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Remembering the US involvement in WW1 & 2

  • Writer: A New Life
    A New Life
  • May 21
  • 6 min read

As Victory in Europe has just be commemorated with the 80th anniversary we take a look back at the involvement if the USA in the First and Second World War.

 

The brief overview below gives an insight into how the US played its part in the two wars. Interestingly the US does not celebrate Victory in Europe each year, although President Trump is looking to change that. Below is a brief history and at the end there is a list of all the American War Cemetries in France.

 

U.S. Involvement in France – World War I (1917–1918)

🔹 Background:

The U.S. entered WWI in April 1917, primarily due to unrestricted German submarine warfare and the Zimmermann Telegram.

 

American forces arrived at a time when Allied morale was low after years of trench warfare.

🔹 The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF):

Led by General John J. Pershing, the AEF grew to over 2 million soldiers in France by the end of the war.

 

Pershing insisted on independent American units, rather than integrating troops into British and French forces.

 

Key Battles in France:

  • Battle of Cantigny (May 1918) – First major American offensive, a symbolic but important victory.

  • Battle of Château-Thierry (June 1918) – AEF and French forces halted a major German advance.

  • Second Battle of the Marne (July–August 1918) – Turning point; U.S. troops helped push back the last major German offensive.

  • Saint-Mihiel Offensive (September 1918) – First U.S.-led offensive; captured a key German-held salient.

  • Meuse-Argonne Offensive (Sept–Nov 1918) – Largest American military operation of WWI; over 1.2 million U.S. troops involved.

 

🔹 Outcome:

  • American involvement bolstered Allied forces and helped tip the balance.

  •  The Armistice was signed on November 11, 1918.

  •  U.S. casualties: ~116,000 killed, ~204,000 wounded.

 


🇺🇸 U.S. Involvement in France – World War II (1944–1945)

🔹 Background:

After entering WWII in December 1941, the U.S. first focused on North Africa and Italy before launching a massive effort to liberate Western Europe.

France was under Nazi occupation since 1940, with a strong German military presence.

 

🔹 D-Day and the Normandy Campaign:


D-Day – June 6, 1944 (Operation Overlord): 

  • Largest amphibious invasion in history.

  •  American forces landed at Utah Beach and Omaha Beach.

  •  Faced intense German resistance, especially at Omaha.

  •  Part of a wider Allied invasion involving British and Canadian forces.

 

Battle of Normandy (June–August 1944):

Following the landings, the U.S. pushed inland through hedgerow country.

 

Key battles: Carentan, Saint-Lô, Falaise Pocket.

 

Paris was liberated on August 25, 1944, with American and Free French forces playing a major role.

 

🔹 Advance Through France:

  • After Normandy, U.S. forces pushed eastward through Northern France.

  •  Participated in Operation Dragoon (August 1944) – landings in Southern France.

 

Fought in key cities: Metz, Nancy, and along the Vosges Mountains.

 

🔹 Battle of the Bulge (Dec 1944 – Jan 1945):

Last major German offensive in the west, fought in the Ardennes near the French-Belgian border.

 

U.S. troops, notably at Bastogne, withstood the assault and launched a counterattack.

 

🔹 Outcome:

U.S. troops played a central role in liberating France from Nazi occupation.

 

Helped open a Western Front, forcing Germany to fight a two-front war.

 

U.S. casualties in Europe: ~135,000 killed, ~600,000 wounded or missing.

 

Legacy:

  • France has numerous U.S. war cemeteries and memorials, including:

  •  Normandy American Cemetery (Colleville-sur-Mer)

  •  Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery

  •  The U.S. and France developed lasting alliances forged in shared sacrifice.

  •  D-Day is still commemorated annually in Normandy, reflecting gratitude for U.S. efforts.

  •  The American Battle Monuments Commission, established by the Congress in 1923, is an agency of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government.

 

The Commission—guardian of America’s overseas commemorative cemeteries and memorials—honors the service, achievements and sacrifice of United States Armed Forces.

 

The Commission’s commemorative mission includes: Designing, constructing, operating and maintaining permanent American cemeteries in foreign countries. Establishing and maintaining U.S. military memorials, monuments and markers where American armed forces have served overseas since April 6, 1917, and within the U.S. when directed by public law. Controlling the design and construction of permanent U.S. military monuments and markers by other U.S. citizens and organizations, both public and private, and encouraging their maintenance.

 

Aisne Marne American Cemetery

02400 Belleau – France

 

Lying south of the village of Belleau, France, this 42.5- acre cemetery contains the graves of 2,289 Americans, most of whom fought in the vicinity and in the Marne valley in the summer of 1918. On the interior walls of the memorial chapel are the names of 1,060 who were missing in the region.

Interred: 2289

Missing: 1060

 

Meuse Argonne American Cemetery

55110 Romagne-sous-Montfaucon

 

Located east of the village of Romagne-sous-Montfaucon (Meuse), France, the cemetery is 26 miles northwest of Verdun. At this 130.5-acre site are buried the remains of 14,246 Americans, the largest number of U.S. War Engraved on a Wall of the Missing are 3,724 names. Most died in military activities from North Africa to the Persian Gulf.

Interred: 14246

Missing: 954

 

Oise Aisne American Cemetery

02130 Seringes-et-Nesles

 

Lying 1.5 miles east of Fere en Tardenois (Aisne), France, and 14 miles northeast of Chateau-Thierry, this 36.5-acre cemetery contains 6,012 American graves, most of whom died in the area in 1918. The chapel walls contain the names of 241 missing.

Interred: 6012

Missing: 241

 

St- Mihiel American Cemetery

54470 Thiaucourt

 

Located at the west edge of Thiaucourt, France, the 40.5-acre cemetery contains the graves of 4,153 American War Dead, most of whom died in the great offensive that resulted in the reduction of the St. Mihiel salient. On the end walls of the museum are recorded the names of 284 missing.

Interred: 4153

Missing: 284

 

Somme American Cemetery

02420 Bony

 

Situated .5 miles southwest of Bony (Aisne), France, the Somme cemetery is a 14.3-acre site that contains 1,844 American graves. The chapel walls bear the names of 333 missing.

Interred: 1844

Missing: 333

 

Suresnes American Cemetery

109 Blvd Washington

92150 Suresnes

 

Located in the Paris suburb of Suresnes, the 7.5-acre cemetery contains the graves of 1,541 Americans who died in World War I, and 24 unknown American War Dead of World War II. Bronze tablets on the walls of the chapel record the names of 974 missing, or buried or lost at sea. Dead in Europe. Most died during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. On memorial loggias on either side of the chapel are inscribed the names of 954 missing.

Interred: 1565

Missing: 974

 

Brittany American Cemetery

50240 Saint-James

 

Buried on 7.5 acres of rolling farm country 1.5 miles southeast of the village of St. James, France, are 4,410 War Dead. Most gave their lives in the Normandy and Brittany campaigns in 1944. Along the retaining wall of the memorial terrace, 498 names of missing are inscribed.

Interred:4410

Missing: 498

 

Epinal American Cemetery

88000 Dinoze

 

Located 4 miles southeast of Epinal, France, this World War II cemetery contains the graves of 5,255 servicemen and women. Surrounding the Memorial are four walls with an additional 424 names of those Missing in Action.

Interred: 5255

Missing: 424

 

Lorraine American Cemetery

Avenue de Fayetteville

57500 St-Avold

 

Situated about one mile north of the town of St. Avold, France, the 113.5-acre cemetery contains the largest number of graves of World War II War Dead in Europe, a total of 10,489. Most died while fighting in this region. Inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing are 444 names.

Interred: 10489

Missing: 444

 

Normandy American Cemetery

14710 Colleville-sur-Mer

 

Situated on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach, the cemetery is just east of St. Laurent-sur-Mer. The site covers 172.5 acres and contains the graves of 9,387 American War Dead, most of whom died during the landings and ensuing operations. The walls of a semicircular garden on the east side of the memorial contain the names of 1,557 missing.

Interred: 9387

Missing: 1557

 

Rhone American Cemetery

533 Blvd John F. Kennedy

83300 Draguignan

 

Set in the city of Draguignan, France, 28 miles west of Cannes, the 12.5-acre Rhone Cemetery is the site of 861 graves of American War Dead, most of whom gave their lives in the liberation of southern France in 1944. The retaining wall of the chapel terrace contains the names of 294 missing.

Interred: 861

Missing: 294

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