19 1918 armistice that ended world war i. Up next on american artifacts, historian Mitchell Yockelson and french battlefield guide Guillaume Moizan guide us to several key locations in northeastern france, including place wheres hearry truman, an others had life experiences. We have an unexploded 75 millimeter ar till rear shell on the floor of the Argonne Forest. This is about an hour. Were standing in front of the pennsylvania monument dead indicat dedicated in 1927 to honor the veterans of pennsylvania many of them in the 28th National Guard division that were directly involved with liberating the town that was in the 407 day meuse argonne operation that involved the doughboys. You grew up not far from him. Is it easy to say you explored these battlefields on many occasions as a young manned and today as a battlefield guide . Yes, indeed. I was born in the small town around 15 miles away from here. And i grew up close by the Argonne Forest, so always walking in the forest when i was a child, discovering remains of frenchies bomb holes. Then i start to get some interest about the war. If we find remains here, where is the frontline . Who fought here . And thats how i got my first interest. But then ive been working in several countries and came back to my homeland and start to work as a professional tour guide. Im quite specialized in the world war i and im leading quite many tours with American People. I start to try to be as knowledgeable as possible on that topic. Many times these are people that are already quite knowledgeable. They travelled already to normandy, to dday, world war ii most of the time. But then they got interested in world war i and they wanted to discover where their grandfather or father was, in fact. So thats very interesting because you learn a lot in contact with these people, showing the ville lathes where they fought, trying to find remaitr remains. And slowly as you work with people whose fathers were in the divisions, your start to become more knowledgeable of each division. Thats very, very interesting. Because here in the forest, this is what we will discover here today, we still have remains everywhere. The Argonne Forest was kept mainly as a red zone so nothing was built or touched for one century. So we have preserved ground, remains of trenches, and thats what makes it very interesting. You said it was a red zone. Is that something that the french government has designated to make sure this is protected land to remember the battles . Yes, indeed. The red zone is a preserved ground where the battlefield was kept as it was. When it was green, it was all the soil was green. Its for remembrance, of course. We also had some economical reasons. French government thought it was too expensive to clean the soil, rivers, and keep youing it as it was. But of course nowadays we still keep it for remembrance. So were going to explore the battlefield, some of the significant points. Guillaume will talk about his experiences exploring these areas for many years and his perspective as a french historian and what the significance of the meuseargonne means to him and to just history in general and where we are today. Why dont you tell us a little bit about what the significance has been through history. Of course. First of all, it is a small town. Its like from 2,000 to 3,000 inhabitant. So the town is very famous to the french people since since its a small town where the king of france, louis the 16th was arrested with Marie Antoinette in 1791 so everyone knows of that small town. On the day they were arrested, it seems like they spent one night as prisoner in that tower. So now it is called tower louis the 16th. But then, of course, the town was occupied by the germans during the First World War for four years, almost day by day as they came here Early September, 1914 and the town was liberated by american troops on september the 26th of 1918. So that was quite the Logistical Center for the challenge. They had Railroad Tracks here to give the supply to all the troops that were on frontline. And the frontline stabilized around three miles south of the town. So thats context before the beginning of the meuseargonne offensive. And its called meuseargonne because left flank from the american offensive is the Argonne Forest well see in a few seconds and the right flank is the meuse river. So we are 20 miles away. And, by the way, the frontline was around 20, 22 miles wide for the meuseargonne offensive. There were photographs taken by american single corpse photographers here of the town. And its showed very much destroyed, the buildings have been caved in. Do you know if the town itself was destroyed before the meuseargonne operation or during . Well, it was already damaged, thats for sure. We were close by the frontline. Every town that is close by the frontline was affected. So it was already quite damaged by the french artillery, by the german artillery, also at the very beginning when they came here. But most of the damage is due to the meuseargonne. We have heavy battles going on in the street and i know you know a lot about it. This is when we will have most of the damage in town. Why do you think it was of strategic importance for the americans to take it on the first day of the battle . Well, we are not far away from the first line, from the jumping line. But then its the biggest town on that part of the meuseargonne. It was an important Logistical Center, especially Railroad Tracks. They could organize supply for everybody to supply their entire frontline. So if you got through touch a town, you cut the german from any supply on the frontline. Thats quite an Important Movement to be quickly in the town. Can you point out for us the direction of the american advance early that morning when they jumped off after the artillery barrage . And maybe even, if you know, where the artillery positions would where they would have been positioned and firing on the german lines . Yeah, yeah. In fact, the american offensive started around three miles south of the town close by a village for the 28th division. They were the one who had to liberate the left riverbank of a small river. Well see that in a few minutes. And so 28th division make their way coming from south marching north. When the entire military offensive is marching north, wr breaking through several german lines. They were coming from south to north quite quickly early in the morning of september the 26th. And then they captured that part of the town, half of the town was liberated by the 28th. And the other part right riverbank was liberated by the 35th. And then they made their way further north along the river, all the way along. So the direction is from the south to the north. So were walking through the pennsylvania monument, which was erected in 1927. One of the key architects was paul kret from philadelphia. He lived in france as a young man. He knew the area, came to the united states, did his studies and then he was hired by the american monuments battle commission to help with the cemeteries and the memorials. But, guillaume, i dont think this is part of the monument, this is a private memorial . Yes. This is a huge state memorial, very impressive one. Swords facing the ground symbolizing peace, same with a place to burn the eternal flame, again, symbol of peace. So thats quite quite an impressive one. And this memorial honors the pennsylvanians, not just at the meuseargonne, but pennsylvanians served all over. And so its important to pennsylvania in their War Commission in honoring the members of their communities who fought during the war, just as though they had done the same thing during the civil war. You have a large monument in t gettysburg for pennsylvania soldiers who fought in their homeland. Lets walk over towards this wall. As we approach, what are we going to see . Yes, well youll see we are kind of on a hill, first of all, and well see the valley of the small river flowing on that part of what was the battlefield. So well see the river zigzag shape. Now its quite its quite a quiet river. But as soon as it start to rain, it grows it grows up quite quickly and then it start to be a kind of natural barrier. So the river was the limit for the first days between 28th division fighting on the left river banks, that means the part where we are. And 35th fighting on the right riverbank. And their offensive direction was still the same, coming from south marching north. So after liberating the town, of course 28th did not stop here. 28 division made their way further north. On the left flank in the argonne for left that you see right there, we see the plateau of the Argonne Forest. Inside the forest was the 77th division. The new yorkers that will probably speak quite much about today. That was not the easiest part fighting into the forest. And we see quite well the Argonne Forest go which is a large ridge around 40 miles long, ten to 15 miles wide, and that was the limit between the french Operation West side of the Argonne Forest and champagne region, and the american operation east side of the Argonne Forest to the meuse river. So why did it take until the ought tux 1918 forfall of 1918 liberate this area . Tell us a little bit of what happened leading up to september 26, 1918. Yes, thats a very good question, in fact. So the germans at the beginning of the war they came, as you know, through luxembourg and belgium. So we have some heavy battles going on right there. French, belgium troops are quite defeated, quite much. So the french general on the head of the french head quarter order a big retreat. And the french will then march south. Theyll march 20, 25 miles a day south. So germans are following the french retreat. And they will invade the argonne quickly. Early on september, 1914, they occupy the town, occupies the argonne, but still make their way further south. They wont stop here. They will try to go further south. Then, big battle is starting, and that battle is the first battle Early September of 1914. We wont enter into detail, but thats a big defeat for the german. They have to withdraw from their position back north in t. When they come back to the argonne, we have hills, ridges, forest, good place to stop in fact. So coming back into the argan, the german will start to dig trenches, put barb wire, and when they attack, the german defenses stronger than the french counterattack. Very quickly here, late december of 1914, frontline destabilized. That wont mean that the french wont fight to try to defeat the german here, but german defenses are too strong. We have heavy battles forwards one year, one year and a half later, 1914, all the year 1915, big battles going on in the Argonne Forest. But that will never give any advantage for one or the other account. The classical infantry offensive was then switched to a mine war. Mines in the argonne. We have a lot of mine craters still visible nowadays. Soldiers realized they were not able to go over the top and cross in no mans land. It slowly heads the idea to dig in from their position, under the enemy line. When they were under the enemy lines they put some explosive and provoke mine explosion from a distance. Then the enemy was killed or wounded in his trench,thy would try to cross into no mans land to capture that trench. That means slow battle because you need to dig your tunnel, put the explosive and everything that and would never give many advantage. But for three years, we will have a heavy battles speaking about mine war. But, if we look at the entire frontline, even if we have battles going on here, that one war four years. To my opinion, we were needing an important numerous advantage to make the difference to go back to movement war. That what we did not have for four years here. Thats why it stayed quite stable liesed in t stabilized in the argonne. General pershing refers to it as open warfare. He was insistent the americans not stay behind the trenches but to utilize weapons, small arms, their rifles, the 1903s, the 1917s that they had been trained on, which is sort of it was kind of a running joke in the army because a lot of the troops hadnt actually spent time training. Especially in the united states. Many of them had fired guns and when they came over here, they often fired their weapons for the first time. So the Movement Warfare was important. Why had the french not tried the Movement Warfare earlier to dislodge the germans that were in the hills and occupying the area behind the barb wire and the trenches that you just told us about . Well, they tried but never succeed. We will have big operation going on, we have to think as a frontline as, well, are the entire frontline that is around 400 miles long, stabilized frontline, we will have offensive every year from time to time, by the french, by the germans, but never on a very wide scale. I think this is the point for four years we never have very wide frontline. So when the enemys able to have a breach into the enemy lines, its not on the wide front lines. They cannot take benefit from their operations. The french will try hard in 1914, later in the champagne. Not far away from the argonne, around 30 miles. But that wont work. They will try again, same location, september of 1915. Big battle for the first time we have a huge artillery preparation by the french that doesnt work. Or, yes, it worked because the french, they moved the frontline around three miles in three weeks. But if you compare to the entire 400long miles long front lines, thats almost nothing. I dont know exactly why we could not switch to that movement war, but every army tried hard every year before 1918. But the americans, of course, they will give something very important, fresh troops plus they are very numerous. And they will give the numerous advantage to the a ally and tha helped switch back to a french war and finally defeat the germans. You mentioned the number of americans. The American Division at that time the main Tactical Unit was more that be 27,000 officers and men. That was what . Twice the size of the french and british . Yeah, its about twice the size. What about a german unit, do you know how many german troops were in this vicinity by the time of the operation that commenced on september 26th . There were german divisions in line. I dont know how many there were, but they were all along the frontline, but not only on the frontline. Germans always organize their defenses with several fortified lines. So one first line to break through was the stabilized front lines that were here for four years. And of course they had very deep and strong position theres, including a lot of machine gun position, almost every hundred yard along the frontline. But then the germans also organized deep defense. They will use any ridge that we see in the distance as a place to retreat to try to face and slow down or stop the americans. Plus, they had one very strong line that well see later on known as the cream hill deline. Months before the offensive, they set it up, in case they were not able to resist on the frontline, at least they could retreat to that line, which is around ten miles from here. Lets head to cheppy now which was important on the first day. It involved the 35th Missouri Kansas Division which included a young battle commander by the name of harry s. Truman. Further on in the fighting in the woods around him involved a young tank commander by the name of george s. Patton. Were standing in front of the missouri monument, which honors the troops from missouri. Many of them had served in the 35th division which is one of the National Guard divisions part of the American Expeditionary forces. One of its most famous members was a battery commander and artillery commander by the name of kapcaptain harry s. Truman. The 35th division fought directly in this area, about four miles back in the front they were firing artillery towards the hill. Can you point us toward that and tell us a little bit about the significance of why the americans attack that hill . So the hill is right behind us, about two miles from here we can see the top of the trees far in the distance. So it is an observation position used by the germans first, but then the french will try to recapture it. And finally the frontline was stabilized just on top and we will switch into a mine war. For three 1 2 years we have heavy battles going on, especially underground war with the mine war. So then the french were relieves, troops were relieved on september 26th by soldiers of the 35th and their first grounds they had to liberate was capture the hill. Of course to take dominating ground, and then they could see what was going on. Next, the town and cheppy village, so from the hill, thats their jumping lines, through the fields, some small woods including the wood of cheppy right there, and finally making their way into both with with with bahrain and cheppy. Captain harry s. Truman wrote home to his fiancee telling him about the battles he was involved in and about his experience in war. One of his more vibrant letters involves the first days attack on september 26th when his artillery was supporting the american attack against the hill. And now ill read from one of the letters that truman wrote home. 75 millimeter ammunition was fired from 4 00 a. M. To 8 00 a. M. Earlier in the day. After his unit reached north of the hill, his battery waited as the germans launched the harassing fire that are lasted most of the day. The hill, he wrote, was nothing but a bog. Mud, mud, mud. When his battery was ready to fire on the hill, they realized the guns wouldnt raise high enough to reach it. Forced to improvise, the men placed the tail of one gun in a shell hole and fired rounds in the again direction of germany. While trying to keep out of harms way, one of trumans men was sitting in a shell hole when a dud lit right between his legs. If he hasnt a charmed life, truman joked, no one has. This monument is many of the state memorials that youll see throughout the western front. Its not maintained as part of