100th anniversary of the American declaration of war on Germany

[Rapace]

On April 6, 1917, the USA declared war on Germany and entered WW1. More than 50'000 ‘Sammies’ will lose their file on the battle fields in the north of France and made some names famous, like the bois de Belleau (Belleau wood) near Château-Thierry, Sergeant York, the 3rd Inf. Division earned its nickname ‘le roc de la Marne’ for its resistance against the German offensive along the Marne river in the Spring and early Summer of 1918. Lt-Col Charles E. Stanton had the famous phrase when visiting the grave of Marquis de la Fayette on July 4, 1917: “La Fayette, we are here.â€￾

 

[dusaboss]

Hmmm. Is that so important anniversary? Looks to me (with respect to average Americans who lost their lives) that America heavily profited from both world wars. These two events made America the super power that it is today. I don't see why we need to pay respect to that? We in Europe made so much more sacrifice and that only made us weaker.

Nothing personal to all our American friends. I think there's a lot good men living in US. This is something else.

I mean, just look this table. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I_casualties

Almost one third of population of my country died in WW1 !!

Sorry Rapace this topic just isn't right. Maybe you should look history about your and my country in WW1

 

[Rapace]

(...) Sorry Rapace this topic just isn't right. Maybe you should look history about your and my country in WW1

I know the story both of France and Serbia, who used to be friendly countries and fought side by side in WW1. I guess the name of the battle of Dobro Polje rings a bell..? This said, the Americans came and helped the Allies defeat the Germans... Even if they later indirectly benefited from this ‘European civil war’ to become the world leading power, this doesn't deserve contempt.

 

[dusaboss]

I don't contempt them, they helped to win the war. Just, if WW3 breaks and Mexicans decide to be allies with us, maybe this time they won't wait 4 years until they get involved . The battle of Dobro Polje was a part of offensive of Salonika Front breakthrough as we call it here. Glorious days Serbian history.
Speaking of WW3 looks like situation is heating up in Syria. So my wannabes, if something happens there would be no trouble in selection at all

 

[USMCRET]

Many terms are still used today in the Marine Corps, Devil Dog and Leather Neck are two. Also retreat hell, we just got here. Marines of the 5th and the 6th Marine Regiments still wear the French fourragère with Honor.

 

[Rapace]

Many terms are still used today in the Marine Corps, Devil Dog and Leather Neck are two. Also retreat hell, we just got here. Marines of the 5th and the 6th Marine Regiments still the French fourragère.

Yes, correct. Teufel Hunden (Devil's dogs) was the nickname given by the Germans to the US Marines. The green and red fourragère, with the same colours as the ribbon of the Croix de Guerre 1914-1918 was awarded to those USMC units for receiving three citations, in particular for their actions at the bois de Belleau (Belleau wood).

View attachment 5806

 

[voltigeur]

On April 6, 1917, the USA declared war on Germany and entered WW1. More than 50'000 ‘Sammies’ will lose their file on the battle fields in the north of France and made some names famous, like the bois de Belleau (Belleau wood) near Château-Thierry, Sergeant York, the 3rd Inf. Division earned its nickname ‘le roc de la Marne’ for its resistance against the German offensive along the Marne river in the Spring and early Summer of 1918. Lt-Col Charles E. Stanton had the famous phrase when visiting the grave of Marquis de la Fayette on July 4, 1917: “La Fayette, we are here.â€￾

Today is also the 100 year anniversary of the battle by Canadians for Vimy Ridge.
https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=vimy+ridge+history

 

[Rapace]

Today is also the 100 year anniversary of the battle by Canadians for Vimy Ridge.
https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=vimy+ridge+history

Yes correct. Pdt François Hollande, before leaving his duty, attended a ceremony at Vimy with the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to commemorate this event.

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

Yes correct. Pdt François Hollande, before leaving his duty, attended a ceremony at Vimy with the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to commemorate this event.

Let's not forget any of those that gave their lives for us. The statue, if you can call it that is very original. Careful this is not said in a sarcastic way. Lots of moving stories from Canadian war vets.

 

[dusaboss]

Delete.............

 

[mark wake]

On April 6, 1917, the USA declared war on Germany and entered WW1. More than 50'000 ‘Sammies’ will lose their life on the battle fields in the north of France and made some names famous, like the bois de Belleau (Belleau wood) near Château-Thierry, Sergeant York, the 3rd Inf. Division earned its nickname ‘le roc de la Marne’ for its resistance against the German offensive along the Marne river in the Spring and early Summer of 1918. Lt-Col Charles E. Stanton had the famous phrase when visiting the grave of Marquis de la Fayette on July 4, 1917: “La Fayette, we are here.â€￾

Thank you Rapace. Nice to see someone mention the Americans without the usual snide comments. My respects to all those who fell on the battlefields of France.

 

[dusaboss]

Just to clarify. I totally respect all Americans who fought and died in the Great War. My dislikes goes with politics at the time. I never heard about any other anniversary of war declaration, it's usually Victory Day. If you put it this way somehow reduced efforts of other allies.

 

[Surfguy]

Just to clarify. I totally respect all Americans who fought and died in the Great War. My dislikes goes with politics at the time. I never heard about any other anniversary of war declaration, it's usually Victory Day. If you put it this way somehow reduced efforts of other allies.

America was very late getting involved in WW1 , and they did not win it alone, it was a combined effort from many countries', my family members fought from day one, 1914, right through.

 

[mark wake]

America was very late getting involved in WW1 , and they did not win it alone, it was a combined effort from many countries', my family members fought from day one, 1914 , right through.

We did not start the bloody war! You lot did!

 

[Martin Scott]

Thank you Rapace. Nice to see someone mention the Americans without the usual snide comments. My respects to all those who fell on the battlefields of France.

Too many young men from all sides and I will include the German lads in this died in wars that were not of their making. Let us not forget until America entered the second World War, the United Kingdom stood alone against the power of the Nazis.
Many American pilots joined the RAF as Canadians till there own squadrons came over to blighty. Without the USA personally I think we would have lost the War as the country was almost bankrupt. Any war is just a complete lost of live. Every soldier leaves behind a family. Not just there brothers in arms but the people back home. Maybe we should take a quite moment to reflect on this.

Rest In Peace Warriors save me a seat in Vallhalla

America was very late getting involved in WW1 , and they did not win it alone, it was a combined effort from many countries', my family members fought from day one, 1914 , right through.

Would we have won the war without them?

 

[dusaboss]

We did not start the bloody war! You lot did!

Actually we did it. F*cking, crazy Serbs . I will criticize that too. Ok, the stage was already set for a war in Europe, but why we have to be the crazy little country who will start a f*cking world war ??!!

Now some people here want to make hero of Gavrilo Princip. He is not hero, he started WW1 in which one third of the Serbs died. What is heroic in that? Things got even worse if you dig in history facts. Franz-Ferdinand was against war and there is a high possibility that his assassination was set up by high ranking people in the Austro-Hungarian military and government.

There is also notion that the Serbs from the South wanted to liberate (as Serbs from the Austro-Hungarian Empire) from ‘tyranny’ and ‘oppression’. Thanks, but no thanks! We were doing just fine. People lived good here in Vojvodina, nobody was oppressed. There are many nations in this region and we were all getting along well until the two world wars. My town was almost half German until WW2! We had better standard and more developed culture than Serbs from ‘free’ Serbia. We didn't need a liberation!

I'm telling this from first-hand stories that I heard from people who lived in that period.

 

[Surfguy]

We did not start the bloody war! You lot did!

“Weâ€￾ didn't, the Serbs/Germans did.

Would we have won the War without them?

Who knows, but I do know less allied blood would have been spilt had they got over here earlier.

 

[USMCRET]

Thank you Rapace. Nice to see someone mention the Americans without the usual snide comments. My respects to all those who fell on the battlefields of France.

And still to this day Marines in the 5th and 6th Marine Corps Regiments wear on their dress uniform proudly, the French Fourragere for Bellau Wood.

Would we have won the War without them?

Likely so, but at a heavier cost

We were always taught here that the whole thing started over the Assassination of the Arch Duke Franz-Ferdinand, if I recall my history correctly. More fitting for this form is the recognition of the historic event. As a Young Marine Corps Sergeant I met and talked with a WWI Marine while at the Bethesda Naval Hospital. It was an honor.

WWI introduced mechanical advancements, machine guns and tanks, the advancements killed everyone wholesale. It was a meat grinder, 19th Century tactics against machine guns. The lessons learned from that war are still taught and apply to modern warfare today.

Semper Fidelis

 

[dusaboss]

“Weâ€￾ didn't, the Serbs/Germans did.

Yeeee, but no. And it was not Germans, but Austro-Hungarians. And my great-grandfather was an Austro-Hungarian Serb so... Things are a little bit more complicated. And your country along with France and Russia had big influence on start of great war.
As I already said we didn't need nobody do defining us here in 1914! We were happy! (northern Serbs) And probably will stay happy under Reich number whatever would be now.

Thanks a lot

 

[Rapace]

Wow... I didn't expect this topic to raise such controversy . Interesting...

America was very late getting involved in WW1 , and they did not win it alone, it was a combined effort from many countries', my family members fought from day one, 1914, right through.

Nobody has said, as far as I can see, that America won WW1 alone...

(...) Who knows, but I do know less allied blood would have been spilt had they got over here earlier.

In all honesty I believe it's a bit unfair to blame the USA for coming late to the ‘party’. After all, WW1 was strictly a European affair, a result of nationalistic stances taken by the various governments and a rivalry between the ‘super powers’ of that time. After all, Europe didn't get involved (or in a very indirect manner) in the US Civil War and, if you look at it with two steps backs, WW1 was a bit like a European Civil War.

Although it's hard to say what would have happened if they had decided not to intervene, the USA did provide useful help. This is shown by a statement made by General Pétain who replied in the end of 1917 to those criticizing his defensive strategy that, before attacking, he was waiting for “the tanks and the Americansâ€￾.