Blood in the Trenches: American Casualties Rise in France

February 1, 1918, marked a grim day for American forces in France as they clashed with the German war machine on the western front. General Pershing’s troops, stationed in a small sector of the front, were not merely training in the trenches, but actively engaged in combat. The brutal truth was revealed by Secretary Baker, who lifted the veil of censorship to report on the devastating consequences of the recent skirmish.