Camp Upton on Long Island, NY, is home to Brookhaven National Laboratory, a scientific research center. Like many training sites, Camp Taylor in Louisville, KY, is now a residential area. Single-family homes stand where barracks, mess halls, and warehouses once did. In recent years, the last World War I structures have been demolished, though the Camp Taylor Historical Society is working to preserve memorials and erect a museum dedicated to the Great War heritage of the neighborhood. 

91st Division Monument Located at Fort Lewis, WA (Now Part of
Joint Base Lewis-McChord), Where the Division Trained in 1917

Other training sites have also given way to suburbia. Strolling through certain neighborhoods in places like Montgomery, AL (Camp Sheridan), Fort Worth, TX (Camp Bowie), or Menlo Park, CA (Camp Fremont), the careful observer spots camp-related monuments, plaques, and historical markers in local parks or along the streets.  

Soldiers received specialized training at stateside posts, too. For example, the Great War saw the advent of the tank, and many doughboys learned to operate these fearsome new machines. One tank training facility, Camp Colt, was located right on the Civil War battlefield at Gettysburg, PA. Amid the lavish memorials to the Blue and the Gray are a few subtle reminders of World War I. Just off the Emmitsburg Pike, on ground Pickett’s men charged across in 1863, stands a lone pine tree marking the headquarters of Camp Colt’s commander, Capt. Dwight D. Eisenhower. It was Ike’s first command.

Continue Reading the Article at:

https://www.legion.org/magazine/241988/over-here

Bombing Civilians: A World War I Heritage

General Giulio Douhet (1869–1930)

A plain-speaking Italian general saw it all coming out of the ashes of the Great War—the Blitz, strategic bombing, mutual assured destruction: 

Never, at any time during [World War I], was a death-blow struck—a blow which leaves a deep gaping wound and the feeling of imminent death. Instead both sides struck innumerable blows and inflicted many wounds; but the wounds were light ones and always had time to heal. Such wounds, while leaving the body weaker and weaker, still left the patient with the hope of living and recovering strength enough to deal to an equally weakened enemy that last pinprick capable of drawing the last drop of blood. . .There is no doubt now that half of the destruction wrought by the war would have been enough if it had been accomplished in three months instead of four years. A quarter of it would have been sufficient if it had been wrought in eight days. 

Bombing Antwerp, 1914

We need only envision what would go on among the civilian population of congested cities once the enemy announced that we would bomb such centers relentlessly, making no distinction between military and non-military objectives...The very magnitude of possible aerial offensives cries for an answer to the question, ‘How can we defend ourselves against them?' To this I have always answered, ‘By attacking'...The fundamental concept governing aerial warfare is to be resigned to the damage the enemy may inflict upon us, while utilizing every means at our disposal to inflict even heavier damage upon him…Mercifully, the decision will be quick in this kind of war, since the decisive blows will be aimed at civilians, that element of the countries at war least able to sustain them. These future wars may yet prove to be more humane than wars in the past in spite of all, because they may in the long run shed less blood. But there is no doubt that nations who find themselves unprepared to sustain them will be lost.

Giulio Douhet, The Command of the Air, 1921 

A Classic Great War Photo: Hawthorne Mine, 1 July 1916

Top—1 July 1916; Lower—20 Aug 2016

Photographer Ernest Brooks and cinematographer Geoffrey Malins recorded the most famous images of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916 at 7:20 a.m.

In May 2016 I was able to visit the location where they observed the explosion. It is on a sunken road used by elements of the 29th Division as a jumping-off point that morning. The sunken road is immediately west of the village of Beaumont Hamel, just off road D163.

Germany's Comic Magazine Lustige Blätter

By Tony Langley

Lustige Blätter ("comic pages") was a satirical weekly published in Berlin that featured artwork by some of accomplished commercial artists of the day. The content of these satirical pages could be pro-military, anti-Allied, just plain social commentary, or something charming and saccharine. 

In the images on this page, there are sniveling Allied generals and politicians,  a commentary about the the Central Powers at long last turning John Bull into a mummy; a sentimental cartoon of German guards on the Belgian-Dutch border flirting with some improbable Dutch maidens anachronistically dressed as in the cheapest postcard;  and a rather vicious caricature of President Wilson speaking with a serpent's "forked tongue."

It was a quality publication, featuring many full color pages. Lustige Blätter was similar to the cultural magazine Jugend published in Munich, though Jugend was more artistically inclined in its content.

Fated for Assassination: Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson

Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson (1864–1922)

The central intriguer in the Curragh Mutiny had a varied career in the Great War—lackluster on the battlefield but somewhat influential in the back room. Politically, he eventually managed to get appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and his singular act of war leadership proved to be his facilitating the appointment of Ferdinand Foch as Allied Generalissimo. After his retirement from the Army in 1922, he was irresistibly drawn back to Ireland, quickly gaining election as an Irish Member of Parliament from County Down. Wilson subsequently played a role in defining the borders of what became Northern Ireland. This led to his assassination by the IRA after the dedication of a war plaque in London on 22 June 1922. He remains one of the lesser-studied senior generals of the war, his early death precluding even a memoir, and his diaries published in the 1920s were considered indiscreet and self-serving.

Great Eastern Railway War Memorial  at the Liverpool Street Station
Dedicated by Wilson Prior to His Death

Over There: America in the Great War Reviewed by David F. Beer

Over There: America in the Great War

by Robert J. Dalessandro and Rebecca S. Dalessandro

Stackpole Books (Stackpole Military Photo Series), 2016

Author Robert Dalessandro Discussing Over There on CSpan2's "Book Notes"

Plenty of books have titles beginning with "Over There", but this one is different. Having read many books (some too long) on the Great War, I found it relaxing yet engaging to look through the Dalessandros' collection of some 360 black and white photos plus a few maps and war art. Although I was already familiar with a handful of the photos, most were new to me, and despite a few captions being not quite accurate, the book as a whole is enjoyable and informative.

Nine chapters visually take us in chronological order through the American experience of WWI from conscription to eventual homecoming. Introductions to each chapter are concise yet detailed enough to refresh our memory of the course of events covered by the photos. Most pages contain two or three photos, but the book's first photo is a moving full-page one of the poet Joyce Kilmer's grave accompanied by his apt words:

At present I am a poet trying to be a soldier. To tell the truth, I am not interested in writing nowadays, except in so far as writing is the expression of something beautiful…. The only sort of book I care to write about the war is the sort people will read after the war is over-a century after it is over (iv).

From Chapter 1, "Doughboys, Gobs, and Devil Dogs," to Chapter 9, "Hello Miss Liberty," we follow a visual history of American recruits, Doughboys, Marines, airmen, sailors, medical workers, and a few German prisoners. Some photos I found fascinating included a group of Naval Reserve "Yeomanettes," a Doughboy peeling onions—gas mask on, a treatment room for gassed patients, a desperate attempt to escape a torpedoed vessel, and a rather tense American major high up in an observation balloon. One depicts a soldier perilously carried aloft by the giant Perkins man-carrying kite, while another shows an aerial observer trying his best to slide down a rope from his blimp. There are several scenes of roads hopelessly congested by men, munitions, horses, wagons, and artillery, including a painting by war artist George Matthews Harding.

Many portraits of soldiers, some known, some unknown, are included in this book. Several are of family groups or of husband (in uniform) and wife. Some are interesting "buddy" gatherings in different locations and involved in various activities or stances. Also, the authors are quite open about the discrimination practiced by American society and the military at this time, and present several photos of African-American soldiers in action or posing for portraits. The last two pages of the book give striking photos of smart, handsome African-Americans in uniform, the final being of Captain Elijah Reynolds of the 368th Infantry Regiment, who served 30 years in the regular army before he was finally commissioned.

One of the highlights of this book is an insert of several pages in color which allow some optic contrast from the abundance of black-and-white photos. Here we find informative captions and pictures of war posters, uniforms, insignia, and weapons, plus some excellent reproductions of war art. Notable among these are samples of the work of Samuel Johnson Woolf, who served as an artist-correspondent during both World Wars I and II. His paintings reproduced here are among the most effective examples of war art I have seen.

It's fitting that this collection was put together by the former chairman of the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission, Col. Robert J. Dalessandro, USA (Ret.), with the help of Rebecca S. Dalessandro. Colonel Dalessandro has an impressive background in military studies, having been director of the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center and chief of military history at the U.S. Army Center of Military History. At the time of the book's publication he was also deputy secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission. Their presentation of Over There: America in the Great War is a fine example of how a photograph can be worth a thousand words. It is a worthy tribute to the men and women who in one way or another played their part in the First World War.

David F. Beer

Failure at Gallipoli: Krithia and Achi Baba, Cape Helles Sector

A. View of Cape Helles from Achi Baba

Image A was taken near the peak of a 600-ft. hill known as Achi Baba. Six miles in the distance are the invasion beaches of Cape Helles. The troops landing on those beaches were supposed to advance to this point and capture the nearby village of Krithia within a day of landing. Image A gives the impression that the advance would be made up a gently sloping rise.

B. Typical Terrain of the Battles for Krithia

Image B gives an up-close view of the undulating ground. The sector is further complicated by four cuts or ravines crossing it. The most famous of these, Gully Ravine, will be visited at the next stop.

Allied forces never reached either Krithia or Achi Baba. There were six attempts between 28 April and 12 July, the largest of which are known as the three battles of Krithia. The earliest of these attacks was met with incredibly fierce Turkish resistance and shattered the wishful thinking of the invaders that their opposition would simply dissolve before a determined assault.

C. Turkish Monument and Memorial at Cape Helles

Key Dates for the Helles Sector:

Apr 25: Initial Landings on Five Helles Beaches

Apr 28: First Battle of Krithia

May 6–8: Second Battle of Krithia

June 4: 3rd Battle of Krithia

June 21: French advance on right flank

June 28: Successful British advance on left flank (image B of Gully Ravine)

July 2–5: Series of strong but unsuccessful Turkish attacks at Helles

July 12–13: Final major Allied attack at Helles over 2km front

August: Suvla sector becomes main focus of Gallipoli Campaign

Oct 3: 2nd French Division leaves for Salonika

Dec 7: British Government orders evacuation of Gallipoli

Jan 9: Helles evacuation completed, marking end of Dardanelles/Gallipoli Campaign

The Flies of Mesopotamia

Poster for British Camps in Middle East

There are flies that bite like bulldogs everywhere. . . The flies are awful; one black web of them this morning; in one's hair and eyes and mouth, in one's bath and shaving-water, in one's tea and in one's towel. 

A wave of great heat has come and the air is black with flies. . . Nothing that I have ever seen or dreamed of came up to the flies. They hatched out until they were almost the air. They were in myriads. The horses were half mad. The flies were mostly tiny. They rolled up in little balls, when one passed one's hand across one's sweating face. They were on your eyelids and lashes and in your lips and nostrils. We could not speak for them, and could hardly see. 

We went into General Younghusband's tent. The flies, for some reason, stayed outside. He put a loose net across the door of the tent. They were like a visible fever, shimmering in the burning light all round. Inside his tent you did not breathe them; outside you could not help taking them in through the nose and the mouth. 

My eyes were bound, and I got on a horse that started bucking because of the torture of the flies. 

KUT, 1916
by Aubrey Herbert