Why the Great War?
The Great War was the defining experience of the twentieth century; it was a conflict largely rooted in the nineteenth century, but one that unleashed demons and horrors that would haunt the twentieth. This war saw unprecedented mobilization and unimaginable sacrifice. It fostered significant advances in technology and opened new avenues of thought, literature, art and poetry.
Perhaps the most iconic images of this period are those showing men huddled together in their trenchworks. The vast majority of a soldier's active service on the Western Front would have been in such trenches; these trenches were his entire world for extended periods of time. For some, the trenches served as their final resting place. Our focus is to recreate to some degree the experience of trench life during the later stages of the war. While we acknowledge without reservation that this recreation pales in comparison to what the real experience was like, it does provide a unique learning environment that books, films, and other sources can not. The Great War Association's site in Newville, PA is our own permanent and private classroom - a feature that is unique to the Great War as a living history period.
Perhaps the most iconic images of this period are those showing men huddled together in their trenchworks. The vast majority of a soldier's active service on the Western Front would have been in such trenches; these trenches were his entire world for extended periods of time. For some, the trenches served as their final resting place. Our focus is to recreate to some degree the experience of trench life during the later stages of the war. While we acknowledge without reservation that this recreation pales in comparison to what the real experience was like, it does provide a unique learning environment that books, films, and other sources can not. The Great War Association's site in Newville, PA is our own permanent and private classroom - a feature that is unique to the Great War as a living history period.
Why the French?
The participation of American forces in the Great War was limited to late 1917 through to the armistice in November of 1918. While the contributions of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) deserve recognition, remembrance, and study, an AEF impression limits one's participation to living history events focused solely on the final year of the war. Conversely, the French impression allows the opportunity to explore the Great War in its entirety, both in terms of duration as well as location, as French forces fought on various fronts outside of France and Belgium. Moreover, approximately 8.7 million Frenchmen were called-up to fight during the Great War, more than the total of British, British Commonwealth, and American forces combined. They deserve to be represented! The fighting spirit and unbelievable willpower of the French Poilu has been often misunderstood and misrepresented in the United States. The French Poilu proved to be an exceptional foe and a steady ally. Their record needs to be brought to light!
Why the 18e?
The 18e RI has a proud history, including distinguished service and sacrifice during the American Revolution. Its ancestor regiment, the Régiment de Gâtinais, participated in the epic siege of Yorktown. In fact, it was the Régiment de Gâtinais (18e RI) that captured Redoubt #9 while Alexander Hamilton led his men to capture Redoubt #10. The regiment lost eighty-nine members during the siege, more than any other French unit at Yorktown. These men are still buried there today, on American soil, and the flag of the 18e continues to proudly display the Yorktown-battle streamer. The unit went on to earn battle honors in the Napoleonic Wars, in the Crimean War, the Franco-Prussian War, and the Great War.
The history of the 18e during the war is also impressive. Not only did the unit participate in some of the earliest combat in 1914 and continue to fight through 1918, suffering tremendous casualties in every year of the war, the unit also had a unique place in the French army due to its recruitment from the Bearn and Basque regions of southwest France, regions that straddle the Pyrenees Mountains. The participation of some of these men in the Mutinies of 1917 is another reason we are drawn to this unit. Those who participated were clearly not cowards; there was no cowardice in their mutiny. Any reading of their unit history and a glimpse at their Roll of Honor confirms that. To understand why they mutinied, one must understand both the condition and military experiences of these men, as well as the broader social, economic, and political contexts of this period. The 18e provides ample opportunity to explore these and other questions.
The history of the 18e during the war is also impressive. Not only did the unit participate in some of the earliest combat in 1914 and continue to fight through 1918, suffering tremendous casualties in every year of the war, the unit also had a unique place in the French army due to its recruitment from the Bearn and Basque regions of southwest France, regions that straddle the Pyrenees Mountains. The participation of some of these men in the Mutinies of 1917 is another reason we are drawn to this unit. Those who participated were clearly not cowards; there was no cowardice in their mutiny. Any reading of their unit history and a glimpse at their Roll of Honor confirms that. To understand why they mutinied, one must understand both the condition and military experiences of these men, as well as the broader social, economic, and political contexts of this period. The 18e provides ample opportunity to explore these and other questions.
