Search by or
Search: Quotation Context Tags
Fantasy map of Europe with the territory of Germany and Austria-Hungary incorporated into France, Russia, Italy, and Serbia. Children representing Belgium, Great Britain (pen in hand), Russia, and France admire the result as Germany and Austria-Hungary walk away bearing their dead or dying national symbols, the eagle or double-headed eagle. A postcard by Aurelio Bertiglia.
Two American soldiers march with an angel overhead. In the background, a woman with a Red Cross flag leads ships, tanks, planes, soldiers marching and hauling cannon. The postcard by Arthur Mayeur for the August, 1918 Pas-de-Calais Days was to raise funds for widows in the Département Pas-de-Calais in northwestern France. The first fundraisers were held on August 13 and 15, 1916, the second two years later on August 13, 18, and 23, 1918. Mayeur illustrated fundraising postcards on both occasions, with three in 1918. America entered the war in April, 1917, but did not join the battle till May of 1918. Thanks to fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journée_du_Pas-de-Calais, August 7, 2018, for information.
Enver Pasha, Turkish Minister of War
Folding postcard relief map looking north from the River Aisne to the Oise Canal, from Compiègne to Soissons, and from Noyon to St. Gobain, France. A hand drawn arrow indicates Pimprez, marked with an 'X'.
Headstone of Private C.W.K. Hicks, New Zealand Entrenching Battalion, died August 21, 1918, age 29, buried in Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, France. © 2013 by John M. Shea
". . . the whole thing could collapse as soon as this year. Here I can see and hear more than you can, and I have also read various secret orders. The mood among the troops is quite extraordinarily bad. Many regiments that are supposed to attack are simply refusing to do so . . . Troops coming back there from the field simply refuse to cooperate, and officers can barely show themselves on the streets in the evenings. In my opinion, we will have the same conditions here as in Russia within one year at most. Not one person in the officer corps believes that we will gain a victory any more, and everyone believes that there will be a collapse." ((1), more)
"Next morning [August 18, 1918] the Germans attempted to reënter Frapelle but were repelled by the Americans who were holding on to the much-battered remnants of the village. The casualties suffered were heavy for the result achieved. A total of 571 casualties of whom 1 officer and 35 men were killed and 11 officers and 176 men were gassed, was a costly affair for taking so small a section of useless trench, except that it gave the division its first taste of actual war. Relieved on August 23, the 5th Division moved to the American Area and joined the First American Army Corps." ((2), more)
"The Etra Aleppo and Damascus in the summer of 1918 contain in the weekly reports the invariable remark: no coal. . . .The procurement of wood for the railroad in Syria and Palestine became more and more difficult, because during the past few years the supplies anywhere near the railroad had been used up, . . .In consequence of the insufficiency of the food, the desertions to the rear became exceedingly numerous in August. . . .In the 19th Division in the coast sector, which on account of much malaria had been exchanged in August for the 7th Division in the western hills, the infantry patrols frequently returned with bleeding feet and without accomplishing anything, because with their miserable foot gear they could not march on the stony slopes . . .From August 19th to 20 a stronger British attack took place after extensive preparation by artillery, in the dune terrain of the coast . ." ((3), more)
"For [Ludendorff] 20 August was 'another black day' with 'heavy and irreplaceable losses.' 'On August 20th a deep salient was made at Cuts,' he wrote, 'rendering the position of the troops, with the Oise in the rear, exceedingly uncomfortable. In the direction of Nouvron, also, the enemy broke into our line, but was driven back, although not completely, by counter-attacks delivered by good German Jaeger divisions.' Given the exposed position of German troops in front of the Rivers Oise and Ailette he reluctantly agreed to sanction the withdrawal of the right wing of the Ninth Army behind the Oise, while moving the centre back behind the Ailette a day later. 'The battle has again taken an uncomfortable course, in spite of all our precaution,' he added, 'the nerves of the Army had suffered. In some places the men would no longer stand the tremendous artillery barrages and tank attacks which had become still more severe.'" ((4), more)
"About eleven o'clock the greater number of Mark V. Tanks and Whippets had reached the line of the railway. A few leading Tanks had even crossed it, when all in a moment the mist lifted with the suddenness of a withdrawn curtain. A blazing sun appeared, and each advancing Tank stood out clearly under its bright light. The German artillery, which was covering the railway, immediately directed a deadly fire on the Tanks, and each individual machine became the centre of a zone of bullets and bursting shells. The infantry as they advanced had to avoid these little whirlwinds of fire. It was at this time that most of the thirty-seven Tanks which were hit by shells during the day were accounted for." ((5), more)
(1) German Lieutenant Richard Schütt writing to his parents on August 17, 1918 and recommending they sell their war bonds as quickly as possible.
Hundred Days: The Campaign that Ended World War I by Nick Lloyd, page 91, copyright © 2014 by Nick Lloyd, publisher: Basic Books, publication date: 2014
(2) The 5th Division was in the Vosges mountains, and easily took the village of Frapelle on August 17. Holding it the next day was a far greater challenge. Until August 25, 1918, American troops had been fighting under French or British command. Although some continued to do so, the formation of the First American Army Corps began to bring most under direct American command under General John J. Pershing. Frapelle is about 70 km southeast of Strasbourg.
The History of The A.E.F. by Shipley Thomas, page 199, copyright © 1920, by George H. Doran Company, publisher: George H. Doran Company, publication date: 1920
(3) Excerpts from German General Liman von Sanders chapter 'The Month of August 1918' in his memoir. He was then on the Syria/Palestine front which was, despite the withdrawal of thousands of British Empire troops to fight on the Western Front, collapsing with shortages of coal, wood, food, supplies, and men. Sanders tried in vain to get the attention of the incompetent Turkish War Minister Ismail Enver to turn from his adventures against Russia and Persia on the Caucasus front, to which Enver had shipped six Turkish divisions, over 30,000 men, to expand an empire threatened in Syria, Palestine, and Mesopotamia.
Five Years in Turkey by Liman von Sanders, pp. 258, 259, 260, publisher: The Battery Press with War and Peace Books, publication date: 1928 (originally)
(4) The success of the Anglo-French Battle of Amiens, particularly the seven-mile advance on a broad front in the first day, stunned German commander Erich Ludendorff who referred to a 'black day for the German Army.' Military and civilian leaders met at Spa on August 13 to review the situation, to be joined by the Emperors Wilhelm II of Germany and Karl of Austria-Hungary the next day. Some of the officers who met with him thought Ludendorff was suffering a nervous breakdown.
Hundred Days: The Campaign that Ended World War I by Nick Lloyd, page 74, copyright © 2014 by Nick Lloyd, publisher: Basic Books, publication date: 2014
(5) The Battle of Bapaume began on August 21, 1918 in a heavy mist that blinded both attackers and the defending Germans, but favored the former, shielding the British Mark V heavy tanks and faster, lighter Whippet tanks. Despite the losses, our author concludes, 'We had reached the general line of the railway practically along the whole front of the attack. We had captured Achiet-le-Petit and Logeast Wood, Courcelles and Moyenneville. Most important of all, the position we needed for the launching of our principal attack had been successfully gained, and we had taken over 2000 prisoners.' (page 227)
The Tank Corps by Clough Williams-Ellis & A. Williams-Ellis, page 226, publisher: The Offices of "Country Life," Ltd. and George Newnes, Ltd., publication date: 1919
1 2 Next
