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The Great War in the Argonne Forest: French and American Battles, 1914–1918
The annals of the First World War record the Argonne Forest as the epicenter of the famous Meuse-Argonne offensive of 1918. The largest American operation launched against the Germans during the conflict. During 1914 and 1915 though, amidst the dense forest, French and Italian soldiers withstood the German assaults. All sides suffered horrendous casualties, as each sought to break through the lines.
The epic four-year campaign is the subject of Richard Merry's vividly written account. His great-uncle arrived there in September 1914 and started corresponding with his family. Richard traces the stories of some of the men - and women - who became embroiled in the epic forest struggle which culminated in the cold, gas-filled autumnal mist of 1918 when the New Yorkers of the 77th 'Liberty' Division fought there. One of their number, Charles Whittlesey, and his 'Lost Battalion' held out against insurmountable odds. Sergeant Alvin York, the Tennessee backwoodsman and pacifist, overcame his religious convictions and wrote himself into American military history.
The story does not end there; the author describes the aftermath of war in the area - the lethal outbreak of Spanish flu, the reburial of the dead, the rebuilding of the villages and the replanting of the forest before the Germans invaded again in 1940.
The epic four-year campaign is the subject of Richard Merry's vividly written account. His great-uncle arrived there in September 1914 and started corresponding with his family. Richard traces the stories of some of the men - and women - who became embroiled in the epic forest struggle which culminated in the cold, gas-filled autumnal mist of 1918 when the New Yorkers of the 77th 'Liberty' Division fought there. One of their number, Charles Whittlesey, and his 'Lost Battalion' held out against insurmountable odds. Sergeant Alvin York, the Tennessee backwoodsman and pacifist, overcame his religious convictions and wrote himself into American military history.
The story does not end there; the author describes the aftermath of war in the area - the lethal outbreak of Spanish flu, the reburial of the dead, the rebuilding of the villages and the replanting of the forest before the Germans invaded again in 1940.
- GenresWorld War I
256 pages, Hardcover
Published January 30, 2021
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16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 4, 2021
Good overall detail of the fighting in the Argonne. For better visualization the author could have had better maps, photos of the battlefield, men, and memorials.
August 23, 2023
Fantastic insight into the battles around the Argonne Forest with a great attached travel guide to boot.
It can be difficult to find such in-depth reading that covers the American contribution to this conflict. This book covers topics ranging from the American Volunteer Motor Ambulance Corps and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, along with the story of the Lost Battalion.
I highly recommend visiting the real places suggested by the author in the book as well. We particularly enjoyed visiting Vauquois, Main de Massiges, Jean-Paul de Vries’ Romagne 14-18 museum, as well as the American cemetery.
After reading this and returning from the real places mentioned here, I walked away with a fundamentally different understanding of the American involvement in the Great War.
It can be difficult to find such in-depth reading that covers the American contribution to this conflict. This book covers topics ranging from the American Volunteer Motor Ambulance Corps and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, along with the story of the Lost Battalion.
I highly recommend visiting the real places suggested by the author in the book as well. We particularly enjoyed visiting Vauquois, Main de Massiges, Jean-Paul de Vries’ Romagne 14-18 museum, as well as the American cemetery.
After reading this and returning from the real places mentioned here, I walked away with a fundamentally different understanding of the American involvement in the Great War.
October 24, 2021
Mention the Argonne Forest and the likely response will be to remember the Americans who fought there so bravely in 1918. But in this quite unusual book, Richard Merry reminds us of all the others of various nationalities who sacrificed so much in this quiet, heavily-wooded part of France, including his great uncle Bob.
Merry begins by describing the isolated but strategically important Argonne region in northeast France and its sometimes bloody history even before WWI. For one year from the Autumn of 1914, the Argonne was torn apart by the war, but that sector fell mostly quiet from Autumn 1915 to 1918. Having set that table, Merry gets into the details of the fighting and the role of Bob who joined the French Foreign Legion because he was too old for the British army but ended up in the British army anyway!
The book proceeds chronologically, Merry narrating the action in the forest during 1914. As with everywhere else along the Western Front, trenches soon appeared and the war of attrition with which we are so familiar set in as the hoped for Christmas victory faded into history. The New Year began with an assault by Italians, fighting with the French Foreign Legion, in the Argonne then more of the tit-for-tat attacks that typified trench warfare. That included underground fighting as the enemies tried to dig under each other, and the use of dogs to locate wounded men. One notable luminary on this front was Erwin Rommel who would remember this region well for another war. In 1916, the action shifted to nearby Verdun, leaving the Argonne relatively calm.
In 1917, America entered a war for which they were completely unprepared. That would have a great impact on the Argonne region in 1918. And that is where Merry goes next, with the Americans into the forest, including the stories of the ‘Lost Battalion’ and Alvin York’s heroics. On 10 October 1918, the Germans finally left the Argonne. Merry’s closing chapters narrate the aftermath and rehabilitation of the Argonne after the Great War only for it to become the scene of more fighting in World War II. As for great uncle Bob, he survived the war physically, though whether he did mentally is another question. Merry adds a brief guide for the Argonne to the modern traveller wishing to visit where hell happened.
Merry’s account of the Argonne is unusual for a military history narrative in that he focuses on a single region over the whole war and beyond. He makes this work by placing this local sector into the broader conflict and world events. For events in the forests, Merry uses local knowledge mixed with secondary source narratives and primary source quotes, including some from Uncle Bob, to illuminate the often confusing war in this region. A reasonable assortment of maps accompanies the text. The result is an engaging book that Great War enthusiasts will appreciate even if some of it treads familiar ground.
Merry begins by describing the isolated but strategically important Argonne region in northeast France and its sometimes bloody history even before WWI. For one year from the Autumn of 1914, the Argonne was torn apart by the war, but that sector fell mostly quiet from Autumn 1915 to 1918. Having set that table, Merry gets into the details of the fighting and the role of Bob who joined the French Foreign Legion because he was too old for the British army but ended up in the British army anyway!
The book proceeds chronologically, Merry narrating the action in the forest during 1914. As with everywhere else along the Western Front, trenches soon appeared and the war of attrition with which we are so familiar set in as the hoped for Christmas victory faded into history. The New Year began with an assault by Italians, fighting with the French Foreign Legion, in the Argonne then more of the tit-for-tat attacks that typified trench warfare. That included underground fighting as the enemies tried to dig under each other, and the use of dogs to locate wounded men. One notable luminary on this front was Erwin Rommel who would remember this region well for another war. In 1916, the action shifted to nearby Verdun, leaving the Argonne relatively calm.
In 1917, America entered a war for which they were completely unprepared. That would have a great impact on the Argonne region in 1918. And that is where Merry goes next, with the Americans into the forest, including the stories of the ‘Lost Battalion’ and Alvin York’s heroics. On 10 October 1918, the Germans finally left the Argonne. Merry’s closing chapters narrate the aftermath and rehabilitation of the Argonne after the Great War only for it to become the scene of more fighting in World War II. As for great uncle Bob, he survived the war physically, though whether he did mentally is another question. Merry adds a brief guide for the Argonne to the modern traveller wishing to visit where hell happened.
Merry’s account of the Argonne is unusual for a military history narrative in that he focuses on a single region over the whole war and beyond. He makes this work by placing this local sector into the broader conflict and world events. For events in the forests, Merry uses local knowledge mixed with secondary source narratives and primary source quotes, including some from Uncle Bob, to illuminate the often confusing war in this region. A reasonable assortment of maps accompanies the text. The result is an engaging book that Great War enthusiasts will appreciate even if some of it treads familiar ground.
December 27, 2025
What a cool book! I hadn’t read much specifically about the Argonne Forest before this, and I learned a great deal. The author includes the story of his great-uncle Bob, who joined the French Foreign Legion because he was too old to enlist in the British Army. Bob served as a driver for a French general in the area before eventually transferring into the British Army later in the war.
I initially picked up this book to learn more about American involvement in World War I, since the Meuse-Argonne Offensive is often considered the most significant American contribution to the war. I ended up learning a lot about French and Italian soldiers serving in the French Foreign Legion as well. The book covers French operations early in the war, including the underground mining battles fought between French and German forces in this sector. Combat in the forest initially feels unique, but as the fighting devastates the landscape, it gradually turns into the more familiar trench warfare.
The author also discusses early American involvement years before the U.S. military officially enters the war, highlighting American volunteers who served as ambulance drivers and in other support roles for the French Army.
When the narrative reaches full American military involvement, it addresses serious issues within the American Expeditionary Forces, such as segregation and the poor treatment of African American soldiers. The book also recounts the story of the famous Lost Battalion, which became surrounded behind German lines after reaching its objective while neighboring Allied units failed to advance. The battalion’s efforts to hold its position until relief arrived were very interesting.
Perhaps most uniquely, nearly a third of the book focuses on events after the war. These sections cover the cleanup of the Argonne battlefield, the recovery and reburial of the dead in newly created cemeteries, the reconstruction of French villages destroyed in the fighting, the creation of memorials, the origins of the Tombs of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, London, and Paris, and the environmental efforts to restore the forest.
There was a great deal of information here that I had never encountered before. I found the story of the Inter-Allied Games of 1919 particularly interesting. Organized to occupy the millions of Allied soldiers still stationed in France and to promote goodwill among nations, the games featured a large stadium built by U.S. Army engineers and served as an unofficial substitute for the Olympic Games of 1916, which had been canceled due to the war.
To top it all off, the book includes an excellent guide to the memorials, cemeteries, and other significant sites throughout the Argonne battlefield. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit these places, but I hope to someday. When I do I plan to bring this book with me!
I initially picked up this book to learn more about American involvement in World War I, since the Meuse-Argonne Offensive is often considered the most significant American contribution to the war. I ended up learning a lot about French and Italian soldiers serving in the French Foreign Legion as well. The book covers French operations early in the war, including the underground mining battles fought between French and German forces in this sector. Combat in the forest initially feels unique, but as the fighting devastates the landscape, it gradually turns into the more familiar trench warfare.
The author also discusses early American involvement years before the U.S. military officially enters the war, highlighting American volunteers who served as ambulance drivers and in other support roles for the French Army.
When the narrative reaches full American military involvement, it addresses serious issues within the American Expeditionary Forces, such as segregation and the poor treatment of African American soldiers. The book also recounts the story of the famous Lost Battalion, which became surrounded behind German lines after reaching its objective while neighboring Allied units failed to advance. The battalion’s efforts to hold its position until relief arrived were very interesting.
Perhaps most uniquely, nearly a third of the book focuses on events after the war. These sections cover the cleanup of the Argonne battlefield, the recovery and reburial of the dead in newly created cemeteries, the reconstruction of French villages destroyed in the fighting, the creation of memorials, the origins of the Tombs of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, London, and Paris, and the environmental efforts to restore the forest.
There was a great deal of information here that I had never encountered before. I found the story of the Inter-Allied Games of 1919 particularly interesting. Organized to occupy the millions of Allied soldiers still stationed in France and to promote goodwill among nations, the games featured a large stadium built by U.S. Army engineers and served as an unofficial substitute for the Olympic Games of 1916, which had been canceled due to the war.
To top it all off, the book includes an excellent guide to the memorials, cemeteries, and other significant sites throughout the Argonne battlefield. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit these places, but I hope to someday. When I do I plan to bring this book with me!
March 29, 2023
A very interesting history of one particular aspect of WWI, the fighting in the Argonne Forest. I think most Americans who are even familiar with the battle of the Argonne Forest think of it only as an American battle. In reality the fighting started early in the German invasion and not only included French soldiers but also Italian volunteers who formed a regiment of the Foreign Legion. The author, who spends summers as a volunteer battlefield guide, has a personal connection to the Argonne. He learned from a box of letters that his great-uncle, and Englishman working in France for a car company, had volunteered when the war broke out and served as a driver for French general Henri Gouraud while he commanded there. Besides giving background on the region and recounting the various battles, the author includes the sorts of trivial information that make a potentially dry subject fascinating, often concerning personalities. Besides his great-uncle, he tells us about Sister Gabrielle Rosnet who refused to be evacuated in the face of advancing Germans and continued caring for the wounded, and Dr. Nicole Mangin-Girard, a woman doctor mistakenly mobilized when her hyphenated married name was mistaken for a man's name. Eager to serve, she resisted all efforts to be sent home, aided by the bureaucracy that didn't want to admit their mistake.
Beyond the battles themselves, the author delves into two topics not often included in military histories, the handling of the dead and the reclamation of the land after the war, both monumental tasks. There were sensitive political issues involved with setting up cemeteries. Much of the work of collecting and reburying the American dead was performed by African-American pioneer battalions. Human remains were still being recovered for a decade after the war. Reclaiming the forest itself and restoring the villages destroyed in the fighting was a job that went on for many years. Another bit of trivia: a French army engineer, Louis August Adrian, design the classic French army helmet, named for Adrian. But he also designed a prefabricated house that could be erected quickly to replace housing lost in the war.
And interesting and enjoyable read.
Beyond the battles themselves, the author delves into two topics not often included in military histories, the handling of the dead and the reclamation of the land after the war, both monumental tasks. There were sensitive political issues involved with setting up cemeteries. Much of the work of collecting and reburying the American dead was performed by African-American pioneer battalions. Human remains were still being recovered for a decade after the war. Reclaiming the forest itself and restoring the villages destroyed in the fighting was a job that went on for many years. Another bit of trivia: a French army engineer, Louis August Adrian, design the classic French army helmet, named for Adrian. But he also designed a prefabricated house that could be erected quickly to replace housing lost in the war.
And interesting and enjoyable read.
October 22, 2024
This book makes no attempt to cover any single battle in detail. Instead it gives what amounts to a detailed summary of the fighting taking place in and around the Argonne Forest from 1914 to 1918. It doesn't stop there, but goes into the aftermath of what took place up to and beyond World War II. The Great War in the Argonne Forest is both an easy and an informative read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews