Portents

It's very much likely due to the fact that I came into office in a poor mood today to start with, but it's hard to see what's happening to Notre Dame de Paris and not feel that its portentous.

A whole culture in flames, as it were.  And everything much the worse for it.

March 19, 1919. Red Cross Post Office in Paris.

Red Cross post office department in Paris, March 19, 1919.

March 18, 1919. Pershing inspects. King Albert loans. Red Cross drives.

General Pershing adderessed the 4th Division at Kaiseresch, March 18, 1919.

 Red Cross garage at Rue Laugier, Paris.  March 18, 1919.

Red Cross garage at Buffalo Park, Paris.  March 18, 1919.

Red Cross dining room at St. Germaine en Laye, a chateau that was loaned to the Red  Cross by the King of Belgium.

Some Gave All: Joffre Memorial, Paris France

Some Gave All: Joffre Memorial, Paris France:

Joffre Memorial, Paris France

This is the memorial to Joseph Joffre, who was commander of the French forces in World War One from the start of the war into 1916.  While he was basically promoted up out of that position in 1916, his early leadership in the war was responsible for the French being able to stop the tide of the German advance.

The Reception of President Woodrow Wilson on his Arrival in Paris, December 16, 1918

Some Gave All: Parisian Railway Workers Memorial, Paris France

Some Gave All: Parisian Railway Workers Memorial, Paris France: A memorial to Parisian railway workers for World War One.  Photo by MKTH.

Some Gave All: Hommage aux combattants parisiens de la Grande Gue...

Some Gave All: Hommage aux combattants parisiens de la Grande Gue...: 94,415 flowers planted in honor of the 94,415 Parisians killed in combat in World War One.

The Transportation Inspection. July 7, 1918.

On this day in 1918, Major Osborn (left), Chief of the American Red Cross Transportation Service and Major Perkins, Red Cross Commissioner for Europe, inspected the Red Cross transportation assets in Paris France.  Keep in mind, Paris was not far from the front lines and was under occasional heavy artillery fire by long range artillery, so this was inspecting, essentially, something very near the front.

It occurs to me that I haven't expanded out on the role of the Red Cross in World War One. That's a pretty severe omission and I'll have to do it if I have time.  One thing that should be pretty obvious is that there came a point at which the American Red Cross's ambulance service was basically folded into the Army.

 C. B. Brockway in the uniform of an American officer.

Something else worth noting here is that the Red Cross ambulance service was motorized.  That was something that doesn't seem like that big of a deal to us now, but it sure was at the time.  Automobiles were new, and a minority of people, including a minority of Americans, knew how to drive them.  Driving required skills and talent, far more than driving does today, and qualified drivers were in demand.

It was July 4, 1918.

Equestrian Show, Remounts from Ft. Lewis' Remount Station, Tacoma Washington.

Marching sailors, New York City.

Razzle dazzle camouflage example on a model ship, note the American and Japanese flags on the building in the background.

Japanese, Italian and American flags on the Hotel Savoy.  Dignitaries viewing parade.

Parade, Washington D. C.

23d Infantry Regiment veterans of Chateu Thierry at the La Place de la Concorde, Paris.

Parisians cheer American troops.

American soldiers passing in review at the Place de I'ena on the Avenue du President Wilson, Paris.  The statute is of George Washington.

American Army band, Avenue du President Wilson.  Group of wounded soldiers watching.

General William Scott at July 4th celebrations in Bordeaux

Allied officers at Belgian Headquarters salute the American flag, July 4.

Wounded American soldiers being transported to the Cafe des Ambassadeurs, Paris.

Wounded soldiers arriving by truck at the Cafe des Ambassadeurs.  Boy Scouts on left.

Ship builders were busy.

Camp Meigs, Washington.  USQMC