September 2020 – Battles of the First World War Podcast

In September 1918, the French 4th Army requested American assistance with clearing the Champagne battlefield of German forces. The American Expeditionary Force would provide two divisions, the veteran 2nd and the green 36th Divisions.

For years, the German Army had held Blanc Mont ridge, a lynchpin to holding the Champagne sector of the Western Front. But the French Army was now too exhausted to carry the massif. MG John A. Lejeune, Marine commander of the American Army’s 2nd Division, planned an innovative attack that would see his division seize the ridge, hold it, and continue to advance past it.

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Check out this episode!

In this episode we have a great and in-depth talk with Steven Girard, a veteran, an archivist/historian of the 4th (Marine) Brigade 2nd Division AEF, and a WW1 battlefield tour guide.

Steve gives us his own background and how he came to study the 4th Brigade Marines and the US Army’s 2nd Division, and then he gives us a comprehensive look into the battle of Blanc Mont ridge — a detailed look at this forgotten but important battle of the First World War. (Steve gives us a view from the division to individual level going straight from his memory! No notes!)

Hope you enjoy this great conversation!

To read more on the battle of Blanc Mont, see the following links:

“A Hideous Price: The 4th Brigade at Blanc Mont, 2-10 October 1918

LtCol Peter F. Owen and LtCol John Swift” –

https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/A%20Hideous%20Price_WEB.pdf?ver=2019-09-11-132018-350

“Blanc Mont (Meuse-Argonne-Champagne) – Monograph No. 9,” US Govt Publication –

http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p4013coll7/id/894

For more information on Steve’s tours:

https://www.miltours.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=72

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.

Check out this episode!