#cantigny

RMS Lusitania, Wikipedia

A common response, when asked why the United States got involved in the First World War, is to cite the sinking of the RMS Lusitania. On the way from New York City to Liverpool England, the eight-year-old ship, making its 202nd crossing of the Atlantic, was carrying nearly 2000 people on board. On May 7 1915, while just 11 miles off the coast of Ireland, the ship was spotted by the German submarine U-20. Walther Schwieger, commander of the German ship, gave the order and one torpedo was fired. The Lusitania was hit on the bow and, following two explosions, sank in just 18 minutes. Over half those on board would lose their lives, including 128 American citizens. However, it would still be almost two more years before the United States would enter the Great War.

The sinking of the Lusitania was vehemently debated in the United States, and furious diplomatic messages were exchanged with the German Empire. Kaiser Wilhelm and the German military command were convinced that they were well within their rights to target ships that were suspected to be supplying their enemy with war materials. However, just nine months into the war, the Germans were dealing with a massive public relations problem. Deservedly so, considering their actions in Belgium following the invasion. In order to try and improve their global image, the German command gave the order to stop unrestricted submarine warfare and by September of 1915 U-boat activity was all but suspended.

US President Woodrow Wilson, photo Wikipedia

American President Woodrow Wilson had his own reasons for wanting to keep the United States out of the European conflict. He strongly felt that the US should stay neutral and work as a force of mediation between the powers involved in the war. Wilson also had grand thoughts regarding his own place in history, seeing a role for himself as “great negotiator” with well-developed notions in regards to the relationships and conduct between nations following the conclusion of the war.

Additionally, Wilson was running for reelection as President in 1916. The last thing he needed during his campaign was to get the US involved in foreign war. He campaigned using a slogan that the United States was “too proud to fight.” The war was political hot potato for Wilson due to the demographics of the United States just after the turn of the century. In the previous 50 years over two million immigrants had come to the United States from Ireland. Over four million immigrants had come from Germany. These immigrants wielded social and political power. For Irish immigrants, the idea of sending their sons to fight in Europe on the side of Britain did not sit well. For German immigrants, sending their sons to potentially fight against family members still in Europe was also unappealing. With an election to win, Wilson had no desire to alienate the voters.

Following the November 1916 election, two events would occur that rapidly changed Wilson’s mind. By 1917 the war was entering its third year without an end in sight. Those caught in the conflict were desperately looking for a way to bring things to a conclusion. For the German Empire, keeping their enemy starved for supplies was thought to be their best hope.

Arthur Zimmermann, German State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and author of the German communication to Mexico in January 1917, photo Wikipedia

In January 1917, looking to keep the United States off balance and unable to help Britain, the Germans sent a secret communication to Mexico proposing an alliance. In the event that the US entered the war it was proposed that Mexico, with aid from the German Empire, declare war against the US. Following the defeat of the US, Mexico was promised the recovery of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico in compensation for their help. Regrettably for the Germans, the British intercepted and decoded the communication and then relayed the details to the Americans. Having spent the last year with American troops in Mexico dealing with Pancho Villa and his band of trouble makers, the American government was enraged to learn that the German Empire was fomenting the potential for additional conflict on their southern border!

If this misstep was not bad enough, the Germans compounded their problems by resuming unrestricted submarine warfare on February 1 1917. Britain had long since lost the ability to provide enough food for its citizenry and was unable to manufacturer sufficient munitions to supply her troops. The United States was keeping Britain supplied but by the end of March 1917 German U-boats had sent numerous American ships to the bottom of the Atlantic. America was ready to enter the conflict and on April 2 1917 the United States declared war on the German Empire. The first American troops arrived in Europe in June of 1917.

General John J Pershing, photo Wikipedia

It would take time to assemble and train sufficient American forces to make a difference in the war. While some regiments would start taking part in operations beginning November 20 1917 at the Battle of Cambrai, it was not until the May 1918 Battle of Cantigny that American forces would fully engage in the war. The US would suffer 1600 casualties at Cantigny. On June 1, the Battle of Belleau Wood began and the US would experience almost ten thousand casualties. American commanders, led by John J. Pershing, would make many of the same mistakes that the French and British commanders had made at the start of the war, and these mistakes would cost many lives. But the Americans were quickly recognized to be brave soldiers and fierce fighters, though often without caution. Germans, discussing the conduct of US soldiers, stated:

- ...the American infantryman was reckless to the point of foolishness.

- American are good fighters with nerve and recklessness.

- There were only a handful of Americans there but they fought like wild men.

- Germany...would be victors in a war with any nation in the world with the exemption of the United States.

The German spring offensive of 1918, known as the Kaiserschlacht, had achieved some initial success, but it came at the cost of 700,000 German casualties. The German Empire had no potential allies that could be brought into the war. Their soldiers were rapidly losing morale, their citizens were running out of food and their economy was collapsing. The tide had finally turned. US soldiers were pouring into Europe at the rate of 10,000 per day.

American soldiers fighting at the Meuse-Argonne, photo Wikipedia

The Germans would continue to resist until the end of the war however. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive began on September 26 1918. It involved 1.2 million US soldiers, over 16 times the number of Americans that took part in the WW2 Normandy operation of June 6 1944. The US would take 122,000 casualties in the largest and bloodiest battle in US history. American soldiers would be fighting on the Western Front until the very moment that the 11am November 11th Armistice took effect.

Postscript: Barbara Tuchman has another great book that deals with the events surrounding the secret German communication to Mexico in 1917. If you are interested in learning more about this fascinating event, as well as additional details regarding the United States entering the Great War, I highly recommend The Zimmermann Telegram.

“Capture of Cantigny by American troops. Waves of attacking Americans, shrapnel bursting overhead.” May 28, 1918  

File Unit: Military Intelligence, 1917 - 1918. Series: American Unofficial Collection of World War I Photographs, 1917 - 1918. Record Group 165: Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs, 1860 - 1952

Fought on May 28, 1918, the Battle of Cantigny was the first major offensive by American forces during World War I.

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