The Great War (2019) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

General Pershing authorized the rescue because he feared the isolated colored unit would be overwhelmed by German forces trying to reclaim lost territory before the ceasefire. More importantly, Pershing wanted to demonstrate his support for black soldiers and prove that the U.S. Army would not abandon any unit, regardless of race, as the war concluded.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the story, Rivers discovers the colored soldiers stranded behind enemy lines, triggering the chain of events that leads to Pershing's decision.

• pershing
• rescue mission
• colored soldiers
• buffalo soldiers
• general orders

Sgt. Perry and his men refused to abandon Hill 473 because they had fought hard to capture and hold the position, losing 27 comrades in the process. They were determined to defend the ground they had bled for and would not leave their fallen brothers behind.

Foreshadowing: Captain Stevens warned that the Germans were mobilizing artillery and three battalions to reclaim the hill, making the colored unit's stand even more desperate.

• hill 473
• retreat
• colored unit
• sgt perry
• defense

Rivers realized that withdrawing the colored soldiers would leave Hill 473 vulnerable to the incoming German assault, which would result in all of them being hunted down during the retreat. By staying and defending the position together, both units had a fighting chance to survive until the ceasefire.

Foreshadowing: The German captain informed Rivers that the German offensive would begin at dawn, giving Rivers a narrow window to launch a surprise counterattack.

• rivers
• hill 473
• defense strategy
• extraction
• german assault

Commanders on both sides were ordering final assaults in the last hours before the ceasefire to secure as much territory as possible before the war ended. The Germans were particularly desperate to reclaim Hill 473, which they had lost, knowing that any gains would be finalized in the post-war settlement.

Foreshadowing: The timeline notes that commanders persisted in launching assaults hours before the ceasefire to secure territorial advantage.

• german attack
• november 11
• ceasefire
• territory
• offensive

After Pinchelli was killed by a grenade, some soldiers questioned why they should risk their lives to save black soldiers they referred to with racial slurs. The tension reflected the pervasive racial prejudice of the era, with some men viewing the colored unit as not worth the sacrifice.

Foreshadowing: Captain Hooker had earlier attempted to dissuade Rivers from proceeding with the mission, demonstrating the racial hostility present in the unit.

• racial tension
• pinchelli death
• objection
• rescue
• prejudice

Rivers was fatally wounded during the fierce battle against German forces defending Hill 473. He succumbed to his wounds but managed to hold the position until 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918, which was the exact moment the Armistice took effect and World War I ended.

Foreshadowing: The German captain's warning that the offensive would begin at dawn set the stage for the final confrontation.

• rivers death
• wounds
• november 11
• armistice
• hill held

Rivers was chosen because he had already been involved in the operation when his team discovered the isolated colored unit. Additionally, Colonel Morrison brought the matter to Pershing's attention, and Pershing specifically ordered Rivers to lead the mission, likely because he was the officer already familiar with the situation.

Foreshadowing: Rivers had already encountered the colored soldiers during his earlier assault, making him aware of their predicament.

• rivers
• orders
• leadership
• mission assignment
• pershing

Hill 473 was a valuable position because it provided a commanding view over the surrounding terrain. The Germans were determined to recapture it before the war ended, while the colored soldiers had held it at great cost and refused to give up what they had bled for.

Foreshadowing: Captain Stevens warned that the Germans had been mobilizing artillery and three battalions in front of the hill, confirming its tactical significance.

• hill 473
• strategic position
• german assault
• artillery
• terrain

Jenkins, a colored radioman from Rivers' battalion, volunteered to join the rescue effort. His expertise in communications would have been valuable for coordinating with headquarters, though the story does not detail his specific actions during the mission.

Foreshadowing: Jenkins' volunteering contrasted with Captain Hooker's opposition, showing the different attitudes toward the mission among the unit.

• jenkins
• radioman
• volunteer
• communications
• colored soldier

Captain Hooker, as the battalion's commanding officer, exhibited disdain for black soldiers and attempted to dissuade Rivers from proceeding with the mission. His opposition reflected the racial prejudice prevalent in the U.S. military at the time.

Foreshadowing: This racial hostility later manifested among the soldiers when they protested continuing the mission after Pinchelli's death.

• hooker
• prejudice
• opposition
• discrimination
• commanding officer