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Home » Education »

The Weapons of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive

About this Chapter

Weapons of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive explores the world’s first industrial war, creating a battlefield that juxtaposed the old and the new: centuries-old military tactics with modern technology. The cost? Destruction beyond belief. About 8 million combatants died, including more than 100,000 Americans. The U.S.’s greatest battle of the Great War was a 47-day offensive in the Meuse-Argonne region of northeastern France. This chapter uses the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery as a window into the impact that modern weapons had on the war’s military tactics and on the toll they exacted on the soldiers themselves.

The activities within this chapter will help students answer the following questions:

  • How were these weapons used in the Meuse-Argonne?
  • What was the best way to fight a war in the Meuse-Argonne region?
  • And what was the legacy left by weaponry used in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive?

This chapter is part of the iBook Bringing the Great War Home: Teaching With The Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, which was produced by ABMC in partnership with Learn NC and Virginia Tech. You can access individual elements of the iBook here on ABMC.gov, or you can download the full iBook through iTunes

In this Chapter:

  • Section 1: Introduction
  • Section 2: How Should America Fight the Great War in the Meuse-Argonne?
  • Section 3: How Did Poison Gas Change Warfare?
  • Section 4: Meuse-Argonne Case Study: How Does Open Warfare Lead to a Pistol Duel?
  • Section 5: What Was the Legacy Left by the Weapons Used during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive?
  • Section 6: A Menu of Instructional Options
  • Section 7: Bibliography
  • Section 8: Video and Audio Transcripts
  • Section 9: Credits and Disclaimer
  • Download the Full Chapter

Chapter Materials

Preface and Acknowledgements_1.pdf

04-75 parker audio.mp3

04-75 pershing audio.mp3

04-76 kyler audio.mp3

04-78 Ferguson audio.mp3

04-78 Haber audio.mp3

04-80 Henry Tonks audio.mp3

04-80 Newton gas audio.mp3

04-80 Vera Brittain audio.mp3

Section 4—A Luger’s Story_0.pdf

04-85 Marwitz audio.mp3

04-91 machine gun audio.mp3

04-91 Patton audio.mp3

Section 6—Great War Debate Resources_0.pdf

Section 6—Persuasive Writing Work Packet_0.pdf

Section 6—Poison Gas Op-Ed Work Packet_0.pdf

Section 6—Quote Analysis Exit Ticket_0.pdf

Section 6—Quote Analysis Handout_0.pdf

Section 6—Quote Analysis Slideshow_0.pptx

Section 6—Act It Out Slideshow.pptx

Section 6—Act It Out Work Packet.pdf

Section 6—Poison Gas Op-Ed Slideshow.pptx

Section 6—Great War Debate Slideshow.pptx

Section 6—Persuasive Argument Slideshow.pptx

Full Chapter Download

Download

Lesson Plans



Soldiers vs. Machines Quote Analysis


The Poison Gas Op-Ed

About ABMC

The American Battle Monuments Commission operates and maintains 26 cemeteries and 31 federal memorials, monuments and commemorative plaques in 17 countries throughout the world, including the United States. 

Since March 4, 1923, the ABMC’s sacred mission remains to honor the service, achievements, and sacrifice of more than 200,000 U.S. service members buried and memorialized at our sites.