Argonne Forest, WWI France: The Forgotten Cemetery; Black Regiments; Military Racism; "Cher Ami" Carrier Pigeon, and The Lost Battalion

American Cemetery, Argonne Forest, France

Racism in WWI and the Black Regiments. The American military in World War I had regiments of black soldiers, but hardly used them despite their fine record in the Civil War.

So, three black regiments from the American 93rd Division retained that identity but fought here at the Argonne-Meuse offensive WWI with the French 161st Division, wearing French uniforms and using French equipment, see ://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_meuse_argonne.html. The French saw them as no different from other American troops. See more on the black regiments at ://www.armyhistory.org/armyhistorical.aspx?pgID=868&id=103&exCompID=32.

We do not know if the dead from the black regiments are buried here, or elsewhere with the French. We would need the names, and from there could find out. Trying.

We step all over our own vast human resources for the sake of ego or dominance even when we die as a result. Could those soldiers, fighting with the American army, have saved American lives.

Forgotten battles. Who learned about the Argonne in school. Raise your hands. No-one recalls? These conflicts can be brought back to mind in unexpected ways. This time, as to the Argonne, through Hollywood, and its incidental choice of WWI battle for a comedy football film. It deserves more attention.

See the recent film, "Leatherheads," with George Clooney and Renee Zellweger, ://www.leatherheadsmovie.com/ and at least hear about "Argonne" and see some bits of entertainment fake footage as part of the plot. Then get real.

Cemetery - forgotten. Casualties of this Argonne offensive for Americans: 117,000, or 40% of the expeditionary forces during the course of American involvement in the war as a whole. Of those, 49,709 were killed. See ://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_meuse_argonne.html.

After its important role in WWI, see its beautifully kept, huge cemetery, empty. See it at ://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ma.php. There were no other visitors when we were there. Usually in any large memorial area there are people even toward the end of the day. Not here. The World's roads and interest have passed it by. Meticulous landscaping and care, but where are the people. Worth the drive. Monumental, agony there, but who remembers. We need to.

There were also Americans at the battle at Belleau Wood: They cleared a strategic region, took machine guns, part of the overall Argonne offensive. A search for that will give details.

So thank you, George Clooney and Renee Zellweger, for bringing this Argonne battle back home to mind again.

Overview: The Battle of Argonne Forest. This was part of the larger Meuse-Argonne offensive, France, near Verdun, World War I. We recall no-one in the film telling people where it was. Many confuse Argonne with the Ardennes, Alsace, part of the Battle of the Bulge in WWII. See ://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/7-8/7-8_cont.htm Different forests.

The battle includes Belleau Wood.

The Argonne offensive is known to historians for the

• Great acts of endurance and courage of the leaders and soldiers; and
  
• Its The Lost Battalion, 700 started, then 500+ trapped for five days, and 194 alive at the end; and
  
• The carrier pigeon who saved 200 American lives, "Cher Ami." See ://www.homeofheroes.com/wings/part1/3b_cherami.html

American Expeditionary Forces were sent there in World War I 1918, after finally entering the war and getting prepared. This country had not anticipated war, and was not ready. France and the British and its colonial-derived allies had fought for 3-4 years before the Americans came in.

The Americans undertook a four-month push from near Verdun against the Germans; the British, Australians and the French needing time to regroup and repush after their four years of fighting, and from the other side of the German salient (a bulge in their line into French territory).

Read about it and see maps at ://www.homeofheroes.com/wings/part1/3_lostbattalion.html. Imagine the chaos, hunger, confusion as German lines and Allied mixed in the night. Carrier pigeons (the most famous is "Cher Ami") used for communications because runners could not get through. And the bravery, optimism and sense of humor of Captain George McMurtry of Pittsburgh.

An ultimate victory for the American troops and the other Allies, but at huge cost. The Allies needed to break through to the Hindenburg line, the last defense line for the German war effort, but the Germans at Argonne were well entrenched in the forest. Read about it at ://www.firstworldwar.com/features/pathoffire.htm. American General Pershing, largely the 77th Division. American troops as the anvil, the British and the French as the hammers, says the article.

How to get there. This area has been a crossroads for invasions for centuries.

Castle, at nearby Sedan, France

Warfare has moved from the winner having the highest walls, as here at Sedan by the Argonne, to the winner (for a time, at least), being the best dug in - WWI and WWII trench warfare.

We had driven the 26 miles or so from the battletrenches of WWI Verdun, a side trip to this castle at Sedan (medieval roots, then on to the Napoleons) to see the American Cemetery from the Argonne, following little signs to American Cemetery, on and on, no kilometer distance markers.

World War I songs come to mind, especially this one -

Over there. Over there....
The Yanks have forgotten,
The Yanks have forgotten,
The Yanks have forgotten
That their boys died over there. *
.......................................................................................
* See ://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/overthere.htm. Hear it, vintage, at ://www.worldwar1.com/media/overa.wav. Take time from your Blackberry to go back. George M. Cohan. See his grave at Woodlawn, Bronx, NY. Always fresh flowers there. See about him at ://www.musicals101.com/cohanbio1.htm. The schools can't teach history, but we can. And now, let us present, Iraq. How long before soldiers who died there are also forgotten, as seems to be the rule in battle history.