A century ago, America sent its troops “over there” – to Europe, where Germany was gaining the upper hand in World War I. On June 21, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will look back at what it took for America to build its army and prevent disaster.

 

Colorized Flag - World War I - smallHistorian Mark DePue will explain the huge offensive that Germany hoped would crush the French and British before a significant number of American soldiers could reach the battlefield. Adding special stormtroopers to its arsenal, Germany broke the stalemate of trench warfare and brought the war to within 75 miles of Paris.

 

DePue, head of the presidential library’s Oral History Program, developed an extremely popular series of presentations on key Civil War battles. Now he is bringing that same approach to World War I.

 

The free event begins at 6:30 p.m. at the presidential museum’s Union Theater.