The Lost Battalion: Film Analysis

After the outbreak of World War I with the Triple Entente of Britain, France, Russia, and Italy against the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire, President Woodrow Wilson of the United States had to decide upon the nation’s involvement in WWI. Wilson’s initial US neutrality policy was soon diverted after the German U-boat attacks on the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania, killing many Americans. Less than two years later, Great Britain intercepts a telegram from Germany to Mexico which offers Mexico US territory if Mexico joins Germany. The direct threat on the United States by the Central Powers and Germany’s lack of respect for their very own Sussex Pledge had sealed US involvement in WWI, but some Americans were still unconvinced that abandoning the state of neutrality was best for the nation. …show more content…
The film The Lost Battalion captured these events of WWI accurately and serves as a valid …show more content…
The Lost Battalion showcases one of the many Allied offensives on the Western Front, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. This offensive was led by Major Charles White Whittlesey who had led nine companies of the 77th Division into the Argonne Forest and held his ground against the German forces for six days. With the 77th Division occupying the Argonne Forest and sustaining German fire, Allied reinforcements were given time to aid Major Whittlesey and to attack the German line, forcing the German units out of the forest and eventually into surrender about a month later. The film The Lost Battalion accurately captures the American Expeditionary Force, the type of warfare, and the Fall of Germany of this