Tens of thousands dead, almost 100,000 wounded. The story of the bloodiest battle in U.S. military history has drama and thrills – and a century-old cover-up. On Tuesday, May 17, Staunton author and historian William “Bill” Walker will use pictures, artifacts and impeccable research to describe the massive Meuse-Argonne Offensive of World War I, and the failures by American leaders that cost so many young lives in that devastating battle.
Walker, who recently published Betrayal at Little Gibraltar: A German Fortress, a Treacherous American General, and the Battle to end World War I, will use stories, photographs and artifacts he has collected to tell the story of this monumental battle, the men who fought it, and the failures by some legendary U.S. military leaders that made it so much worse.
The 7 p.m. presentation will be followed by a question and answer discussion session led by former C-Span journalist Connie Doebele. Doebele brought authors into living rooms for years with her work on Book-TV. The presentation and discussion will be followed by a wine and cheese reception sponsored by Staunton’s Yelping Dog Wine.
Tickets to the evening are $20 and seating will be limited to 50 persons. For reservations, ticket information or more information, call 540-248-4151 email [email protected] or visit www.augustacountyhs.org.
Walker will have hardback copies of his new book for sale ($25) and will sign books for attendees.
The battle Walker describes occurred in late 1918. German engineers had fortified Montfaucon, a rocky butte in northern France with bunkers, tunnels, trenches and a top-secret observatory or spotting facility. The American Expeditionary Force threw its 1.2 million men against the fortress – and more than 25,000 died in the attempt.
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