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Commitment and Sacrifice: Personal Diaries from the Great War
For years, those who attempted to understand the devastation of World War I looked to the collections of diplomatic documents, the stirring speeches, and the partisan memoirs of the leading participants. However, those accounts offered little by way of the intimate history, or the individual experiences of those involved in the Great War. In Commitment and Sacrifice , Marilyn Shevin-Coetzee and Frans Coetzee provide just such an "intimate look" by bringing together previously unpublished diaries of five participants in the First World War and restoring to publication the diary of a sixth that has long been out of print.
The six diaries address the war on the Western front and the Mediterranean, as well as behind the lines on the home front. Together, these diarists form a diverse John French, a British sapper who dug precarious tunnels beneath the trenches of the Western Front; Henri Desagneaux, a French infantry officer embroiled in years of bloody combat; Philip T. Cate, an idealistic American volunteer ambulance driver who sought to save lives rather than take them; Willy Wolff, a German businessman caught in England upon the war's outbreak and interned there for the duration; James Douglas Hutchison, a New Zealand artilleryman fighting thousands of miles from home; and Felix Kaufmann, a German machine gunner, captured and held as a prisoner of war.
Through the personal reflections of these young men, we are transported into many of the iconic episodes of the war, from the upheaval of mobilization through the great battles of Gallipoli, Verdun, and the Somme, as well as the less familiar "other ordeal" of internment and captivity. As members of the so-called Generation of 1914 (each was between nineteen and twenty-four years old), they shared an unwavering commitment to their countries' cause, and possessed a steadfast determination to persevere despite often appalling circumstances.
Collectively, these diaries illuminate the sacrifices of war, whether willingly volunteered or stoically endured. That the diarists had the desire and the ingenuity to record their experiences, whether for their families, posterity, or simply their own personal satisfaction, gives readers the ability to eavesdrop on horrors long past. A century later, we are fortunate that they were both willing and able to set pencil to paper.
The six diaries address the war on the Western front and the Mediterranean, as well as behind the lines on the home front. Together, these diarists form a diverse John French, a British sapper who dug precarious tunnels beneath the trenches of the Western Front; Henri Desagneaux, a French infantry officer embroiled in years of bloody combat; Philip T. Cate, an idealistic American volunteer ambulance driver who sought to save lives rather than take them; Willy Wolff, a German businessman caught in England upon the war's outbreak and interned there for the duration; James Douglas Hutchison, a New Zealand artilleryman fighting thousands of miles from home; and Felix Kaufmann, a German machine gunner, captured and held as a prisoner of war.
Through the personal reflections of these young men, we are transported into many of the iconic episodes of the war, from the upheaval of mobilization through the great battles of Gallipoli, Verdun, and the Somme, as well as the less familiar "other ordeal" of internment and captivity. As members of the so-called Generation of 1914 (each was between nineteen and twenty-four years old), they shared an unwavering commitment to their countries' cause, and possessed a steadfast determination to persevere despite often appalling circumstances.
Collectively, these diaries illuminate the sacrifices of war, whether willingly volunteered or stoically endured. That the diarists had the desire and the ingenuity to record their experiences, whether for their families, posterity, or simply their own personal satisfaction, gives readers the ability to eavesdrop on horrors long past. A century later, we are fortunate that they were both willing and able to set pencil to paper.
- GenresWarWorld War I
348 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2015
25 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 18, 2015
Completely fascinating! I especially appreciated the diaries of John French and Henri Desagneaux. Their accounts are so vivid, offering a feel of what it was like to be in the battlefield. Constant noise, living in mud, the stench of corpses. French's life as a sapper surprised me; they lived away from the front line and came to the trenches to work each day like a regular job.
Willy Wolff's account of being interned in England is hard reading. He was so bitter, understandable with his loss of freedom. His jubilation over British setbacks got tiresome. Felix Kaufmann, as a German POW in France, detailed all the hardships endured without the hatefulness. He did consider himself intellectually above most others, and enjoyed discussions with Frenchmen, refuting arguments against Germany. He admitted being unable to defend Germany's breach of Belgium's neutrality.
Very enlightening book.
Willy Wolff's account of being interned in England is hard reading. He was so bitter, understandable with his loss of freedom. His jubilation over British setbacks got tiresome. Felix Kaufmann, as a German POW in France, detailed all the hardships endured without the hatefulness. He did consider himself intellectually above most others, and enjoyed discussions with Frenchmen, refuting arguments against Germany. He admitted being unable to defend Germany's breach of Belgium's neutrality.
Very enlightening book.
October 8, 2020
Commitment and Sacrifice: Personal Diaries from the Great War edited and notated by Frans Coetzee, Marilyn Shevin-Coetzee is a collection of six diaries from six very different people involved in the fighting of the first world war. The Coetzees are independent scholars; they have previously taught at Yale and George Washington Universities. Marilyn is the author of The German Army League: Popular Nationalism in Wilhelmine Germany and Frans the author of For Party or Country: Nationalism and the Dilemmas of Popular Conservatism in Edwardian England . Together, they have co-edited Authority, Identity and the Social History of the Great War; World War I and European Society: A Sourcebook ; World War I: A History in Documents ; and The World in Flames:A World War II Sourcebook.
Last year was the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI and many books on the subject were published. Some were very good at offering insight to areas not usually covered in general history. Books concentrating on the Eastern front were published. At least one book on Gallipoli and the Mandate System found their way into my hands. Different views of the war were presented with some placing the blame squarely on Germany while others examining the entire diplomatic/military failure. Books were published on the diplomacy leading up to the war and the compulsion for the people to readily enter into war after fifty years of peace and growing prosperity. Commitment and Sacrifice looks at the war through first hand accounts of those involved directly and indirectly in the fighting.
Usually, first-hand accounts are used to show the horror and senselessness of the fighting and the horrid conditions in the trenches. Here six individuals are chosen and their diaries published. The diaries are notated with historical references, explanations of slang and foreign words, and corrections of misused foreign words, places, and people. Before each diary account is a short biography of the writer and his wartime environment. Rather than the diaries of six infantrymen on the French lines the people chosen are from a variety of nations and stationed at different locations.
The book opens with Englishman John French, a sapper, and his account of the war. It is very British -- straightforward and to the point. French documents well but without emotion. Philip Cate an American ambulance volunteer relates his experiences. He writes with great detail and interest. Perhaps not being shot at in the trenches gave him more time and a better outlook on the war. Willy Wolff, was a German living in England at the outbreak of the war and found himself like other German nationals in an internment camp. I did not, before, realize the extent of the internment camps in England. Not only were the camps filled with Germans, a sizeable percentage of them were Jews. James D Hutchison was a New Zealander, part of the ANZAC forces, who served as an artilleryman at Gallipoli. He would later return as an officer on the western front. Henri Desagneaux was a french infantry officer on the front. He was a soldier’s soldier. From his writing, his disdain for the higher ranking officers who only came to the forward areas to inspect and criticize the troops is clear. Finally, Felix Kaufmann, a German prisoner of war, records his story of life as a prisoner in France.
These men came from different places, held different positions, and supported different sides in the war. Much like the fable of the blind men and the elephant, the different experiences give a complete picture of the war. Like the modern military two things were important to the diarists -- letters from home and food. The diaries provide a unique view of the war. Unlike letters home about the war which were censored and written so loved ones would not worry about their safety, these were personal observations that were meant to be kept private filled with real feelings and observations. This is the war as experienced by the participants who wrote what they experienced with no ulterior motives unlike newspapers or novelists which tend to sensationalize. Commitment and Sacrifice provides a rare look at the war through the private thoughts of those involved.
Last year was the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI and many books on the subject were published. Some were very good at offering insight to areas not usually covered in general history. Books concentrating on the Eastern front were published. At least one book on Gallipoli and the Mandate System found their way into my hands. Different views of the war were presented with some placing the blame squarely on Germany while others examining the entire diplomatic/military failure. Books were published on the diplomacy leading up to the war and the compulsion for the people to readily enter into war after fifty years of peace and growing prosperity. Commitment and Sacrifice looks at the war through first hand accounts of those involved directly and indirectly in the fighting.
Usually, first-hand accounts are used to show the horror and senselessness of the fighting and the horrid conditions in the trenches. Here six individuals are chosen and their diaries published. The diaries are notated with historical references, explanations of slang and foreign words, and corrections of misused foreign words, places, and people. Before each diary account is a short biography of the writer and his wartime environment. Rather than the diaries of six infantrymen on the French lines the people chosen are from a variety of nations and stationed at different locations.
The book opens with Englishman John French, a sapper, and his account of the war. It is very British -- straightforward and to the point. French documents well but without emotion. Philip Cate an American ambulance volunteer relates his experiences. He writes with great detail and interest. Perhaps not being shot at in the trenches gave him more time and a better outlook on the war. Willy Wolff, was a German living in England at the outbreak of the war and found himself like other German nationals in an internment camp. I did not, before, realize the extent of the internment camps in England. Not only were the camps filled with Germans, a sizeable percentage of them were Jews. James D Hutchison was a New Zealander, part of the ANZAC forces, who served as an artilleryman at Gallipoli. He would later return as an officer on the western front. Henri Desagneaux was a french infantry officer on the front. He was a soldier’s soldier. From his writing, his disdain for the higher ranking officers who only came to the forward areas to inspect and criticize the troops is clear. Finally, Felix Kaufmann, a German prisoner of war, records his story of life as a prisoner in France.
These men came from different places, held different positions, and supported different sides in the war. Much like the fable of the blind men and the elephant, the different experiences give a complete picture of the war. Like the modern military two things were important to the diarists -- letters from home and food. The diaries provide a unique view of the war. Unlike letters home about the war which were censored and written so loved ones would not worry about their safety, these were personal observations that were meant to be kept private filled with real feelings and observations. This is the war as experienced by the participants who wrote what they experienced with no ulterior motives unlike newspapers or novelists which tend to sensationalize. Commitment and Sacrifice provides a rare look at the war through the private thoughts of those involved.
June 23, 2017
Diary excerpts from six young men, all from different backgrounds, all with their own story to tell about their experiences in the First World War. Truly eye opening as we see and hear about this terrible time through their personal viewpoints. Graphic descriptions, the misery, sadness, lack of privacy, losing companions - just never knowing what would happen next or if they would even survive. Highlights are receiving letters from loved ones and of course food. A book for anyone who is interested in WW1 - fascinating. I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2025
going back in time to read thoughts of people long dead.
April 23, 2015
A new and intimate study of ordinary individuals caught up in World War 1.
The book is essentially a reprint of a number of World War 1 historical diaries of soldiers on the Allied and well as the German side. They detail the soldier's experiences including mobilisation, major battles such as Gallipoli, Verdun, and the Somme, as well as the less familiar experiences of internment and captivity.
The volume of soldier's writing during World War 1 beggars belief. One soldier sent two thousand letters between him and his wife and it has been estimated that French soldiers, for example, produced some four million letters a day and several billion over the course of the conflict.
The book is brought to life by including personal photos of the soldiers in their uniforms ,as well as at home and with their family. Through the personal words and the photos you are drawn into the soldiers lives far better than any dry military history.
Their testimony covers a range of subjects from the rarity of hand-to-hand combat to the constant boredom of inaction and the surprisingly muted hatred of the enemy.
Recommended for those that want to hear what it was like first hand.
The book is essentially a reprint of a number of World War 1 historical diaries of soldiers on the Allied and well as the German side. They detail the soldier's experiences including mobilisation, major battles such as Gallipoli, Verdun, and the Somme, as well as the less familiar experiences of internment and captivity.
The volume of soldier's writing during World War 1 beggars belief. One soldier sent two thousand letters between him and his wife and it has been estimated that French soldiers, for example, produced some four million letters a day and several billion over the course of the conflict.
The book is brought to life by including personal photos of the soldiers in their uniforms ,as well as at home and with their family. Through the personal words and the photos you are drawn into the soldiers lives far better than any dry military history.
Their testimony covers a range of subjects from the rarity of hand-to-hand combat to the constant boredom of inaction and the surprisingly muted hatred of the enemy.
Recommended for those that want to hear what it was like first hand.
May 2, 2015
relly good book found it mentions a interment camp that is only a few miles away from where i live would recomend
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews