Army In France Research Articles

Map rooms and cartographic sections: the tactical mapmaking of the American expeditionary force in the Great War

ABSTRACT The Great War of 1914-1918 marked important developments in the evolution of military cartography. While recent research has examined these developments in the context of the European belligerent armies, including those of the British, Italians, and Germans, little research has explored the mapmaking efforts of the American forces that participated in the closing months of the conflict. This paper examines how the Army- and Corps-level headquarters of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in France used tactical maps to visualize spatial information and control the operations of subordinate forces on the battlefield to better understand how these novel mapmaking processes developed. The research draws upon archival records—including the AEF's maps and official documents—to understand how the AEF acted as a cartographic system that collected, transmitted, mapped, and distributed spatial information. The research indicates that the AEF mapmakers learned from the cartographic techniques of the other allied armies to develop a form and language of cartography that was distinct to the American army in France. These results reinforce the conclusions of other scholars that have argued that the Great War marks an important point in the evolution of military cartography.

Generał brygady Leon Pachucki (1872–1932) – żołnierz Armii Polskiej we Francji i bohater wojny polsko-rosyjskiej 1920 r. Zarys biografii

The subject of the research is the figure of Leon Pachucki, a brigadier general of the Polish Army, who took part in World War I and the Polish-Russian War. The aim of the article is to present his military career, both in the Russian Army and later in the Polish Army. The text is based mainly on documents collected in the Central Military Archives, and on available literature supplementing the archival materials. On their basis, it was possible to analyze the stages of his military career, his achievements on the battlefields, his service in higher command positions in the interwar period and his social activities after retirement. He was a hero of the Polish-Russian War in 1920 – for his courage on the battlefield, he was awarded the Order of Virtuti Militari 5th class and the Cross of Valor. The future general was born in 1872 in Suwałki and as a youth he joined the Russian army. He served in this army until 1918, recently in the Russian corps in the Balkans. In spring that year he came to France, where he commanded the 3rd Rifle Regiment (Polish Army in France). Together with him, he came to Poland in April 1919 and took part in the Polish offensive in Volyn. At the end of June this year, he took the position of the commander of the infantry in the 1st Rifle Division of the General Haller's Army. Three months later, he became the commander of the XXV Infantry Brigade. As its commander, he showed courage on leading the defense of the locality of Pohrebyszcze at the turn of May and June 1920. In September 1921, he became the deputy commander of the Corps District No. IV Lodz, and in 1925 he took up a similar position in the Command of the Corps District No. IX Brest. After retiring in 1927, he moved to Lodz, where he died in 1932. It is worth adding, that he was the only one general of the army of the Second Polish Republic buried in this city before World War II.

Butcher’s Bills: Engagement-level preponderance and casualties in the French Revolution Wars and Napoleonic Wars, 1792–1815

Abstract This article reports findings from an empirical investigation of the generalization captured in the aphorism that ‘god is on the side with the biggest battalions.’ Departing from the focus on major or decisive battles in previous studies, this quantitative analysis using ordered logit and ordinary least squares regression of two data sets of 945 and 823 large, medium and small engagements between the armies of France and its enemies during the Wars of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars from 1792 to 1815 reveals that a preponderance of numbers was positively associated with victory but also higher casualties.

“‘For Your Freedom and Ours’: Polonia and the Struggle for Polish Independence,” special issue, Rocznik Przemyski 55, no. 3 (23)

“‘For Your Freedom and Ours’: Polonia and the Struggle for Polish Independence,” special issue, <i>Rocznik Przemyski</i> 55, no. 3 (23)

Valéry Giscard d&amp;apos;Estaing and His Relationship with the Army in France

One of the aspects of the activities of France’ President Valéry Giscard d&amp;apos;Estaing is considered — his relationship with the army in a comparative historical context, namely: the context of the relationship between civilian power and the military. The French specificity of these relations, which developed with the coming to power of General Charles de Gaulle in 1958, is shown. The peculiarities of the formed mechanism of military decision-making in France, which resulted from the concentration of powers and legitimacy by the President — Commander-in-chief of the armed forces, are highlighted. The analysis of the reasons for the urgent issues in the army by the beginning of the presidential term of V. Giscard d&amp;apos;Estaing is carried out; the President&amp;apos;s measures to strengthen this key republican institution were assessed. Attention is paid to the attempts of V. Giscard d&amp;apos;Estaing to adapt the French policy of nuclear deterrence to the evolution of the geopolitical situation during his time in power, which did not always meet with support in the military environment and in civil society. Two episodes (in Chad and Zaire) were singled out as examples of France&amp;apos;s external military operations (OPEX) on the African continent under V. Giscard d&amp;apos;Estaing, where his role as Commander-in-chief was most clearly manifested. The underestimated role of V. Giscard d&amp;apos;Estaing as head of State was noted, including in strengthening the country&amp;apos;s defence potential and in creating conditions for the further advancement of military development.

Sermons of Dominican Marcin Bronisław Chrostowski Delivered during World War II

The aim of the article is to familiarize the reader with sermons delivered during World War II by Marcin Chrostowski OP, chaplain of the Polish Armed Forces in the West. Father Chrostowski’s legacy of sermons, stored in the Archive of the Polish Province of the Dominican Order, is an interesting supplement to information we currently hold on his service as chaplain of the Polish Armed Forces. The sermons reflect the spirit of his times and also present the morale of the military. Studying them allows us to capture moral attitudes preached to soldiers. This edition contains sermons delivered in Great Britain (Scotland), the USSR (where Fr. Chrostowski accompanied the field bishop during his official visit with the Polish forces), Iraq, the Holy Land, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the Reich. To date, these sermons have not been commonly known, although selected passages were published in Chrostowski’s printed biography (see H. Gallus, E. Mikołajczak, Ojciec Marcin Chrostowski, Poznań 2001). The remaining texts have yet not been analyzed by researchers. Father Marcin Chrostowski volunteered for the army in France, where he was staying at the outbreak of the war. Later, he became chaplain of the Polish Armed Forces in the West – in France and Great Britain, secretary of Field Bishop Gawlina, with whom he travelled to the USSR. After his service in the Holy Land, he was transferred to Great Britain, where he joined the ranks of General Maczek’s 1st Armored Division. As chaplain of the 9th Rifle Battalion, he followed the battle trail from “Maczuga” to Wilhelmshaven. Notably, he was rewarded for his heroism during the hostilities at Baarle Nassan with the War Order of Virtuti Militari.

The Stature of Volunteers to the Polish Army in France: An Anthropometric Inquiry

Abstract This article analyzes the stature of volunteers to the Polish Army in France examined in Recruitment Center no. 2 in Chicago in 1917 and 1918. The authors divided the sample according to place and time of birth and compared the statures of volunteers with heights of Polish draftees measured by conscription authorities in Poland. The investigation arrives at two main conclusions. Firstly, Poles born in the US were considerably taller than both volunteers born in Poland and draftees living in the native country. Secondly, the comparison of immigrants and those who remained in Poland shows that people who migrated were taller than those who remained, although the difference diminished over time. Since human stature is positively correlated with length of life and work capacity, we can conclude quoting the opinion of the Dillingham Commission: Although drawn from classes low in the economic scale, the new immigrants as a rule are the strongest, the most enterprising, and the best of their class.

„Więźniowie” Sikorskiego – internowani w Cerizay, Rothesay i Tighnabruaich

Po klęsce wrześniowej 1939 r. władze polskie odbudowywały armię na terenie Francji, następnie na Wyspach Brytyjskich. Poważnym problemem organizacyjnym był nadmiar kadry oficerskiej w stosunku do szeregowych. Dla nadwyżek oficerskich organizowano różnego rodzaju obozy oficerskie i stacje zborne. Niestety miejsca te od jesieni 1939 r. były również wykorzystywane jako miejsca odizolowania, swego rodzaju zesłania, przeciwników politycznych gen. Władysława Sikorskiego, w szczególności przedstawicieli władz Polski przedwrześniowej, oskarżanych o przyczynienie się do klęski państwa. Szczególną kartę w historii tych niechlubnych miejsc odegrały: obóz oficerski we francuskiej miejscowości Cerizay, Stacja Zborna Oficerów w miejscowości Rothesay na wyspie Bute w Szkocji oraz mała szkocka miejscowość Tighnabruaich. Oficerowie kierowani do tych miejsc nie zostali wprawdzie odizolowani żadnymi drutami kolczastymi, mało tego – rozlokowani byli w hotelach i prywatnych pensjonatach, otrzymywali również (wprawdzie mocno pomniejszone) pobory. Wielu z nich jednak odstawienie na boczny tor odbierało jako odwet ze strony gen. Sikorskiego, niczym nieuzasadnioną karę, przeżywając ten fakt jako osobisty dramat.

The Forging of the Polish Army, 1918-1919

ABSTRACTWith the regaining of independence by Poland in November 1918 it was essential to create a unified homogenous army, the more so that Poland was faced by conflict from its neighbours at a time when the borders of Poland were by no means formed let alone finalised. There were at least four seperate Polish armies and a plethora of local formations springing up all over the country. From these four formations: the Polish Military Organisation, the Polnische Wermacht, the Greater Poland Army and the Polish “Blue” Army in France. Moreover, the officer and NCO corps came from four distinct traditions. Those of the wartime Legions (Polish tradition) and of the three partitioning powers. All had different military traditions and training. An important factor was also that many of the them had only a rudimentary knowledge of the Polish language having served in garrisons far from the Polish lands. Faced with wars with the Ukrainians for Lwów and the south eastern lands, with the Germans over the Province of Greater Poland, Pomerania and Silesia, with the Czechs over Teschen and above all with Bolshevik russia in the east it was essential that the Polish Army unified as quickly as possible. That this was done within the year and eventually resulted in Poland winning the Polish-Bolshevik War of 1919-1920 and securing its borders and independence was in no small measure a result of the rapid unification and creation of an homogenous Polish Army with a single command structure and organisation. The binding glue was the deep rooted sense of national pride and desire to live and work in a free Poland.

THE CONFERENCE «RUSSIAN TROOPS IN FRANCE AND THE BALKANS (1916-1918) IN THE HISTORICAL MEMORY OF RUSSIA AND EUROPE», MOSCOW, 16-18 OF MAY, 2019

The article deals with an international scientific conference, entitled “Russian army in France and the Balkans (1916-1918) in historical memory of Russian and Europe”, held in Moscow, on May 16-18, 2019. It conveys the forum’s status, the focus of its work, geography of the participants and subject of scientific reports.

БЕРКОВ ДОПРИНОС ПРОУЧАВАЊУ ВОЈСКЕ КАО ДРУШТВЕНЕ ИНСТИТУЦИЈЕ

Criticizing the social events in France during the French Revolution, Edmund Burke also dealt with military issues. He criticized the changes that the Revolution brought in the military organization in order to demonstrate the futility and harmfulness of the revolution. In this paper we have analyzed three types of his arguments against the reform of the army in France in order to check if those aspects of Burke's views on military are still valid. These are arguments against electing military officers for officers' duties, the arguments against a weak supreme commander and the arguments against interfering of political parties in the military and against political engagement of the soldiers. As a key social relationship that must prevail in the military, Berk emphasized discipline (as an internal functional relationship) and subordination (an external functional relationship, which refers to subordination to civil authorities). He underlined singularity and political neutrality of the military as its essential characteristics. He was the first to unequivocally point to the connection between officers and soldiers as the central point of the structure of a military. He proved that the military reform in France during the revolution would lead to a military dictatorship, but he failed to note that the reform also meant the abandonment of feudal mercenary military as a form of organization, as well as creating conditions for the introduction of a mass military based on general conscription. His understanding of the relations between military and civilian spheres, makes him one of the forerunners of the modern theories of civil-military relations.

Życie jeńców polskich we włoskim obozie Santa Maria Capue Vetere w czasie I wojny światowej

Przystąpienie w 1915 r. Włoch po stronie Ententy do wojny utworzyło nowy front działań militarnych. Podejmowane na nim boje spowodowały duży napływ jeńców narodowości słowiańskiej w tym Polaków, którzy służyli w armii austro-węgierskiej. Ciężkie warunki obozowe oraz rygor narzucony przez oficerów austriackich wobec szeregowych wzbudziły wśród działaczy polonijnych mieszkających we Włoszech chęć pomocy. Podejmowane wówczas zabiegi w kwestii poprawy warunków spowodowały zgodę władz włoskich na oddzielenie jeńców narodowości polskiej od innych. Niniejszy artykuł ma na celu ukazanie, jak wyglądało życie codzienne jeńców-Polaków, od przybycia do obozu, aż po ponowne wstąpienie w szeregi tworzonej we Francji armii polskiej.

No. 3 Canadian General Hospital (McGill) in the Great War: service and sacrifice.

During the Great War, McGill University fielded a full general hospital to care for the wounded and sick among the Allied forces fighting in France and Belgium. The unit was designated No. 3 Canadian General Hospital (McGill) and included some of the best medical minds in Canada. Because the unit had a relationship with Sir William Osler, who was a professor at McGill from 1874 to 1885, the unit received special attention throughout the war, and legendary Canadian medical figures, such as John McCrae, Edward Archibald and Francis Scrimger, VC, served on its staff. The unit cared for thousands of victims of the war, and its trauma care advanced through the clinical innovation and research demanded by the nature of its work. Although No. 3 Canadian General Hospital suffered tragedies as well, such as the deaths of John McCrae and Osler's only son Revere, by the war's end the McGill hospital was known as one of the best medical units within the armies in France.

Wesleyan Chaplaincy on the Western Front during the First World War

ABSTRACT The centenary of the First World War has seen an extensive reappraisal of the role of military chaplaincy. Most of this work has concentrated on Anglican and Roman Catholic chaplains. Nonconformist denominations, particularly the Wesleyan Church, have, in comparison, been largely neglected. This article emphasizes the depth of Wesleyan backing for the war effort in general and military chaplaincy in particular. Wesleyan chaplains served in almost all the main theatres of war, but the largest number ministered to the Army in France and Belgium. The nature and effectiveness of chaplaincy in spiritual, pastoral, and military terms are examined, arguing that these were three complementary roles of the same ministry. The commonality of the work of padres of all denominations is stressed; however, there was much about Wesleyan chaplaincy that was distinct.

Archiwa Polskich Sił Zbrojnych na Zachodzie

A result of a defeat of the Polish state during the September Campaign in 1939 was an exodus abroad of hundreds of thousands of Polish citizens. During internment in Romania archivists from the evacuated Military Archive put forward a proposal to organize an archival service adapted to the war conditions to preserve materials taken out of Poland, as well as those constantly created in military institutions set up in exile. As a part of the Polish fight against the Reich, regular military formations called the Polish Armed Forces in the West were organized at the Allies’ side. Every formation had a section of an archival/historical/museum character. There were: the Archival Office in the recreated Military Historical Bureau in the Polish Army in France; the Archive of the Bureau of the Commander-in-Chief in London; historical-archival sections in British air force and navy; the Independent Historical Office of the Polish Armed Forces attached to Command of the Armed Forces in the USSR; the Archive of the Polish Army in the Middle East; the Archive of the Polish Army in the East; the Field Archive and Museum No. 1 of the Polish II Corps; the Field Archive and Museum No. 2; the Archive of Information Unit of the Polish II Corps. The quantity of such initiatives did not always translate into quality of work of archives and archivists. There were attempts to centralize management of the Polish Armed Forces archival and museum institutions; the Archive and Museum of the PAF in Scotland was set up in 1942, but it could not fulfill its duties due to lack of interest from the highest military authorities. Similar situation occurred with the Archival-Historical Service of the PAF, set up in January 1945. In May 1945 an initiative of a group of people succeeded, and they created the General Sikorski Historical Institute in London. This initiative managed to collect in one place – as far as it was possible – materials created by the Polish military and civilian institutions in exile.

Major Harvey Cushing's difficulties with the British and American armies during World War I.

This historical review explores Harvey Cushing's difficulties with both the British and American armies during his World War I service to definitively examine the rumor of his possible court martial. It also provides a further understanding of Cushing the man. While in France during World War I, Cushing was initially assigned to British hospital units. This service began in May 1917 and ended abruptly in May 1918 when the British cashiered him for repeated censorship violations. Returning to American command, he feared court martial. The army file on this matter (retrieved from the United States National Archives) indicates that US Army authorities recommended that Cushing be reprimanded and returned to the US for his violations. The army carried out neither recommendation, and no evidence exists that a court martial was considered. Cushing's army career and possible future academic life were protected by the actions of his surgical peers and Merritte Ireland, Chief Surgeon of the US Army in France. After this censorship episode, Cushing was made a neurosurgical consultant but was also sternly warned that further rule violations would not be tolerated by the US Army. Thereafter, despite the onset of a severe peripheral neuropathy, probably Guillian Barré's syndrome, Cushing was indefatigable in ministering to neurosurgical needs in the US sector in France. Cushing's repeated defying of censorship regulations reveals poor judgment plus an initial inability to be a "team player." The explanations he offered for his censorship violations showed an ability to bend the truth. Cushing's war journal is unclear as to exactly what transpired between him and the British and US armies. It also shows no recognition of the help he received from others who were instrumental in preventing his ignominious removal from service in France. Had that happened, his academic future and ability to train future neurosurgical leaders may have been seriously threatened. Cushing's foibles notwithstanding, all realized that he contributed greatly to both British and US war neurosurgery. United States Army surgeons who operated upon brain wounds in France recognized Cushing as their leader.

Ronald Ogier Ward, urologist, hero &amp; first president of BAUS

Ronald Ogier Ward, urologist, hero &amp; first president of <scp>BAUS</scp>

Mobility between risk and opportunity

The article deals with the risks and the opportunities faced by soldiers who moved with and between different armies in France and in the Southern Netherlands. It inquires into individual choises and their limits regarding the military engagement as well as into the risks and opportunities for retired soldiers. It shows how individuals would consciously take advantage of the possibilities provided by the army’s institutional weakness and by conflicts between different authorities. Whereas mobility carried a risk of never being able to return to one’s place of origin or being alienated from the original working or family context, it also provided a considerable number of individuals with possibilities of survival on a day-to-day basis and – with regard to the elites – with better prospects of career advancement.

Napoleon’s Enfant Terrible: General Dominique Vandamme (review)

Reviewed by: Napoleon’s Enfant Terrible: General Dominique Vandamme Scott Hileman Napoleon’s Enfant Terrible: General Dominique Vandamme. By John G. Gallaher. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-8061-3875-6. Maps. Illustrations. Notes. Index. Pp. xiv, 361. $34.95. Dr. Gallaher’s main purpose is to present the story of a soldier from humble origins who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and Napoleonic era, but never quite achieved his ultimate goal, to obtain the marshal’s baton. Dominique Vandamme was a man of considerable ability, whose quarrelsome personality often brought him into conflict with his superiors and had a deleterious effect on his career. Faced with charges of the peculation of requisitioned funds on more than one occasion, Vandamme managed to navigate the dangerous waters of the Revolutionary period and come out with his head still attached, mainly through his ability to artfully defend himself against his accusers’ unsubstantiated claims, and his continued success on the battlefield. While serving under Napoleon, the general was frequently at odds with those under whom he was asked to serve. Though praised by Marshal Bernadotte during the 1809 campaign--“General Vandamme’s conduct . . . was above all the praise I could make to Your Majesty . . . “ (p. 193)-- he ran afoul of Jérôme Bonaparte before the onset of the Russian Campaign of 1812 over the lack of available supplies, and Vandamme’s requisitioning policies. Unwisely, Vandamme threatened to resign and the King of Westphalia had no choice but to dismiss the troublesome officer. Appealing directly to Napoleon, his letters went unanswered until he was finally told to return to France and await further orders. Vandamme’s irascible behavior led to him having a rather uneven military career in terms of service, never having been assigned to one particular military formation with which he could be identified. This work is supported heavily by research in archival documents: In the Vandamme Papers in the Municipal Library of Lille; the Service Historique de l’État-Major de l’Armée, the Château de Vincennes; the National Archives, Paris; and the Department of the Nord at Lille. Gallaher also uses a spate of printed primary sources, including the Mémoires et correspondance du roi Jérôme et la reine Cathérine (Paris, 1861-1866), and secondary works in French, English, and German. The author’s book is accessible to both the scholar and the merely interested reader. Never losing sight of his subject, he deftly interweaves the larger picture into his narrative about one of Napoleon’s (up until this point) lesser-known generals. His skilful use of [End Page 1293] primary sources sheds new light on the topic, in particular the disaster at Kulm, 1813. This work is a great success and adds to the historiography of this era. Dr. Gallaher has achieved his announced intentions: to demonstrate that Dominique Vandamme was a talented leader of men (though no diplomat when it came to dealing with superiors), the kind of officer that has helped all the great captains achieve success. This is borne out by his continued employment in the armies of France. Though always feeling unappreciated by his superiors, from his early campaigns in the Low Countries, through the débâcle of Waterloo, Vandamme never wavered in his support for la patrie. Scott Hileman Gordon College Barnesville, Georgia Copyright © 2008 Society for Military History

Burghers, Orangists and ‘good government’: Popular Political Opposition during the ‘Year of Disaster’ 1672 in Dutch Pamphlets

'Who ever lived in more remarkable times? When were there ever days with as much change as ours?' wrote a Dutch pamphleteer in September 1672.1 His question was right on the mark during the fall of the so-called 'Year of Disaster' of the Dutch Republic. Ever since the winter of 1671, when diplomatic language between France and the Dutch Republic had become increasingly belligerent and Louis XIV had gathered his armies in the Southern Netherlands, it had been clear to most Dutchmen that war was inevitable.2 The inadequate defence of the Republic became the subject of a heated debate. In an attempt to appoint the prince of Orange (who had been excluded from politics during the 1650s and 1660s) to the office of leader of the army and fleet, oppositional propagandists appealed to an anonymous audience by publishing scores of pamphlets. These Orangist publicists were successful in their primary goal. Under severe popular pressure, the prince of Orange was inaugurated as captain-general and admiral-general in February 1672. After the enemy armies of France, Munster and Cologne had entered the Dutch Republic in June and occupied three of the seven provinces within weeks, members of this anonymous public, most notably Dutch citizens from the remaining provinces of Holland and Zeeland, started to riot against certain magistrates that had been considered responsible for the terrible predicament that the Dutch Republic was in. As a consequence, government collapsed. Citizens attacked regents3 on the streets and pillaged their houses. On 12 June the first regent's house was plundered in Haarlem because this particular governor was believed to have supported negotiations with France. The regents Sijms and Langewagen were molested in Hoorn one week later, because they were suspected of financial corruption. On 25 June plundering had begun in Rotterdam and subsequently spread throughout the entire province of Holland and Zeeland. Eventually all large cities saw revolts against regents.4 During the summer months, from June until August, pamphleteers from different political persuasions shared several goals. The prince of Orange was to be appointed to another important political office and several suspected governors were to be removed from office. At the beginning of July, the first goal was achieved when William III was appointed to the office of Stadholder. The removal of suspected governors, however, led to a schism between two important oppositional groups. Orangist pamphleteers were out to discredit certain particular regents, most notably Johan and Cornelis de Witt who were subsequently brutally murdered by a large group of citizens in The Hague on 20 August. Their bodies were mutilated. Their toes, fingers, nose and ears were cut off; their hearts were cut out of their bodies.5 After the gruesome murder of these two men, however, Orangist publicists propagated the installation of a 'renewed obedience' between governors and governed. Six days after the murders, William III had been given the authority to change the governments in the riotous cities in order to 'restore the peace'. Citizens, on the other hand, started to file petitions and published radical pamphlets, demanding a purification of government based on issues of capability and good government. In some cities, peace and calm did not return until 1673.6So far, these dramatic events have not been explained satisfactory on all accounts because historians have overlooked, or even willingly neglected, the role that citizens have played in urban riots and the murders of the De Witt brothers. These citizens were called 'burghers' by Dutch contemporaries. 7 A burgher was not a patrician or a nobleman, nor was he a peasant or an outlaw, but it would be wrong to equate burghers with all citizens. Although all burghers were inhabitants of cities, not all inhabitants of cities were burghers. A burgher had privileges on which he swore an oath to the mayor and was as a consequence elevated above citizens without these special rights. …