europe

1915Which military decoration did France create during the Great War to recognize acts of bravery on the battlefield?

The French Croix de Guerre was created on 8 April 1915 to recognize acts of exceptional bravery during World War I, becoming France’s most iconic military decoration of the Great War. Born from a need to formally honor soldiers mentioned in despatches for gallant deeds, the award quickly became a symbol of heroism for both French and Allied troops. The medal’s distinctive green and red ribbon and array of stars and palms signified the scale and type of courage displayed, and by 1920, over 1.2 million Croix de Guerre had been awarded—including to military units, towns, and even the heroic carrier pigeon Cher Ami, who saved 194 lives in 1918. This enduring symbol of valor marks its 111th anniversary in 2026, a testament to the widespread sacrifice and spirit of the First World War.

1775What was the first major battle fought by Americans in World War I?

The first major battle fought by American troops in World War I erupted in June 1918 at Belleau Wood, a dense forest near Château-Thierry, France, just 53 miles from Paris. This fierce, twenty-six-day clash marked the Americans’ debut on the Western Front and proved pivotal in halting the final German advance toward Paris, setting the stage for the Allied counter-offensive that would end the war. During the battle, U.S. Marines fought so tenaciously that the Germans nicknamed them "Teufel Hunden," or "Devil Dogs," a legacy still honored at Belleau Wood each Memorial Day. The Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, at the base of the hill where the battle raged, now marks the graves of 2,289 Americans lost in the fighting, with the names of 1,060 missing inscribed inside its memorial chapel.