World War I -- Life Histories/Section 018/James A. Moseley

Overview

James A. Moseley was born in Raleigh, NC. He was a First Lieutenant in World War I from 1917-1918.



I. Biography -- Early Life

James A. Moseley was born on June 4th, 1894 to Annie and James Moseley. The Moseleys lived in Raleigh, NC until 1900. They then moved to Glen Ridge, NJ. Moseley’s father worked for a cotton goods company while in New Jersey. Moseley attended Glen Ridge Public High School. He graduated in 1911 with honors.

Pre-War

Moseley entered Yale University in 1911. He graduated in 1915 with honors in English. He was member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society and the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. After graduation, Moseley worked at Eagle and Phoenix cotton Mill in Columbis, GA. In 1917 Moseley’s father died. Later that year Moseley enlisted in the United States Army during the Great War. He began training as a First Lieutenant.

War Career

Moseley completed officer’s training in Plattsburg, NY in 1917. He was then sent to France. Moseley led the 166th Regiment of the United States Army National Guard. Later, for a short time, he commanded the 126th Regiment. Moseley was then ordered to rejoin the 166th Regiment. He became 1st Lieutenant of Company C, 166th Infantry, Rainbow Division. Moseley’s company fought in the trenches of Lorraine in France, in the battles of Chateau-Thierry, and in the battles near the river Oureq. Moseley was killed in action on July 26th, 1918. A low-flying German plane shot at him during the Battle of Chateau-Thierry. Moseley later died of several gunshot wounds. Moseley was succeeded by his brother Nicholas and by his mother Annie Moseley. After his death, Moseley was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. This is the “second highest award for military valor”. Moseley received this award for saving the life of a fellow wounded soldier during The Second Battle of Marne. This battle occurred in Suippe, France on July 15th, 1918.

'''II. Social Issues''' --

Social Class and Conscription

The United States entered the Great War in 1917. At this time, the Allied powers greatly needed reinforcements. As a result, there was a lot of controversy over the possibility of conscription. Conscription, or drafting, is a law that orders people to enlist in military service. There was a divide between the social classes and their opinions on enacting conscription. The upper classes, or the “social and industrial elite”, favored the idea of conscription. They believed that a selective draft would be less disruptive for the economy. However, the lower social classes did not favor conscription. The working class men were far less likely to be excluded from the draft. Political officials and upper class men essential to the economy could be exempt from service. In 1917, Woodrow Wilson passed the Selective Service Act. This act made conscription in the United States a law. The lower social classes revolted against this. Many men tried to flee the draft and desert their positions. Over 2.8 million men, mostly lower and middle class, were drafted to the Great War.

Rainbow Division Atrocities

In 1917, the Unites States army created the 42nd Infantry Division, also known as the Rainbow Division. This specialty unit was made up of National Guard units from all around the United States. This division had six major campaigns in World War I. They “suffered one-out-of-sixteen casualties of the American Army during the war”. The Rainbow Division participated in many of the winning battles against Germany. However, they were accused of committing war crimes. Several Majors from the Great War claimed that the Rainbow Division took no prisoners and were “aggressive in combat”. One German newspaper from the war even claimed that “150 wounded and captured German soldiers were summarily killed by soldiers of the U.S. 42nd Division on July 15, 1918”. During the Battle of Champagne, the men of the Rainbow Division were seen to open fire on wounded German soldiers in their medical tents. The Division was also suspected of killing German prisoners of war. No action was ever taken against the Rainbow Division for these alleged war crimes.

America’s Role in the Great War

The United States formally entered the Great War on April 6, 1917, three years into the war. America was only involved in battle from 1917-1918, the year the war ended. The battles they participated in during this time helped to turn the tide of the war. The Rainbow Division fought in this series of battles in the spring of 1918 in Chateau-Thierry, France. The Germans defeated Allied forces in two offensives. However, American forces stopped the third offensive from being successful. The final battle fought in Belleau Woods lasted for three weeks. On July 26th, 1918, American forces gained control of the land. According to a New York Times article from the time, “The glory of Belleau Wood belongs almost exclusively to the Marines”. According to historians, “the battle marked a turning point in the war. The American victory rekindled hope among war-weary Europeans and destroyed German confidence”. The American’s short involvement proved to be crucial in winning World War I.

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