We got an early start and left Normandy for Reims. On the way we stopped at Compiegne where the armistice was signed to end World War I on November 11, 1918. Yes, we're going back in time to WWI today and Compiegne is a fitting place to start. It was at this exact same place that Hitler insisted that the French sign the armistice that signaled their capitulation in June, 1940. Clearly, there is a great deal of animosity, wounded pride, and resentment here on both sides. Both the French and the Germans maintain their offers for peace were in no way humiliating or denigrating to the other side and yet both seemed to go out of their way to make sure it was. Marshall Foch in the First War asked the German delegation who they were and why they were there when he knew full well the answers to both. The Germans asked Foch what he had to say about an armistice. Foch responded that he had no proposals to give. What Foch wanted them to do was surrender and ask for an armistice! When the Germans asked for cessation of hostilities, Foch refused as they had not yet agreed to terms. In fact, after they met with the German delegation, Foch instructed his generals to press the attack as the enemy was disorganized and falling back on all fronts. When Hitler had his chance for revenge, he required that the rail car in which the WWI agreement was signed be brought back to the same spot and that he sit in the same chair that Foch did. The Germans destroyed the site and took the rail car back to Germany as a war trophy (where they subsequently burned it). They left up the statue of Foch, however, so he could look upon the ruins of his achievement. Even though the original car was no longer there, we toured a museum that housed another car that was of the same type and vintage and had been restored as a replica.
After Compiegne, we travelled to Belleau, the site of the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Museum and the battle site of Belleau Wood. Over 2200 soldiers are buried in the cemetery, many of whom are U.S. Marines of the 4th Marine Brigade who died first stopping the last German offensive and then retaking the hill in Belleau Wood. This site is sacred to the Marines as the battle claimed more casualties than all their previous battles put together. It was also the first time the Marines gained international recognition. The Marines were determined to distinguish themselves from the Army. When General Pershing issued orders to the Army of the Expeditionary Force not to cooperate with the press, the Marines took the initiative and invited the press to accompany them since the orders were for the Army and not the Marines. As a result, almost all of the press coverage at that time went to the Marines, even though there were a great many contributions from the 
Army at and around Belleau. The Superintendent of the Cemetery relayed to us several anecdotes of how the Marines distinguished themselves. First the Germans quickly realized that the Marines were crack long-range riflemen. Presenting yourself as a target in daylight at 600 yards was a costly mistake. Because captured Marines kept insisting they were Marines and not Army, the Germans thought they were an elite group from the upper-class of American society. One Marine recently commented, "%#$!, they got that backwards!"Tonight we're staying in Reims and tomorrow night we're in Luxembourg.
No comments:
Post a Comment