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1917. Here come the Americans!

Exposition temporaire - Entrée libre
Saturday 22 July 2017, from 14:00 to 18:00

At Centre Jean Moulin

If the extreme horrors of the Second World War feature prominently in collective memory, it has to be said that they also tend to eclipse those of the First World War, the memory of which is fading with the disappearance of the last French soldiers, known as the Poilus. The same can be said of the first American landing in 1917, with more than two million soldiers sent to Europe, which accelerated the end of the War after four harrowing years of human misery and disaster of every kind. 
 
To mark the centenary of the First World War, the National Centre Jean Moulin is presenting an exhibition on the American presence in our region at that period. On 21 June 1917, Bordeaux became the headquarters of the Service of Supply Base n°2. Its mission was to organise procurement and supplies for the combat troops who landed mainly in Brest and Saint-Nazaire.
 
 

Guided tours

At 3 pm from Tuesday to Friday from Friday 8th September and the week-ends

 

Entertainment of americans soldiers, Bordeaux, 1918 ©NARA

 

The 1917. Here Come the Americans! exhibition aims to retrace this history through an exhibition of documents and original objects. They all demonstrate the longstanding solidarity of New World citizens towards a wounded France, true to the memory of Lafayette and his never-forgotten message of freedom from across the Atlantic.  Endorsed by the 1914-1918 Centenary Mission, thanks to its dual memorial and historical dimensions, this exhibition has also received the support of the US Consulate in Bordeaux.

 

It has been organised in partnership with the Bordeaux City Archives and the Departmental Archives of Gironde, as well as the towns of Bassens, Bordeaux, Lormont, Mérignac and Carbon-Blanc.

 

 

AROUND THE EXHIBITION

 

                      

René Buthaud, 1776-1917. Affiche de propagande témoignant de l'amitié franco-américaine. Archives Bordeaux-Métropole, © L. Gauthier mairie de Bordeaux

René Buthaud, 1776-1917. Affiche de propagande témoignant de l'amitié franco-américaine. Archives Bordeaux-Métropole, © L. Gauthier mairie de Bordeaux