Commemorating the First World War Centennial in Kansas

Category: Exhibits (Page 1 of 6)

Modeling of WW1 Trenches

Over fifty years ago, when I was training at the U.S. Army Engineer center, we actually had a section of training, as I recall known as “Field Forts”, where we were exposed to the principles of constructing trenches and dugouts, as if the army was going to fight another war like the Western Front, which at the time was fifty years (and three subsequent wars) in the past. This isn’t as surprising as it sounds, though; in Basic Training we were instructed in the “art” of bayonet fighting, even though the little bayonet for the M-16 rifle was mostly good for opening C-Ration cans. ...read more

The Story Behind the Painting ‘Gassed’

In the spring of last year John Singer Sargent’s iconic work was displayed at the National World War 1 Museum in Kansas City.

The famous photograph shown above, also from the Imperial War Museum Collection, may have inspired Sargent. The image was taken at an Advance Dressing Station near Béthune, France on April 10th, 1918.The gassed soldiers are from the 55th (West Lancashire) Division, a territorial force formation, which single-handedly stopped a German advance towards the vital rail center at Hazebrouck. The 55th had been paired with the Portuguese 2nd Division, which quickly broke into a full rout, leaving the ‘terriers’ alone in the line for over three days. Although the combat was intense, they didn’t yield. ...read more

C-SPAN3, August 9-10

A couple of things that may be of interest to the World War I people. As usual, all times are Central, and all can be watched any time at the C-SPAN website.

Reel America “Uncle Sam Watching the Mexican Border”–1916. Airs at 12:23 a.m. early Friday morning, August 9. Second airing is at 6:27 a.m the same morning. ...read more

Soldiers Memorial, St. Louis

While passing through St. Louis recently I stopped at the recently reopened Soldiers Memorial Military Museum. The Memorial was opened in 1938 as a tribute to those from St. Louis who made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War.

In 2015 the Missouri Historical Society assumed control of the operations of the Memorial and immediately began a revitalization of it. This past November 3rd, the Memorial reopened to the public. ...read more

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