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The Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme was the bloodiest war in WWI. This battle occurred on July 1st, 1914. The end of the first attack resulted in 57,000 casualties. It was five months long and ended in November when neither side could gain an advantage. -
The Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was the longest in World War I. The battle started on the 21st of February in 1916 to the 15th of December of the same year. The Germans failed to take over Verdun, even with the use of phosgene gas. The end of the first attack resulted in 57,000 British casualties. In the end, the French remained vigilant and were able to push the Germans back to their starting point which made them give up on the fight. -
Leo's Experience in France
Leo was sent to France around the month of October in 1917. During his time in France, he was able to learn a bit of French. He had to carry various items that had a total weight of 70 pounds. While he was in the trenches, he and the other soldiers rested in the trenches but were alert and awake at night. -
Series of Letters by Leo
Leo wrote a series of letters to various family members but the first one was sent on July 18, 1917. There are far more than 20 letters. The first two letters are for Leo’s sister and they talk about Leo’s start of joining the Army. The majority of the letters were sent to his sister. He also sent letters to his father, mother, grandmother, and aunt. -
Leo's Four-Page Letter
Leo wrote a four-page letter to his mother. The letter was created on November 17, 1918. The first page talks about how he had traveled 50 miles in 24 hours on foot. The second page says that Leo hopes he will get back home soon. The third page says that Leo won’t make it for Xmas this year. The fourth and final page talks about one of the meats available with an assortment of food. -
The Battle of Meuse-Argonne
The battle of Meuse-Argonne began on September 26, 1918. This was the last battle of WWI and it involved more than 1.2 million U.S. Army soldiers. This was the most vital battle to Germany, if they lost this area they would lose the war. The battle lasted for forty-seven days and resulted in the deaths of 26,000 Americans and over 100,000 were injured. -
Versailles Peace Conference
On January 18, 1919, a peace conference was held in Paris. The conference would be held in Versailles. This peace conference would contain nearly thirty nations but the most important were the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Italy. The big four were the ones who dominated the conference and would create the Treaty of Versailles which would officially end the war. -
The Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. This treaty was necessary to end WWI. The treaty forced the Germans to give up territory, reduce the size of their military, pay for the war costs, and take the guilt for the war. The treaty would result in a very slow post-war recovery for the Germans. It is hypothesized that the Treaty of Versailles was responsible for creating the Nazi party. -
Leo's Promotion to Sergeant
A few months after WWI ended, Leo Bailey was promoted to sergeant. Leo was promoted on October 16, 1919. He continued to serve in the Army long after his promotion. The letter that talked about his promotion was made on July 18, 1921. -
Leo's Honorable Discharge
Leo was given an honorable discharge. The discharge says he has brown hair, brown eyes, a fair complexion, and is 5 feet and 5 ½ inches tall. He was discharged on October 25, 1919. He was born in Pennsylvania. He enlisted when he was 22 years old.