To begin this story, here is a portion of a 1960 u. S. Army film that gives a brief sketch of the operation. In late july, general pershing created the First United States Army under his command. And immediate steps were taken to concentrate American Forces at one point on the line. That point was saintmihiel. The germans had held an area 25 miles since early in the war. Penetrating the allied lines 16 miles, it enabled the enemy to harass operations. More than half a million first army troops assembled for the task of crushing it out of existence. 15 infantry divisions were moved into position. By the end of the day on september 11, 1918, the first army was ready for its First Independent operation against the enemy. At dawn on the 12th of september, the attack was launched. For the enemy, saintmihiel was an unpleasant surprise. Within four days, the city was obliterated and the americans were along the line. General pershing considered the victory a Birthday Gift on september 13. In
Brought to you today by your television provider. On september 12th, 1918, the American Expeditionary force under the command of general john j. Pershing launched First Independent mission of world war i. We travel to northeastern france with a story from Mitchell Yockelson to learn about the battle of saintmihiel. A bulge in the we were front that the germans had occupied since 1914. To begin the story, here is a portion of a 1960 u. S. Army film. It gives a brief sketch of the operation. In late july 1918, general pershing created the First United States Army under his command and immediate steps were taken to concentrate American Forces at one point on the line. That point was san my hel saintmihiel. It enabled to harass forces. They assembled for the task of krrk it out of existence. Fifteen infantry were moved. By the end of the day, the first army was ready for its First Independent operation against the enemy. At dawn on the 12th in the driz lipping rain the attack was launched.
Think you. Thank you for your support of american phoenix. Thank you for coming out tonight and also cspan and booktv. Is an honor. I am thrilled to share with you american phoenix the remarkable story of William Skinner, a man who turned disaster into destiny one question every writer gets when people find out if youre writing a book. Cocktail party or supermarket or on the street, what is your book about . That is a fair question. It is a good one and extremely challenging to answer. You have spent thousands of hours writing thousands of words with a ton of information in your head and the right to one story that includes many others that do have to figure out how to condense the information into a 152nd sound bite of the 10 words or less. I have it down to seven words if you include american phoenix is about. People ask if your book was made into a movie house would you give it . The titanic meets rocky. American phoenix is about in essence disaster and a survival. Disaster of Epic
The supermarket or on the street is, so, whats your book about . Its a fair question, and a good one. And often extremely challenging to answer because you have spent thousands of hours writing thousands of words, you have a ton of information if your head in your head, and youre writing one story, but that one story includes many other stories. And suddenly you have to figure out how to condense all this information, all these stories in a 15second sound bite of ten words or less. Well, ive got it down to three. Well, seven, actually, if you include american phoenix is about. And one of the things that helped me get there was someone asked me, so, if your book were made into a movie, how would you pitch it . And i answers the titanic meets rocky. [laughter] american phoenix is about, in essence, disaster and survival. Its about disaster of Epic Proportions that involved a lot of water and engineering failure, the failure of design that killed a lot of people. And its about survival, t
Out, my share of the path. And dick cheney on coronary disease. His book is also coming out in 2013. Sarah weinman of publishers marketplace and Bob Minzesheimer of usa today, we appreciate your time today on booktv. Sarah kilborne recounts the crew of her greatgreatgrandfather, William Skinner, a textile manufacture in the mid19th century. The author recalls skinners immigration from london and his career ascendancy from a worker and a silk mill to the owner of his own factory, the mill village, skinnerville. In 1870 for a dam burst near skinnerville and destroyed the town and forced William Skinner to rebuild. This is about an hour. Thank you, bill. And thank you for your support of american phoenix. And thank you all for coming out tonight. And thank you and thank you, cspan, and booktv for being here. Its a real honor. And im thrilled to be able to share with you american phoenix, american phoenix the remarkable story of William Skinner, a man who turned disaster into destiny. So o