Transcripts For CSPAN3 American Artifacts U.S. In France Cha

Explore our nations past. Cspan 3, created by americas Television Companies as a Public Service and brought to you today by your television provider. Up next on american artifacts. We traveled northeastern france to trust the steps of american soldiers during the spring and early summer of 1918. But first, a portion of the 1960 u. S. Army from that describes the military situation at the time. The germans rolled across the defenses on the aim river stretching from south to russ. In a drivein relentless force that drove panic into the french region. Three days the german tide had reached the river and was less than 40 miles from paris. They move the second and third u. S. Division into the area around Chateau Thierry who helped. Both divisions the Third Division in its battle for the mines crossing, world one of the most brilliant ages. One of its is the 30th in poultry and the proud designation. The Second Division, holding the road between chateau terry and paris began pushing the germans back. U. S. Marines, fighting with the Second Division reclaimed important ground in the fierce contest known to history now as the battle of delhi would. American history tv visited key monuments, battlefield and cemeteries in northeastern france with historic mitchelson iakopo some. We visit the chbteau gary monument about 60 miles from paris to learn why u. S. Forces were in the region and how they helped the french. Directly behind me is the Chateau Thierry monument. We were on top of hill to a four. That means it is 204 meters high. The significance of this monument is to honor the american troops who fought in the aisnemarne battle. It is one of the rivers and it was significant engage between the two rivers. From the middle of may to the middle of july 1918. The chateau monument is being restored taking place for the contribution of 2017 to 2018. On the opposite side of the monument where i am standing, our statues of two women. One american, one french who are Holding Hands in honor of their sons, brothers, uncles and fathers who risked their lives here in the aim arent and particular the Chateau Thierry. It was dedicated in 1937. It is one of three significant american monuments on the western front that has been established by the American Battle Monuments Commission and remains under their guidance. The monument itself, the top lists some of the villages that the americans liberated. Below that are the divisions, ten of them plus two course, the first in the third that would actively engaged in this area and that includes but belleau wood and directly in front of, me Chateau Thierry. The city of Chateau Thierry who had largely been untouched during the war including the september 19th 14th battle, however that would change on may 31st 1918 when german troops broke through the french, punditry to pass dreams and in hopes of crossing the river at Chateau Thierry and heading directly to paris. The french were in a panic and concern that they did not have enough troops to block the germans. They contacted and asked for us help. At this point, he had been fighting desperately to keep the americans as an independent unit hopefully to form his own independent first army at some point by the end of the summer. He recognized the peril of the situation and he offered the french two divisions were in the Training Area not far from paris. One was the Second Division, the other was the their division. An american division, at that time, was a little more than 27,000 officers and men. That was twice the size of the french and even the German Forces and the british forces. The Second Division head in the direction of belleau wood while the Third Division headed directly to Chateau Thierry. Leaning first on may 30th was the seventh machine gun battalion, a motorized unit attached to Third Division. They had left the area around moe, france. Headed on highways, it was packed with civilians who knew germans were in the facility and threaten parents. The roads were clogged and it was difficult for the troops to get to the Chateau Thierry area. Further troubling their efforts were the fact that they were driving forward trucks, not the detroit michigan variety but ones that had been made in england of lesser quality parts. They were described as flimsy with having horrible tires that along the trip, which took 22 hours to reach an area nearby here, tires would often go flat and the troops would have to stop and change the tires. Eventually they made it and the seventh machine gun was shifted along the river back of them are of Chateau Thierry. Where they helped the french including colonial troops to prevent the germans from crossing. The american monument on hill 204 can be seen from the city of Chateau Thierry in the river valley. We moved our camera into the city near the river to continue the story. Directly behind me is a monument in tribute to the Third Division, not only the First World War where they help to stop the germans from crossing the marne but the Third Division also penetrated this area during the second world war. After the normandy invasion and kept the germans from penetrating even further into the martin area. The graceful french place the monument to keep the well protected in memory of the americans who were in this area and both world wars. There were two bridges that crossed over one Chateau Thierry, really the only crossing points within five miles to get across the marne. The german sent some troops. They fought the americans hand to hand here in the town but the seventh machine gun battalion was able to get across the river on the south side, opposite from where i am standing and blocked further penetration from the germans. The germans did make it into the north part of Chateau Thierry where they were engaged by the americans and the french. Meanwhile, the french had placed detonations under the two bridges and blew them up one on june 1st, the other on june 3rd preventing the germans from going in further and the americans were able to hold the germans back from further penetration. And after the battle, the Third Division earned the well deserved moniker, the rock of the marne. Our next stop with mitch, is about six miles from the town of Chateau Thierry in belleau wood, the forces on phil above the aim on cemetery. For we are standing right in the heart of belleau wood, renamed after the battle which ended on june 26, 1918. The brigade fly the french. The battle itself is iconic in murray corps history. There is no other world war i battlefield for the americans that is set up like a National Park service battlefield in the United States. In 1955, felix for de weldon dedicated this mom monument he designed. Its an archetype of a marine. He is looking tough with his shirt off. There were two regiments of marines that fought in this area, the fifth and sixth marines. They were part of the second was division. It was an army division. The marines probably had more experience than the army at the time of world war i. Marines have been deployed around the world in the caribbean. General the commander of the expedition forces, did not want the marines to be part of the enough. It took heavy lobbying by congress with help of the secretary of navy. Finally, he acquiesced and allowed to regiments. The fifth and sixth marines became part of the Second Division. They would make their stand here and suffer heavily over a month of fighting. During that period, they lost almost 10,000 wounded and killed about 1800 of those marines were killed. Lets take a look at some of the areas that show how the marines fought during that period of june 5th through june 26th of 1918. Now we are headed towards one of the three isolated german artillery pieces. The one that i am approaching is an 1896 model that could fire everything from high shrapnel, shrapnel and gas. These guns are what wreaked havoc on the american and french troops who were trying to break through the woods. You see these field guns which were really the workhorse of the german army throughout the western front and the germans war masters of the defense and they used these when they were attacked when the allies took the offense towards them and cause significant casualties. What we have here is the workhorse of the french army and the americans for that matter because this is the 75 millimeter ought to hillary peace. This gun and many others like it were used throughout the western front by the french. It had been used as early as 18 seventies and it was a valuable piece of machinery for the americans. It should be known that the americans did not have their own artillery but relied on the french to provide artillery pieces in this part of the western front. Not only the 75 but the 105 in the hundred and ten. Artillery was used heavily during the battle of belleau wood, fire deep into the woods, which forced the germans to scatter from their entrenched positions and allowed an opening, which the fifth and sixth marines took advantage of. The marines launched an offensive attack towards belleau wood. The americans are forced to go across hedges and heavy rose of weed, which is now full bloom in june. It will take another two weeks before the americans are able to penetrate to the south end of the woods and finally on june 24th a major thrust takes the marines through the woods, had to hand fighting on june 25th. The marines have penetrated deep into the woods but the germans have not fully retreated. By that evening and into the next day, the 26 marines have full control of the woods. Were sent to the Brigade Commander and the marines now have been victorious. By the 26, the marines have captured belleau wood and have prevented the germans from going any further in their offensive towards paris. The field pieces that we see here and the other markers throughout the woods were placed in honor of the marines. This was again their iconic battle. Certainly before world war ii when you know about the marines fighting in the pacific, the battle of bell would stood as the main marine corps battle for heroism. This was basically designed as a part to honor the marines who fought in this area. Standing behind me is one of the icon of the belleau wood battle. You will see the structure in many photographs, paintings and other depictions of this landmark battle for the marines. It was an actual private hunting preserve omitted by the count and countess of bellow. They would hunt wild boar and other animals. As you can see, there is a structure was heavily damaged and had been occupied by the germans and used as an observation and then american and french artillery had shattered it where it was no longer usable by the family after the war. Here you are looking at an artillery shareholder that has been fired by the americans or the french most likely using the 75 millimeter. To my right, is a deep crevasse which is a german trench that they had constructed in late may when they started occupying bell would. It is through these trenches where the germans were well defended, that the americans and with the french, had to fire the artillery and eventually move forward with machine gun rifles and hand to hand fighting to drive them deep within the woods. Along this path besides where the trench lines are and they artillery shells, the Marine Corps Historical Division had placed markers. The markers show the advance of the fifth and sixth marine regiments during the course of the battle to honor the sacrifice made during that almost monthlong battle in june of 1918. We are heading through the Second Division line on the battlefield and you can see how steep the hills are and how the troops of the Second Division including two regiments of marines had to fight their way up this hill while being raped by german machine gun fire. Of course these trees that are here now would not have been here at the time. They would have all, any foliage wouldve been completely decimated. This marker commemorates the capture of bell would on the finally it was american hands and this marker was put up to show the Second Division that reach this part of the line. I am standing and one of the abandoned german intrenches that have been raked by artillery fire. From june 26 one was belleau wood firmly in american hands, the ship Second Division troops stayed in this area and were able to have a line of sight across the valley which was occupied by the germans. And the americans used this to observe the german movements across the valley as they started to attack once again where they have been driven from early in june. But by july 18, 19, the americans have join them once again from Chateau Thierry and Chateau Thierry was now back in american enfranchise. By the end of july, the entire monsey ellen was removed. The time had now turn. The initiative had passed to allied hands where it would remain. Eight u. S. Divisions have participated in the successful offensive and their performance have met the commanders expectations and exceeded all others. But americans of british newspaper and a french dispatch reported that their victories had electrified the world. The dough boy had proved visibility as a fighter and was obvious to all that the constantly increasing American Forces would be the decisive factor in the war. As we head down the hill, we will see the cemetery which includes many of the more than 1800 marines that were killed during the battle. Meanwhile, there was a temporary cemetery up on this ridge outside and you could see what the cemetery look like from the faded for the graph. There were wooden crosses that were marked by dog tags. Each soldier in world war i, the first time dog ties were used, they were provided two of them. They were warned when the soldier was killed and buried one of the dog tags was kept around the other was now to the wooden cross for later identification. As we will learn and to go to the chapel, there are more than 1100 names of soldiers and marines who fought not just at belleau wood but at Chateau Thierry and other areas around the marne eye missing. We know who these individuals were, we know their units but we do not know what happened to them. We could only assume that they would kill them either buried and isolated graves that were not found or because of that heavy artillery shelling and were buried and never seen again. For the remnants of belleau wood battlefield are on a hill above the marne cemetery. The final resting place of almost 2300 americans who died in this region in 1918 and 1919. Mitchell visited the cemetery to talk fishing williams, a u. S. Air force veteran who was employed by the American Battles commission as superintendent of the cemetery i think its important for american visitors to realize that this is their taxpayer dollars at work, overseas to tell the story of what took place here of the americans of the fall. Now having said that this is about 40 ahead so you see here are approximately 40 of the lives lost in this geographical region. If you want its not the battle belleau wood of, here at marne the cemetery its the battle of belleau wood, yes, we are here on the battlefield were primarily u. S. Marine corps took over three weeks of very bloody combat in june of 1918 by the fact they were relieved by u. S. Army troops to continue to drop the fight, many of whom fell to fields just to my left here, beautiful french countryside as it was in 1918. So youve got a lot of stories here of u. S. Marine corps, u. S. Army. We have our navy medal of honor recipient. Very just behind the camera here so many stories to tell and we are just trying to find ways to make that connection with the visitor who was a very limited time at the sites. How about the Chateau Thierry memorial . Is that under your direction as well . So yes, this office here we manage out to the cemetery office. We manage the battlefield of belleau wood. About 200 acres approximately of the original a sleight of belleau wood. And yes, we usually call it the american monument but its on hill to hundred and four. It is actually a french american monument in the way commemorates. Its built and maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission, but if you take a detailed look at the villages, the names of the villages that are inscribed on the monument and also why it was built, its commemorating the french and the american soldiers who fought and died side by side and world war i. So its kind of a really interesting way to show this franco American History and shared languages all the way back to 1918. You mentioned about being on the belleau wood battlefield. Some of the battlefield is marked which is kind of unique for an American Battlefield in france. We are used to this in the United States through National Park Service Sites like gettysburg. Can you talk a little bit about, you know, why the