State Historical Society of Iowa

American Soldiers Heading into Action in the Argonne Forest in France, 1918

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, "302nd Eng. repairing road over trench and 92nd Div. (colored) machine gunners going into action, Argonne Forest, France," 1918

Description

This photograph shows engineers of the 302nd Engineer Regiment repairing a roadway over a trench. It also shows African-American soldiers of the 92nd Infantry Division, also known as Buffalo Soldiers, in a trench headed into action in the Argonne Forest in France during World War I. At the start of the war the US military worked to keep black soldiers from joining the American Expeditionary Force in France as many assumed would happen. Instead those in power worked to keep black soldiers out of major military operations, however, the need for troops changed this plan. Buffalo Soldiers were shunned by American leadership but welcomed in French forces where they excelled in combat earning the equivalent of the French medal of honor for their service.

Source Dependent Questions

  • Consider the depiction of trench warfare in the image. How significant would U.S. troop mobilization have been to the Allied cause?
  • Given the conditions in the troops in an overseas conflict, how important was it to connect the rationale for the U.S. involvement to American ideals?
  • With shunning of Buffalo Soldiers by American military leadership, what did their contributions say about their commitment to American ideals? How does the lack of respect shown to these soldiers by their own command show a lack of support for American ideals?

Citation Information

"302nd Eng. repairing road over trench and 92nd Div. (colored) machine gunners going into action, Argonne Forest, France," 1918. Courtesy of Library of Congress Courtesy of Library of Congress

State Historical Society of Iowa

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