Prompt Cast
The Last Soldier to Die in World War I: The Story of Henry Gunther
TLDR Sergeant Henry Gunther, an American soldier, tragically lost his life in World War I just moments before the armistice took effect. The reasons behind his actions on the last day of the war remain a mystery, with theories suggesting either suicide or a last chance at redemption.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The Great War, known as the War to End All Wars, ended on November 11, 1918, but thousands of soldiers, including Sergeant Henry Gunther, died in the hours after the Armistice was announced.
01:29
By November 1918, both sides in World War I were exhausted and spent, with all other opponents vanquished and the Americans providing needed relief, the Allies were amassing for a new offensive.
02:45
On November 11th, 1918, the armistice was signed to end World War I, with a five-hour and 15-minute gap between the agreement and the cessation of hostilities due to limited communication capabilities at the time.
04:04
The last soldier to die in World War I was an American named Henry Gunther, who was drafted and didn't enlist like other members of the American Expeditionary Force.
05:29
Henry Gunther, a supply sergeant in the 313th Infantry Regiment, charged a German position one minute before the ceasefire on November 11th, 1918, despite the fact that all he had to do was nothing.
06:47
Henry Gunther was the last American soldier killed in combat in World War I, dying less than a minute before the armistice took effect, and his actions on the last day of the war remain a mystery.
08:04
The two theories proposed to explain Henry Gunther's actions on the last day of World War I are that he either committed suicide or saw it as a last chance at redemption.
