Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    American Observers On The Battlefields Of The Western Front
    American Observers On The Battlefields Of The Western Front
    American Observers On The Battlefields Of The Western Front
    Ebook52 pages41 minutes

    American Observers On The Battlefields Of The Western Front

    By Major James A. Vohr USMC

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Although during World War I the United States employed observers on the battlefields of the Western Front, the information they provided lacked the substance and conclusions required to evolve the tactical doctrine of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). In initial engagements, the AEF was largely forced to rely, with predictable negative outcome, upon outdated concepts founded largely upon the prejudices of the Army’s leadership.
    In August of 1914 the United States Army and Marine Corps demonstrated strong foresight, considering the isolationist perspective of the nation, in detailing officers to the battlefields of Europe. These officers were given little guidance, but their mission was clearly to report on military actions and developments in what was becoming the largest struggle in history. A significant military development of World War I noted by the U.S. was the advance of offensive infantry tactics to cope effectively with the characteristics and lethality of the modern battlefield.
    The United States, with a two and one-half year opportunity to observe tactics prior to the engagement of the AEF, arguably should have benefited from the experience of others. However, this was not the case. The AEF in its initial engagements, performed much as its European counterparts did at the onset of the war. Eventually the AEF performance improved, but only as U.S. soldiers and Marines gained personal battlefield experience.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherVerdun Press
    Release dateAug 15, 2014
    ISBN9781782897040
    American Observers On The Battlefields Of The Western Front

    Related to American Observers On The Battlefields Of The Western Front

    Related ebooks

    Wars & Military For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Crucible Of Leadership

      Dec 3, 2020

      Crucible Of Leadership
      7 min read

    • Article

      Another Contemptible Little Army?

      Feb 23, 2018

      Another Contemptible Little Army?
      12 min read

    • Article

      The Aef Enters The Battle

      Apr 19, 2018

      Although America had declared war in April 1917, a year later its army still existed largely on paper. Two divisions, formed from regular forces and some National Guard units, were in France when the German offensive opened, but under strict instruct

      2 min read

    • Article

      Overarching View Of The Air War

      Oct 28, 2021

      Overarching View Of The Air War
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Aef Enters The Battle

      Apr 14, 2018

      American troops march through a damaged French village during their advance from the River Marne Although America had declared war in April 1917, a year later its army still existed largely on paper. Two divisions, formed from regular forces and some

      2 min read

    • Article

      Another Napoleonic War

      Nov 14, 2023

      Another Napoleonic War
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Bloodiest Day

      Aug 15, 2023

      The Bloodiest Day
      7 min read

    • Article

      Closing the Ring

      Aug 2, 2018

      This volume of the Churchill War Papers covers the climax of Britain’s war against Germany and its accelerating eclipse by an America whose war effort was peaking as an overstretched Britain began to decline. It shows Churchill fighting both to maint

      6 min read

    • Article

      The Big Picture

      Aug 4, 2020

      The Big Picture
      3 min read

    • Article

      The War Without An End

      Apr 16, 2020

      The War Without An End
      9 min read

    • Article

      Command Performance

      Oct 24, 2023

      Command Performance
      10 min read

    • Article

      Clean Sweep

      May 11, 2023

      Clean Sweep
      2 min read

    • Article

      Bewegungskrieg

      Jun 10, 2022

      Bewegungskrieg
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Long View

      Dec 21, 2021

      The Long View
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Long View

      Dec 21, 2021

      The Long View
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Final assessment

      Feb 26, 2020

      The Final assessment
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Jag File

      Dec 3, 2021

      The Jag File
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Irregular historical Revisionism And Wargaming

      Jul 7, 2021

      At a basic level, historical revisionism simply means the process by which our understanding of the past is questioned and refined in the light of newly uncovered evidence and fresh perspectives. Arguably, very few past events we think we know about

      6 min read

    • Article

      The Mighty Eighth

      Oct 6, 2022

      The Mighty Eighth
      1 min read

    • Article

      The Battle of the Selle: Fourth Army Operations on the Western Front in the Hundred Days, 9-24 October 1918

      Jun 2, 2023

      This book covers the actions of the British Fourth Army in preparing to push parts of two German armies back from the Hindenburg line. As well as the British forces, the Australian Corps and two divisions of the American Second Corps took part in the

      1 min read

    • Article

      By The Book

      Oct 20, 2020

      By The Book
      15 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for American Observers On The Battlefields Of The Western Front

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      American Observers On The Battlefields Of The Western Front - Major James A. Vohr USMC

       This edition is published by PICKLE PARTNERS PUBLISHING—www.picklepartnerspublishing.com

      To join our mailing list for new titles or for issues with our books – picklepublishing@gmail.com

      Or on Facebook

      Text originally published in 2001 under the same title.

      © Pickle Partners Publishing 2014, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

      Publisher’s Note

      Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

      We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

      American Observers on the Battlefields of the Western Front and the Tactical Evolution of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I

      by

      Major James A. Vohr, United States Marine Corps

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Contents

      TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

      EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5

      American Observers on the Battlefields of the Western Front and the Tactical Evolution of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I 6

      The Evolution in Tactics- European Armies and the Western Front 1914-1917 7

      The Observer’s Reports 11

      Belleau Wood: An Example of the Failure of U.S. Tactics in the Initial Engagements. 19

      Why the American Army Failed to Evolve 20

      Conclusions 24

      REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 26

      BIBLIOGRAPHY 27

      EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

      Thesis: Although during World War I the United States employed observers on the battlefields of the Western Front, the information they provided lacked the substance and conclusions required to evolve the tactical doctrine of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). In initial engagements, the AEF was largely forced to rely, with predictable negative outcome, upon outdated concepts founded largely upon the prejudices of the Army’s leadership.

      Discussion: In August of 1914 the United States Army and Marine Corps demonstrated strong foresight, considering the isolationist perspective of the nation, in detailing officers to the battlefields of Europe. These officers were given little guidance, but their mission was clearly to report on military actions and developments in what was becoming the largest struggle in history. A significant military development of World War I noted by the U.S. was the advance of offensive infantry tactics to cope effectively with the characteristics and lethality of the modern battlefield.

      The United States, with a two and one-half year opportunity to observe tactics prior to the engagement of the AEF, arguably should have benefited from the experience of others. However, this was not the case. The AEF in its initial engagements, performed much as its European counterparts did at the onset of the war. Eventually the AEF performance improved, but only as U.S. soldiers and Marines gained personal battlefield experience.

      Conclusions: A combination of four significant factors contributed to the failure of the AEF to evolve its tactical doctrine from the reports of battlefield observers. First, the observers were exposed to a wide variety of often opposing opinions and perspectives regarding the foundation for successful tactical doctrine. European tactical

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1