Lost Battalion WWI by Thomas Research Paper

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The heavy losses being experienced by the troops of the Lost Battalion were further exacerbated by misdirected friendly artillery fire that killed or wounded hundreds of the bewildered U.S. forces that was only stopped by Whittlesey's use of a carrier pigeon to call off the barrage (Coffman viii). It was during this low phase of the battle that the battalion earned its now-famous but misplaced moniker: "While the five-day siege was in progress, war correspondents picked up on the story of what was then miscalled the 'Lost Battalion.' Everyone knew where they were. The issue was whether or not the division could fight its way to them" (Coffman vi). The day-by-day first-hand descriptions of the battlefield and how the men of the Lost Battalion reacted to the deteriorating conditions were among the most vivid accounts in this regard, with American resolve and fortitude being eroded by hunger, desperation and aggravated exhaustion.

Despite these setbacks and the fact that the German even tried a flamethrower attack to dislodge the men of the Lost Battalion and demanded their surrender, the brave souls of the Lost Battalion hung on until October 7 when they were relieved by American forces that broke through the German lines. Of the 554 officers and men that originally secured the slope that was their objective, the Lost Battalion consisted of fewer than 200 survivors. According to Coffman, "These men and their commander, who was promptly promoted to lieutenant colonel, were celebrated as heroes when they emerged from the Argonne Forest" (vi). Lieutenant Colonel Whittlesey would go on to receive a Medal of Honor and other accolades from an admiring and grateful American public, and while the circumstances of his death remain mysterious, many historians believe he took his own life by throwing himself overboard during a cruise as a result of the demons that were caused by these 5 days in hell in the Argonne Forest.

The organization of the rest of the book makes for interesting and colorful reading as well. For example, the authors provide a prologue that helps describe the region in which these events occurred more fully, and they provide a series of illustrations that support their vivid descriptions of the landscape and geographic features that both hindered and assisted Major Whittlesey's efforts to maintain an adequate defense of his position in the face of such overwhelming German offensive actions.

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The day-by-day, blow-by-blow aspects of the events of the 5-day battle provide some fascinating insights into just how terrifying this prolonged experience must have been for the Lost Battalion, and the illustrations confirm that the Argonne Forest is not a very cheerful place even under the best of circumstances. The manner in which the newly promoted major, Whittlesey, sought to care for his men in the face of such overwhelming adversity speaks highly of his leadership abilities and justifies his rapid promotion to lieutenant colonel.

Conclusion

The Argonne Forest would become the battleground for another famous encounter between the Germans and Americans in World War II in some remarkably similar ways. During the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, for example, the 101st Airborne Division, like the Lost Battalion, was also cut off from reinforcements and resupply, but managed to hold on for several days in spite of demands by the Germans for surrender. Likewise, the officers and men of the Lost Battalion followed Major Charles W. Whittlesey up a hill in the Argonne Forest in World War I, but not all of them were able to follow him back down 5 days later. During this 5-day period, the German army launched a series of attacks that were designed to counter this strategic intrusion into their position, but the Lost Battalion held on and in the end was not lost at all, but they did experience a 40% casualty rate that makes their heroic stance a truly costly one. The fact that the battle ultimately cost the life of Lieutenant Colonel Whittlesey as well suggests that the name, "Lost Battalion," might not have been so misplaced after all.

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