Weekly View » World War I: 100 Years Ago

World War I 100 Years Ago: June 28-July 4

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 05:08:01 +0000

This is the last in the World War I 100 Years Ago series.

From The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, June 29, 1919: No clamor of sirens, horns or whistles, no swaying of delirious crowds in the streets, no singing, just a matter of course, “Well, I see they signed the peace treaty!” was the frequent response heard today from Indianapolis citizens to the news that the treaty ending the Great War had finally been concluded at Versailles. Emotions probably were exhausted last November in “peace celebrations” at the news of the Armistice silencing the roar of guns and the carnage of the battlefield. However, peace was not assured, and the conflagration of war could have burst out again at any time until the signatures of representatives of the warring countries were affixed to the solemn documents yesterday. Yet, not a voice of exultation was raised on one of the most momentous days in history.

World War I 100 Years Ago: June 21-27

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 05:08:30 +0000

From The Indianapolis Star, Friday, June 27, 1919: The Liberty Kitchen, 106 N. Delaware, will close Monday concluding another chapter in Indiana’s war history. The Marion County Council of Defense established the Liberty Kitchen almost a year ago to provide free information on canning, poultry, child nutrition, garden topics, and other problems of home economics and demonstrations on the best methods for preparing foods. Miss Florence Boston, who has charge of the office, has been widely commended for her work. She began home demonstration work in 1917 in schools, churches, and other places where women gathered and for several months had a demonstration kitchen in connection with the food exchange on North Pennsylvania St before the Liberty Kitchen opened. A daily column in the Star, “Liberty Kitchen News,” by Agnes McCulloch Hanna provided breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus.

World War I 100 Years Ago: June 7-13

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 05:08:59 +0000

From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, June 11, 1919: Seventy-four junior reserve training corps cadets of the Indianapolis high schools were named in orders issued by Maj. Arthur Perry, professor of military science and tactics in the Indianapolis high schools, to attend five weeks of summer training at Camp Custer, MI. The boys were selected upon recommendations of the officers in charge of the units at the three high schools — Shortridge, Manual, and Arsenal Technical. The cadets will assemble at Shortridge High School’s Caleb Mills Hall on Friday afternoon for final instructions and to receive a list of items that they will need to take with them before leaving Saturday morning in a special car over the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. The War Department designed the training program and will cover the expense of the cadets’ transportation and training.

World War I 100 Years Ago: May 24-June 6

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 23 May 2019 05:08:06 +0000

From The Indianapolis Star, Tuesday, May 21, 1919: W. E. B. DuBois addressed a crowded auditorium of the colored Y.M.C.A. last night on The Negro and the War. He emphasized seeing, as a war correspondent, how kind the French were towards the colored troops. Most of the 200,000 negro troops in France were stevedores, but only 1,000 negro officers, none with the rank higher than a captain. The famous 93rd Division was almost entirely officered by negro soldiers, and when a sudden demand came for reinforcements the division went to the front where the superior officers were French. All France knows the heroic fight made by those men, and as a result the 93rd Division received more French citations than any other American unit. Dr. DuBois spoke under the auspices of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

From The Indianapolis News, Thursday, June 5, 1919: The Indiana Society of Selective Board Members was formed today by over 100 former local and district draft board members at a meeting in the Claypool Hotel. The organization’s purpose “is to keep alive the associations formed by men on whom rested the primary responsibility for the selection of soldiers so that the valuable knowledge of military preparation acquired by these men may not be lost, to preserve historical data now in the possession of the various boards, and to obtain for drafted men who served in the war full recognition for their services.” Indianapolis attorney Emsley Johnson was elected president of the Society. Annual sessions will be held each June 5, the day commemorating the first registration of selective service men. Maj. Robert Baltzell, state conscription agent, delivered the principal address.

World War I 100 Years Ago: May 17-23

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 16 May 2019 05:08:01 +0000

From The Indianapolis News, Monday, May 19, 1919: Today in the city, a detail of military police from Ft. Harrison began enforcing War Department regulations requiring the wearing of a red discharge chevron by all discharged men and officers in uniform. Another violation of uniform regulations the MPs will also target, is the wearing of the Sam Browne belt, worn overseas by officers but not authorized for members of auxiliary branches of the service such as the Red Cross, Y.M.C.A., the K. of C. or the Salvation Army. To rule out fakers, soldiers wearing certain medals and foreign decorations like the Croix de Guerre and the fourragère (braided cord) will be asked to produce evidence of the award. Local police will assist the MPs, and violators of the regulations will be referred to the United States district attorney for prosecution.

World War I 100 Years Ago: May 10-16

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 09 May 2019 05:08:35 +0000

From The Indianapolis Star, Thursday, May 15, 1919: Last evening at Tomlinson Hall, former President William Howard Taft made an earnest plea for creation of a league of nations. For over two hours he carefully analyzed the covenant adopted by the Paris peace conference and answered various objections to America’s approving it. Taft insisted that issues involved transcend political consideration and the treaty with the league covenant should be ratified by the United States Senate. He stressed that unless a league of nations is formed now, the opportunity will have passed, probably not to recur until after this country is plunged with others into a devastating world war. Taft said he was glad to come to Indianapolis to discuss the league of nations because he heard it needs support here. The meeting was under the auspices of Hopewell Presbyterian Church.

World War I 100 Years Ago: May 3-9

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 02 May 2019 05:08:31 +0000

From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, May 7, 1919: Glorious Welcome Home Day! A chorus of factory whistles greeted the troop trains bringing soldiers of the 150th Field Artillery and members of Base Hospital No. 32 into Union Station for the long-awaited day celebrating our returning Hoosier heroes. A parade of 20,000 men and women – soldiers, marines, sailors, hospital corps, Red Cross nurses – from every county, led by the caisson in memory of those who died for their country, marched along beautifully decorated downtown streets, through the chaste majesty of the Victory Arch, the white and green of the Court of Honor in Monument Circle, and the magnificence of the Court of the Allies with a solid bank of 175,000 citizens standing along the line of march wildly cheering the victors. The sun smiled brightly on the joyous scene.

World War I 100 Years Ago: April 26-May 3

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 05:08:40 +0000

From The Indianapolis Star, Wednesday, April 30, 1919: A Belgian machine gun detachment will parade through Indianapolis streets tomorrow on behalf of the Victory Loan campaign. The detachment’s seven officers and 110 enlisted men will carry a number of machine guns of the type drawn by the great Flemish dogs in the Belgian and French armies. A display of the machine guns and the large sturdy “Flemish hounds” will be on display on Monument Circle after the parade. The detachment will carry the colors of the 12th Infantry Regiment which was awarded the Cross of Leopold. The men of the detachment have been cited for bravery, and collectively they have more than 300 medals of honor. This is the first unit of Belgian fighting men, veterans of four years fighting on the Flanders front, to tour the United States.

World War I 100 Years Ago: April 19-25

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 05:08:27 +0000

From The Indianapolis Star, Tuesday, April 22, 1919: Indianapolis manufacturers said they were willing to take more than their quota of wounded veterans for shop training following a talk on retraining disabled soldiers presented yesterday by Dr. A. C. Prosser, director of the Federal board for vocational education, at a noon meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. Prosser said of the 20,000 men who need retraining, more than half will be able to return to their old jobs after retraining. Only about 3,000 men have been in any way dismembered and less than 100 have been blinded. The largest group of veterans in need of retraining will be those with arrested cases of tuberculosis. It is expected that upwards of ninety men will be sent to this city for retraining. The Chamber is willing to provide housing for the men.

World War I 100 Years Ago: April 12-18

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 05:08:54 +0000

From The Indianapolis News, Thursday, April 17, 1919: Pieces of war machinery – heavy guns, thirty-six inch searchlights, ammunition trucks painted in gaudy camouflage, anti-aircraft guns – passed through downtown streets today during the parade of a detachment of coast artillery on tour to promote the Victory Liberty Loan campaign. An airplane from the Speedway circled overhead as onlookers saw great engines of destruction – a 155-millimeter French “Filloux” gun and an eight-inch Howitzer drawn by Caterpillar tractors. Leading the parade as it passed before a reviewing stand on the balcony of the Hotel English occupied by Gov. Goodrich and Mayor Jewett were mounted police followed by the artillery corps band, officers of the corps, and bands and detachments from the high schools and Boy Scouts bringing up the rear. Monument Circle was dedicated “Victory Circle” for the loan campaign.