The project of these high school students, currently in the United States to present their work on Franco-American ties established during the two world wars, was on the front page of the New York Times this week.
Another coup for Louis Teyssedou. This Amiens teacher, passionate about local history and a specialist in thrilling historical investigations, took his students from Edouard-Gand high school, in the United States. The small group (seven students and two adults) went there to present in Washington in the Somme style. Not the easiest of tasks: they had worked for three years on the ties that were forgotten between Amiens and the American army, namely the Marines, whose gathering point for this side of the Atlantic was the village of Vignacourt. Their work was presented on the very first victory of the American arm over the German enemy on May 28, 1918. “And even today, in the United States, none of this has ever been well known,” comments Louis Teyssedou. “There’s even an American history book where this day is not even marked. It’s huge.” (Editor’s note). It must be said that this battle, fought in cooperation with the French army, had a particular impact on the Marines. Because it was victorious, certainly, but also because it killed nearly 400 of them.
It was the British journalist Graham Bowley, a journalist for the New York Times, chosen to tell the chronicles of the American daily. “And when we arrived at the airport on Thursday, April 3, the students did not even know that the newspaper!” recounts the teacher, who had learned the news on Sunday. A journey that has already taken them to the French Embassy, the National Archives Museum and the home of Eleanor Roosevelt’s granddaughter. But above all, the students were able to attend the funeral of two American soldiers whose remains had recently been found in Europe. “This is also part of their research,” continues Louis Teyssedou. “On Monday, the students were at Arlington Cemetery. The emotion was palpable.”
“Before returning to the Somme, we will lay a wreath on the grave of General Pershing, who commanded the American expeditionary force, at Arlington,” says Louis Teyssedou. “We will also visit the headquarters of the Pershing Foundation, the American Legion, the former association of the 28th infantry, the same one that won at Cantigny,” recalls Louis Teyssedou.
