Meuse-Argonne Offensive part 2 with Host Pamela Clark

2nd episode of the Meuse-Argonne Offenside on the New Heights Show on Education. This is presented under the American Service Men and Women tell their stories of survival. homework:
Links: https://youtu.be/2yE9oIEpkz4
https://youtu.be/2yE9oIEpkz4
https://www.britannica.com/event/battles-of-the-Meuse-Argonne?utm_source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meuse%E2%80%93Argonne_offensive?utm_source
https://www.archives.gov/research/military/ww1/meuse-argonne?utm_source
https://history.army.mil/html/books/072/72-18/CMH_Pub_72-18.pdf
https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/leavenworth-papers-10-chemical-warfare-in-world-war-i-the-american-experience-1917-1918.pdf?utm_source
https://history.army.mil/Research/Reference-Topics/Army-Campaigns/Brief-Summaries/World-War-I/?utm_source
https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/gas-warfare/?format=pdf&utm_source
https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/170267/Neiberg_-_Gas_in_WWI.pdf?utm_source
https://www.loc.gov/
https://www.armyheritage.org/soldier-stories-information/blood-mud-concrete-and-barbed-wire-the-meuse-argonne-offensive/?utm_source
https://www.nyhistory.org/blogs/the-good-lord-protected-me-a-soldiers-letter-on-the-meuse-argonne-offensive

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
H h h.

Speaker 2 (00:43):
Welcome to the new high Show on Education. This is
your host Pamily Clark, and this is an episode of
American servicemen and women tell their stories of survival. I
started them you Sargone Lave week, so this is our
second episode. If you haven't listened to it, please go

(01:05):
back and do so and check out all the links
in the show notes, so you have a really good
resource of video and explanation of what it was and
what happened and all of that. So today we're going
to continue sharing resources with you and information with you.

(01:32):
And this is business is German defenses in the Musargone region.
There's going to be a video link below that you
can actually click on and look at how the Germans
protected themselves and you'll learn a lot about the history

(01:53):
of that area and also how vikings are related to
that same area as well. It was really a fascinating video,
so you don't want to check that out and then
come back, but if you've listened to it and you're
ready to move forward, then that's what we're going to do.

(02:16):
So the video that I shared analys and analyzes the
strength of German defensive positions and the Musarkon region and
explains why they cause such devastating American losses. It focuses
on terrain, fortification, engineering, and the doctrine of defense and depth.

(02:40):
The German army had spent years fortifying the region north
and west Overdunn. Third defensive system used multiple trench lines,
machine gun bunkers, and concrete shelters integrated into hillsides and forests.
The art on forest health was a natural fortress with

(03:03):
thick vegetation. Narrow ravines and steep ridges prevented quick movement.
German artillery and machine gun fire from elevated positions dominated
the battlefield. Even after the Americans broke through the front lines,
the Germans fell back to secondary positions, maintaining communication through

(03:26):
buried telephone lines and runners. This layered structure forced the
attackers to pay for every yard with lives and time.
The narrator explains that the Germans discipline, efficient logistics, and
careful counter attacks prolonged the fight even as overall German

(03:51):
morale declined. So the significance understanding that German defenses clarifies
why the amuse are Gone battle was so prolonged and bloody.
The terrain and fortifications magnified the difficulty of every American
advance despite overwhelming numbers, Breaking through required extraordinary determination and

(04:19):
cost thousands of lives. There's going to be three other
videos and I'm going to be sharing as well, so
you'll want to watch those as well. Now, So if

(04:40):
you've watched all the videos, the next part of this
is the strategic and historical significance strategic turning point. The
offensive broke the German defensive system and led directly to
the Armistice of November eleven, nineteen eighteen. Scale and sacrifice.

(05:02):
Over a million Americans served, more than one hundred and
twenty thousand became casualties, a sobering measure of modern war affair.
The legacy and commemoration of the Musargone American Cemetery in
ramonk U Ramongks who want to but can I know?

(05:23):
I'm saying our falcon contains fourteen thousand, two hundred and
forty six graves and nine hundred and fifty four names
of missing and lasting testament to the campaign's human cost.
Why does the musar Gone matter? Military legacy? It remains

(05:49):
a course study in US Army operations and leadership. Human
dimension soldiers like Private Harry Emmon of the one hundred
and thirty eighth Inventory were among thousands wounded in the
closing days of the war. Harry was my paternal great grandfather.

(06:13):
Educational value. Actually, I'm going to go back a little
bit to the military legacy, Eric, because I wanted to
add and if you watch the videos, you know this now,
but the advancement in medical science grew more in the
four years of World War One than in any time

(06:35):
in history. So they even mentioned that in the video
that you know, wars do bring about other things that
could be good or bad. But I just wanted to
mention that the educational value the offensive illustrates the complex

(06:56):
coordination of modern armies and the cost of global conflict.
Categories and comparisons. US killed in action approximately twenty six thousand,
two hundred and seventy seven total US casualties killed, wounded

(07:18):
and missing or POW That was approximately between one hundred
and twenty and one hundred and thirty thousand German casualties
killed wounded, approximately one hundred to one hundred thirty thousand
US total deaths in World War One all causes approximately

(07:39):
one hundred and sixteen thousand casualties comparisons to other battles.
The Musar Gone from September to November nineteen eighteen, with
the twenty six two hundred and seventy seven is the
US deadliest US battle ever recorded. Bottle of the Battle

(08:00):
of the Bulge from December nineteen forty four through January
nineteen forty five, nineteen thousand, two hundred and seventy six
dead large and it was the largest and bilious US
World War II battle in Europe. Normandy campaign from June
to August of nineteen forty four there were sixteen thousand,

(08:22):
two hundred and ninety three deaths. Includes D Day and
subsequent fighting Gettysburg July eighteen sixty three, seven thousand and
fifty eight. That's the Civil War turning point of the
Civil War. Weapons and chemical agents used conventional weapons like rifles,

(08:47):
machine guns, mortars, field artillery and hand grenades defined the battlefield.
Limited numbers of tanks and aircraft supported infantry assaults. Chemical
war mustard, gas and faustine were employed by both sides,
inflicting severe burns and lung injuries. The US Chemical Warfare

(09:10):
Service and the First Gas Regiment coordinated gas shelling and
protective operations. Lewislte Lewis site is a newly developed American
agent was not widely used during the campaign. While gas
attacks created fear and confusion, they did not decisively determine

(09:35):
the battle's outcome. So the Musergon offensive symbolizes both strategic
success and immense human cost. It helped end the World
War One and mark the Unified State's emergence as a
global power. Understanding its history preserves the memory of those

(09:57):
who served, and provides in during life lessons on the
realities of modern warfare. Okay, I'm gonna share with you
at eight length. Let me stay here.

Speaker 3 (10:10):
I wanta have Okay, I'm gonna share with you the
National Archive link. I'm gonna share a moment the US
Army Center of Military History. I have a link for
that US Army Combat Studies and Statute study. My share

(10:32):
link to that World War One campaigns gas warfare. There's
an encyclopedia on Encyclopedia which is really interesting. Poison gas
in World War One by ne Ever. Library of Compress
is World War One Casualty and Mobilization Strty statistic excuse

(10:54):
me and Army Heritage on the muse Sargonne, So please
listen to each of those. We're going to take a
quick commercial break, and I want to be right back
with more from the New Heights Show on Education.

Speaker 1 (11:22):
Hello listeners. If you're enjoying the New Heights Show on
Education and want to support or donate to our organization,
please visit www dot New Heights Education dot org and
while you're there, check out our online store.

Speaker 2 (11:51):
Welcome back to the New Height Show on Education. I
have some stories here that I wanted to share as
some first hand accounts. Okay, the first one I have
is from the New York Historical Society.

Speaker 3 (12:11):
I don't own this information. I'm just sharing it with you.
There will be a link in the show notes with
the others. And this was written by ted O Riley
and from the Stacks from November nine, twenty eighteen, and
the title is in quotations The Good Lord Protected Me,

(12:33):
a soldier's letter on the Musargonne Offensive. There are images
that you'll see there as well of the French city
of Rains during World War One with its cathedral in
the background. Updated geographic file pr dash Sero to zero

(12:54):
Department of Prince Photographers and Architectural Collections. The Circle Society.
This Sunday will be the hundredth Anniversity anniversary of the
armistice that ended World War One Again. It was dated

(13:17):
twenty eighteen November ninth, Okay, that ended the World War One,
a war that remains etched in the collective memory for
the physical and psychological toll brought on those who lived

(13:37):
through it. With that in mind, it seems fitting to
mark the occasion through the words of a soldier who
witnessed it firsthand. The soldier is Louis E. Shaw, a
lieutenant in the three hundred and sixty ninth Regiment in
A native of Massachusetts who served in the Mexican Border

(13:57):
Campaign prior to America's entrance into World War One. Once
in France, Shaw became an officer in the three hundred
and sixty ninth Regiment, perhaps better known as the Harlem
hellfire Fighters. Though Shaw was white, as its officers almost
exclusively were, the regiment was African American. Despite encountering many

(14:22):
incidents of racism during their service, the regiment distinguished itself
under French command during the war. A particular interest is
Shaw's brief participation in the pivotal musark On offensive that
stretched from late September until November armistice, which proved integral

(14:44):
to end to ending the war. Having survived exposure to
gas during the first days of the action, Shaw was
recuperating at a hospital when he wrote the extended missy
of transcribed here. Previous to this, he had sent a

(15:04):
telegram and two letters to it let his mother know
he was okay. On October fourth, he had recognized the
bravery of his regiment, writing quote, our colored boys have
made a lasting name for themselves. They fought in one
magnificently and a quote. Soldier's letters can be surprisingly mundane,

(15:29):
often to avoid censor's interference or to spare family members
or perhaps even the soldier himself a recounting of horrific experiences.
Yet Shaw's October ninth letter, although not especially graphic, provides
a detailed account of the first days of the offensive

(15:52):
that gave some insight or onto war's reality, especially the
thunder margin dividing.

Speaker 2 (16:01):
Life and death. Okay, so it's this is written on
American Red Cross paper. It says on active service with
American expeditionaries or force. And it says Missus C. Shaw.

(16:31):
I can't read a lot of this. I think it,
says Brewster and caught me. Maybe it says Cedar Street,
New York City, says Bone Hospital forty nine October ninth,
nineteen eighteen, says dear Munsey, everything is everything. It looks

(17:02):
like Jake by me, I don't I would think that
that would mean fine by me. I don't know. I'm
enjoying a much needed rest in hospital and regaining my

(17:22):
health and vigor fast. I am up and about and
have walked several miles for the last two days. I
hope you received my cable promptly, also my two letters
since the attached, so that you have not worried unnecessarily.

(17:49):
I wrote you just before the attack, as I knew
you would wish me to do, and then as soon
as I was out of action, I wrote and cabled letter.

Speaker 3 (18:04):
I think I will tell you, frankly, that it is terrible.
I feel like a veteran. How far it is my
second attack. The first, of course, was all right, the first,
of course, being the.

Speaker 2 (18:23):
Bosh. I think it's a boch. I'm not sure. Let
me see if I can make hydrotail to some of this. Frankly,
I feel terrible. Somebody subscribe subscribe this so that's nice

(18:50):
the first of being Oh yeah, it was b Och.
It's a pejorative for Germans offensive of July fourteenth. He
was speaking about, and I sincerely hope that I will
not take part in another the present battle and Champagne
is still raging. I see by the papers, and the

(19:10):
Fronco Americans are driving ahead fast. Okay, it's okay, it
looks wonderful in the paper. But when you know from
experience how long a regiment lasts it is and just

(19:33):
how far it can go before being reduced to the
point of ineffectiveness, it is different. Our regiment attacked a
few hundred meters behind a French regiment just at dawn,
after the French artillery had put down a terrific bombardment
for six hours. We went over the top in an

(19:55):
organized sector where the trenches and barbed wire were five
miles in depth. Could you imagine that? Wow? We had occupied,
or rather held the sector so long before the attack
that we were all well aware of the task ahead

(20:17):
of us, and a few of us expected to come
out whole. Our expectations were realized, but our boys won
their objective and immortal glory. The Germans ahead of US
conducted their defensive with machine guns and artillery. Everything went

(20:38):
swimmingly up to noon the first day, as the French
bombardment had cleaned everything before it and all we had
to do is collect prisoners from dugouts. I figure I
received a part of my gas in the low places
the first day, as the smoke and fumes lay in

(20:59):
each val we crossed, I didn't get much so kept going.
In the afternoon or the first day, we ran into
the German machine gun nests and had our first dose.
Major Spencer and Lieutenant Walton were hit then, and I

(21:20):
commanded the battalion for the rest of that afternoon. As
we were held up plus could not communicate with Dave L. Experience,
who was of course my senior McLaughlin. And I led
our men through an almost impassable swamp and Parentheses says

(21:44):
likely near the village of Rap, France, to shelter. The
gas was beginning to tell on me, and I figured
I couldn't negotiate the swamp with full equipment under such
heavy fire. So picked a long foot bridge and you
ought to see me dart across it. I made it

(22:08):
in nothing, and the Good Lord protected me from the
bullets almost cut the bridge and pieces around me, hitting
my helmet, gas masks, and going through the clothes of
the men whom I induced to follow me. Cubb made

(22:31):
the swamp himself, and so did some of his men.
After he was safely across, I saw him go back
to the middle of the swamp to bandage and drag
out alone his faithful who received a mortal wound. One

(22:53):
of the most courageous and unselfish deeds I have ever
seen done, and entirely uncalled for. And company commander for
a wounded man is so much clay in this game.
Besides Walton, I lost Richards who hit in the face,
and old Mackenzie, my other second lieutenant, killed in the swamp.

(23:18):
So for the next three days I was without officers
and guests. I forgot to mention that I have had
a fever of one hundred for two days proceeding without
preceding the attack. All of this will show you and
Miss p that faith understanding and the prayers of you

(23:41):
all did not go without result. From the minute on
we were under constant fire and attacking almost continually. I
won't try to tell you how many machine guns plus
prisoners I took or my company as it became second nature.

(24:03):
I will say that after the Boche tried a few
of their treacherous tricks on us, we didn't bother to
take many more prisoners. The morning of the third day,
Dave and Cubb and I were caught again with our
men in a hot place Leland. The battalion adjacent Adjacant

(24:28):
was killed. At this time. We we were surrounded with
Boche and machine guns, but were saved by the fact
that one of my guns with a picked crew were
with us, and we made it hot for the swine.
I sent Ellis, who had stuck close to me through

(24:51):
it all back for assistance here, and although he was
wounded in the knee and route, he made it okay.
There's a picture here for you to see. It's a
post guard photograph showing a group of black soldiers and
white officers, including shaw who was identified as the mounted

(25:12):
officer with a mustache at the extreme right circle. Nineteen
eighteen ms. Six seventy one point one. Lewis E. Shawl papers.
I haven't of course seen him since, but hope that

(25:33):
he isn't crippled. I picked up a little more gas
that night and I traveled about one thousand yards on
my balley to reach a forward position. That afternoon, I
was pretty low. I lasted through the next day, however,
before I was evacuated, and my battalion was about finished
with the attack before I went. When I left day

(25:56):
plus Cub we're still going strong and he am Fish
had just arrived from the School for Personal Bravery and
bold dog gut l Experience, who was acting Major Plush
Cub Commander K Company was the most wonderful example I
have ever seen. Don't worry one moment about me now.

(26:20):
I have no ill after effects except weakness, and I
will probably go on a three week three weeks leave
to nie on the Mediterranean Sea. Before I am even
discharged from here, say a long prayer of thankfulness as
I have done that.

Speaker 3 (26:40):
I am not like.

Speaker 2 (26:43):
Some of the frights in the beds on both sides
of me who were being dressed now. How they live
is more than I can see. There is no cheerful
place during dressing hours, but the rest of the time
they raise cain, joke, shoot crabs and jolly. The nurses

(27:06):
who are the sweetest, prettiest and hardest working individuals I
have ever seen. There are about seventy officers in this
ward alone, and everyone has a bed, mattresses, sheets, clean pajamas,
and care and medical attention beyond our modest comprehension. Detail

(27:34):
from the postcard showing a man identified as Lewis Shawl
by his daughter updated MS. Sixty seven. I'm sorry sixty
one point one Lewisy's shawpapers. There's another image of him.
Let me say here and now that the organization in
size of my army is incredible to me, for I

(27:56):
have been with the French during its growth. Bert Maloney
is in the next word with a broken hip, which
of course means crippled for life in greater or lesser degree.
You may remember him a second attendant lieutenant to Bob Ferguson.
He caught a machine gun bullet. Everyone here expects the

(28:20):
war to be over within a couple of months. After
returning here from my leave, it will be another month
before I return to my regiment or any other regiment.
As we go back and turn. I am totally ignorant
of the whereabouts of future disposition of the regiment, but

(28:43):
expect all Colored troops to go south this winter. Won't
be able to get any mail from you for a month.
I fear book with you from needs if I go there.
Lots of love and kisses affectionately Lewis, it says, Okay L. E. Shaw,

(29:06):
or Captain three sixty ninth Infantry AEF it says. When
his service ended, Shaw settled in New York City, marrying
in nineteen twenty one and establishing a broken I'm sorry
at brokerage firm there. His life was tragically cut short
a thirty however, when he was killed in an automobile

(29:29):
accident returning from officers training in upstate New York in
nineteen twenty six. This post is by Ted O'Reilly, Curator
of Manuscripts. Wow, what do you guys think of that?
It sure does help put things in perspective, doesn't it.

(29:54):
War is never a pleasant and unfortunately things aren't always
says they should be. I know, if you watch those
videos that I shared with you, the way that some
of the mothers were even treated after the war and
wanting to go see their sons or brothers or whatever

(30:19):
the case was, they weren't always treated like you know,
the white men. They didn't have as many privileges, which
is absolutely absurd. Under the circumstances, you know, but you
know that's the way that it it was, and at

(30:41):
least that part isn't still happening, but it's still really
sad and a lot to take in. I know. I'm
going to continue to try to find more stories to
share with all of you from these veterans that survived,

(31:01):
so there will be more shows hopefully with that kind
of content. A lot to sift through. So anyways, I
want to remind you of about the HR show that
we have on Fridays with Many Cucula and my show

(31:22):
which airs Wednesdays by six pm, and you can see
that at Radio dot New Heights, Education dot org. This
show is the American servicemen and women tell their stories
of survival and from the New Height Show on Education. Okay,
until next time, we hope you enjoyed today's show. Don't

(32:03):
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