Meuse-Argonne Diary: a Division Commander in World War I

Military Review, Nov-Dec, 2004 by Scott A. Porter

MEUSE-ARGONNE DIARY: A Division Commander in World War I, William M. Wright and Robert H. Ferrell, ed., University of Missouri Press, Columbia, 2004, 174 pages, $29.95.

World War I general officers do not have the best reputations, but this unique book might change that. It is the only known diary of a major general commanding a division in the Allied Expeditionary Force (AEF).

Major General William M. Wright was a tireless commander who cared for the welfare of his troops, enforced discipline, and had an eye for detail. His diary refutes the myth that World War I generals were out of touch with the front line.

By the time Wright assumed command of the 89th Infantry Division, he had participated in the Santiago Campaign, the suppression of the Philippine Insurrection, and the Occupation of Veracruz. Wright assumed command of the 89th in France days before the St. Mihiel offensive, so he was in command for only the last 2 months of the war.

Major General Leonard Wood, who originally commanded primarily the Missouri-Kansas Division, remained behind as the 89th deployed to France under Brigadier General Frank L. Winn. By the time Wright took command, the division had been in theater for several months but had not been in any major combat operations.

Wright's diary begins when he received command of the 89th and continues through the Meuse-Argonne offensive--one of the largest and bloodiest battles in American history. Wright describes how the 89th held the line through the St. Mihiel offensive then suddenly changed direction and advanced toward the Meuse-Argonne.

Wright somehow managed to vividly document his experiences in a day-by-day diary during an engaging period. Ferrell edited the diary for grammatical and spelling correctness only, while notable scholars James J. Cooke and Russell Weigly advised him on additional historical information to enhance the reader's understanding. Ferrell also includes a personal memoir from Colonel Conrad S. Babcock, the highly successful commander of the 354th Infantry Regiment. The book's only shortcomings are three ineffective maps and the lack of operational graphics.

While not an in-depth critical analysis of a World War I division-level command, the book is a window on one man's experiences commanding a top division during two of the greatest battles of the AEF.

LTC Scott A. Porter, USA, Retired, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas