American monument Kemmel

In September 1918, the Allies retook Kemmel with the help of American troops. The American Government had declared war on Germany in June 1917, but America did not at this time have a professional army, which meant that it was not until June 1918 that the soldiers of its newly created civilian army were ready to fight in France and Flanders. To begin with, the American troops were added to British and French units.

Initially, the beneficial impact of their arrival was psychological rather than practical. They did not have the experience of war that the British and the French had acquired in four hard years of fighting. As a result, American losses were proportionally heavier than the losses of the other Allies. But notwithstanding their inexperience and their high casualty rates, the sheer size of the American Army tipped the balance of the war against Germany.

The recapture of Kemmel was the first battle fought by American units on Flemish soil. But other Americans had been active in the war almost from the very start: some with medical units working behind the lines, others serving in the armies of other Allied countries (particularly Canada).

Vl. Toeristisch bezienswaardigheden