The Long Way Home: An American Journey from Ellis Island to the Great War – The Inspiring Military History of Immigrant Soldiers and Medal of Honor Heroes of WWI

by David Laskin

“The Long Way Home is a riveting remembrance of the Great War by a master writer…. Deeply compelling.” — Douglas Brinkley

“Moving, revealing, and lovingly researched, this book is a must read, and a great read, for any of us whose forebears came from overseas-meaning just about all of us.” — Erik Larson

The author of the award-winning The Children’s Blizzard, David Laskin, returns with a remarkable true story of the immigrants who risked their lives fighting for America during the Great War.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War I, War, American History, Military History, Research

402 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Great Neck, New York, I grew up hearing stories that my immigrant Jewish grandparents told about the “old country” (Russia) that they left at the turn of the last century. When I was a teenager, my mother’s parents began making yearly trips to visit our relatives in Israel, and stories about the Israeli family sifted down to me as well. What I never heard growing up was that a third branch of the family had remained behind in the old country – and that all of them perished in the Holocaust. These are three branches whose intertwined stories I tell in THE FAMILY: THREE JOURNEYS INTO THE HEART OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.

An avid reader for as long as I remember, I graduated from Harvard College in 1975 with a degree in history and literature and went on to New College, Oxford, where I received an MA in English in 1977. After a brief stint in book publishing, I launched my career as a freelance writer. In recent years, I have been writing suspense-driven narrative non-fiction about the lives of people caught up in events beyond their control, be it catastrophic weather, war, or genocide. My 2004 book The Children’s Blizzard, a national bestseller, won the Washington State Book Award and the Midwest Booksellers Choice Award, and was nominated for a Quill Award. The Long Way Home (2010) also won the Washington State Book Award.

I write frequently for the New York Times Travel Section, and I have also published in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Seattle Times and Seattle Metropolitan.

When I’m not writing or traveling for research, I am usually outdoors trying to tame our large unruly garden north of Seattle, romping with our unruly Labrador retriever pup Patrick, skiing in Washington State’s Cascade Mountains, or hiking in the Wallowa Mountains of northeast Oregon. My wife, Kate O’Neill, and I have raised three wonderful daughters – all grown now and embarked on fascinating lives of their own.

Reviews

[Jimmie Kepler · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Laskin's "The Long Way Home: An American Journey from Ellis Island to the Great War" tells the story of the millions of immigrants who came to the United States at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries. He focuses on twelve men beginning with the back stories of their families’ plight in Europe. We learn of the struggles they had with daily survival in Europe. We experience their decisions to immigrate and the gauntlet of risks they encountered just getting out of their country to the USA. We feel the crowding and share the smells they meet on the ships that transport them to America. We learn of the fears they have going through the in-processing at Ellis Island.

From Ellis Island we see the immigrants span out over the US continent. We are there with them as they cling to and rely on assistance from extended and distant family to help them get a foot-hold in America and learn the streets are not paved with gold. We learn how each of the language and ethnic groups holds tightly to their customs and traditions such as church services and newspapers in their native languages. We see and feel the racism they endured.

We go on the adventures that each of the twelve experiences as they move toward their meeting with history and destiny called World War One. We see the hope and the longing to obtain their United States citizenship. We learn how many return to their homeland to fight for their home country. An example is over 90,000 Italians returned to Italy to fight in the Italian army.

We learn that as the induction of draftees began forty-three different languages were represented in the US Army and that 3/4 of the recruits that showed up at Camp Gordon, Georgia spoke no English! We discover the development of the Camp Gordon Plan to deal with the language difficulties.

We see how the soldiers despite these difficulties are shipped to Europe whether or not they were trained. Mr. Laskin does a very good job using the immigrants' testimonies as taken from letters to their families, personal diaries, and interviews to include a veteran of 107 years of age. He paints a vividly in-depth account of the horrors and the heroic carrying out of duty in the war.

David Laskin's "The Long Way Home: An American Journey from Ellis Island to the Great War" is more than just a book for military history buffs. It is an excellent work covering the experience of immigration from 1880 to World War One and delivers the immigrants point of view on US History for that period. The genius of the book is in the thought provoking chronicle of the generation of foreign-born immigrants who are the focus of this book. You will look at this period of US and world history with better understanding after reading the book. I strongly recommend the book for those interested in immigrant and social history, general US History and US military history.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This covers the life of a dozen immigrants to the US who fought in WWI, the times, & major circumstances of the day. Since most of my great grandparents were part of that flood of immigration that came through Ellis Island, I found the beginning really interesting. There was some repetition, but the first half was really good. A lot of the war time was good, but it bounced around a lot, got repetitious & confusing.

It's unfortunate that Laskin never served in the military. Some of the things he finds so horrific were laughable since they were pretty much the same when I served 6 decades later. It weakens his narrative about the conditions these people fled & then what they had to put up with on the ground in Europe. It's pretty obvious that he has no idea what the real miseries are. It couldn't cheapen the sacrifices these men made, though.

His description of Ellis Island is interesting, although I've read others & his aren't the best. He does make the point of how bewildering it was. Most were processed through in about 5 hours, but it was a crazy time. 5000 people a day was average & they often processed twice as many. The record was something over 11,000 people in one day.

The tensions over loyalties & the flood of immigrants is really well done, too. Almost 20% of the soldiers in WWI were immigrants, many without citizenship & no one was sure of their loyalties. In some cases, they weren't. Many Jews were all for the Soviet Union overthrowing the Czar not realizing what would arise. Immigrant Serbs, far from supporting the Austro-Hungarian empire, wanted to fight against it. Many Irish were pro-German because they were so anti-British. Many Germans wanted to be Americans & fought against Germany knowing they might be trying to kill relatives just like so many of the other immigrants. It's pretty amazing I sit here writing this today since my own family would have been on both sides of the conflict. Bewildering to me. Imagine how much more so it was for them.

Laskin covers WWI briefly, but well enough. He concentrates on the end in which the Americans participated & then goes on to tell the rest of the story of their lives. It's rather confused. Sometimes he tells several stories together & other times he tells just one in both cases. He draws parallels that I don't think were valid. 10 miles can make a big difference, but hearing some of the source material was interesting.

He takes us quickly through the fall out after the war & how the next generation had to fight another 'War To End All Wars'. One of the WWI veterans threw himself on his bed & wept at the news knowing his sons would have to serve. There was lot of anti-immigrant sentiment up through the McCarthy Era.

What disappointed me most about this book was that Laskin never related it to the issues we have with immigration today. Patriotism isn't fashionable with most any more. Unfortunately, our gov't has broken our trust far too often & continues to do so as it has turned into an oligarchy. Still, to those who want to immigrate here, it is a land of far better opportunity & most of these people are willing to work hard to become citizens. We're losing our unity, but we're still one of the best places to live.

He also seemed to think religion was a great thing, even when people refused to honor the social contract & wouldn't serve. I agree that conscientious objectors were poorly handled in WWI. Their brutal treatment is unconscionable, but he failed to make the point that even had the better rules been in place, some of these people still wouldn't have served in any capacity, even those available today. They shouldn't have been tortured, but they certainly don't have the right to eschew all service, either. They refused to even wear uniforms when they were the only clothes available. That sort of fanaticism can't be tolerated either, especially when it has no rational basis. There are limits to the freedom of religion & expressing it.

All told, it wasn't a bad book. It had a lot of good information that could have been better presented. His lack of personal experience & extreme liberalism didn't help either. It's certainly not a waste of time, though. If you've got the time, I recommend it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The running joke with people who know my reading tastes is that my favorite books are those focused on the Canadian World War I experience at home and in combat. Not too particular, right? This interest doesn't really make sense. While I do like reading both fiction and NF World War I/II books, I get bogged down in the specific movements of armies and battles but am fascinated with the motivating factors and stories of individuals. Which brings us back to Canada...how so many fought in really horrible battles of World War I. They weren't really fighting for their country, which makes the motivation all a little more obscure, and therefore interesting.
This book has that interesting motivating appeal, and I found it really touching and emotional. Laskin tells the stories of 12 soldiers who fought in World War I, all of them recent immigrants and only one of them was a citizen when the war started (though he was born in Wisconsin, he didn't speak English!). The waves of immigration just after the turn of the century meant that 1/5 of all US military recruits were foreign born. Many didn't speak English, most weren't citizens and yet were drafted and served overseas in the military. Many supported the war effort, including Poles, Czechs and Jews who were anxious to see the end of German, Russian or Austro-Hungarian occupation or subjugation of their families. But many left their family homeland behind, and weren't necessarily interested in fighting the fight that they didn't think was theirs.
The books starts with the stories of immigration, follows the young men to America and then chronicles some of the battles in which they fought. The pace is pretty fast, covering 12 people in these three stages, but is easy to read and was instantly compelling.
The story line is pretty specific, so I don't see this as wide ranging appeal, but I really enjoyed it.

[Doreen Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely well written book. A perfect blend of history with the personal stories of the men sent into battle. It truly captured my heart.

[C.G.Koens · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Much Lost History

As someone who grew up in a family of history buffs, surrounded by history books and who was, initially, a history major in college, I was stunned and humbled by how little I knew about WWI (The Great War), and specifically the American involvement. This story of immigration, patriotism, war, loss, conscientious objectors, and political maneuvers should be a must read for all who think the political upheaval in the U.S. today is something new. It's true that those who fail to learn about history are doomed to repeat it. I highly recommend this well written, factual book.

[Mark Mortensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book focused upon 12 males, who for the most part immigrated to America around the turn of the 20th Century from countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Italy, Norway, Poland, Ireland and Austria-Hungary seeking common goals of greater career opportunity and to a certain extent freedom and liberty. Departing Ellis Island the individuals scattered throughout the United States to connect with family members and others. With different ethnicity, language, culture and religious beliefs they tried to quickly meld into society.

Their assimilation was disrupted when America entered the Great War (WWI) on April 6, 1917. Many of the youthful immigrants registering to represent the United States were currently not official American citizens, but they would receive their citizenship through active combat service. The lives of the rather random lot would be forever altered as they traversed back across the Atlantic Ocean trying their best to conform to military regulation, new comrades and the reality of war. Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. servicemen had been born overseas. For the survivors who made the post war journey back to the eastern shores of America it was time to once again begin life all over. Above all, the tough times did not diminish their profound appreciation for America their official home.

Of the twelve unique biographies, 11 entered the Army and 1 joined the Marine Corps. The one Marine was NCO Matej Kocak, who received the Medal of Honor for bravery at Soissons. I was particularly intrigued by the author’s chapter on the heroic Meuse Argonne battle of Blanc Mont that noted praise and recognition for Sgt. Kocak’s battalion commander, USMC Major George W. Hamilton. My paternal grandfather Ove Mortensen was like many of the documented 12 as he emigrated from Denmark to America and fought in the same Marine Corps 66th Company alongside Sgt. Kocak at Blanc Mont.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this for my History II college course, and I will admit that it would not have been my first choice. I didn't know that much about the First World War, as I am pretty much obsessed with anything having to do with the Second World War. But it was assigned for school; I had to read it anyway. Once I got into it, though, it was difficult to put down. I will admit that, when the first soldier was killed, I honestly just about cried from anger. I knew from reading the back cover that three of the twelve soldiers did not return home alive after the war, but not which ones. But I think what made me so upset was the harrowing knowledge that this was not fiction, and that I had just gone through about six or so chapters learning about each of these soldiers, where they were from, their expectations in coming to America for a better life before the war and who was praying they returned safely back to the United States. It was a fantastic read for a history lover like myself and even after I took the book exam for my class, I still chose to finish the book on my own time. Laskin's writing style was a bit different than what I am used to, but he explained the military ranks, campaigns and strategies in an easy way, which I really appreciated.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usually lurking somewhere in today's ongoing immigration debate is an idealized notion of times when the vast majority of those coming to our shores were Europeans. One of those periods was the early part of the 20th Century when eastern, central and southern Europeans came en masse. More than 1 1/4 million immigrants arrived in 1907 alone. By 1910 foreign-born residents accounted for almost 15 percent of the country's total population. By 1914 one of every three Americans was an immigrant or the child of an immigrant.

Yet as David Laskin explores in The Long Way Home: An American Journey from Ellis Island to the Great War , the influx of Italians, Poles, Slavs and Jews has become a golden age thanks to the perspective of a century of history. At the time, immigrants tended to have low-paying jobs, often lived in their own sections of cities where little English was spoken and were commonly referred to as dago, kike, polack, bohunk, wop, yid or some other slur. Laskin suggests that the service of immigrants in the American military in World War I was a significant step in the American melting pot.

The Long Way Home casts that motif around the lives of eleven individuals who came to the country from places as diverse as Norway, Italy, Poland and the Russian Pale of Settlement and an American-born son of Slavic immigrants. Relying heavily on government documents, family records and memories, Laskin traces their stories from their native lands through their arrival in the U.S., their service in the U.S. armed forces in World War I and their lives after the war for those who survived. In fact, more of the book details their pre-war histories and issues confronted by the service of immigrants in the military than their experiences once the U.S. entered the war.

The fact most of the immigrants were not citizens was not the only concern about them enlisting or being drafted into the U.S. military. Some ethnic groups opposed the war for political or religious reasons. To illustrate this, the book details the stories of Hutterites from South Dakota who were imprisoned for refusing to serve in the military on religious grounds. Much of the concern arose from the fact that 15 percent of the country traced their heritage to nations America was fighting and some immigrants had fathers, brothers, cousins or uncles in the armies of those nations. As a result, there were questions about not only who immigrants supported in the war but where the loyalties of immigrant draftees might lie. It was a legitimate concern for the military, given that at the peak of America's involvement in the war nearly one in five of its soldiers were foreign-born.

The dozen individuals Laskin particularly focuses upon never doubted their loyalty. They served admirably, some died and some were honored with medals, including the Congressional Medal of Honor. Where the book struggles a bit is largely in terms of the problems facing anyone trying to tell the personal stories decades after the fact.

Laskin, the author of The Children’s Blizzard , was able to interview only one of the dozen men he follows, an Italian immigrant who was 110 years old at the time of the interview. Although he strives to personalize the story through their individual tales, he is limited by forced reliance on government records, the stories and research of others, and family history and lore. Not all the dozen individuals left records of or are mentioned in official military accounts of the battles in which they participated. As a result, the diaries or written records of other participants "serve as kind of a proxy" for the experiences of those followed in the book. This at times means The Long Way Home feels more like a broad history of the war and America's immigrants than one of the particulars of the lives of these individuals.

Laskin also occasionally uses language that seems a bit too lofty, leaving a sense of trying to bolster stories that are exceptional in their own right. In addition, like far too many recent popular works of history, the book would benefit from a map or two showing the locations of various places, battles or troop movements.

Yet these concerns don't undermine the book's thesis. The Long Way Home illustrates how military service during the war helped Americanize the immigrant soldiers -- and not just by earning citizenship. From their perspective, they became and felt part of an American whole that blurred ethnic backgrounds. Their fighting units were American fighting units, no more and no less. From the perspective of native-born Americans with whom they served, immigrants became individuals rather than ethnic stereotypes. With the rigors and dangers of military service working as a great equalizer, even terms like "Woppy" moved from slur to friendly, albeit insensitive, nickname.

Laskin suggests the Americanization of these soldiers had an impact on a broader scale because part of the social contract between a country and its citizens is service in times of war. The men he follows and thousands of others held up their end of the bargain before actually having a citizenship contract with the country for which they were fighting.

In the streets of America they were aliens--but in no-man's-land they were expected to fight as fervently as native-born Americans. And, for the most part, they did. It was that loyalty in action that changed everything. They righted the imbalance of the social contract not by protesting but, paradoxically, by submitting. Their pride in serving won them, and their families, the status they could never have gained without the war.

Yet The Long Way Home also points out an ironic result. Although their experiences may have transformed immigrant soldiers into Americans, the years following World War I raised barriers for those who may have wanted to follow in their footsteps. The Russian Revolution helped create the Red Scare and soon "everything alien was suspect." Anti-immigrant sentiment increased and Congress limited immigration from Europe to the point where, for example, the number of immigrants from Italy dropped from more than 220,000 in 1921 to just 6,200 four years later.

That, of course, isn't the fault of America's immigrant soldiers. Not only did World War I fail as "the war to end all wars," even these veterans may have felt some of the anti-immigrant backlash of the 1920s. Laskin, though, helps demonstrate how their service and loyalty were vital in making them and their descendants an integral part of the country and its future.

(Originally posted at A Progressive on the Prairie)

[Kristi Thielen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A look at the experience of American immigrants who enlisted to fight in World War I, thereby returning to the very continent they had so recently fled, to risk their lives in an effort to prove they were worthy of being called "Americans".

Laskin personalizes the experience by following 12 men, all of whom have remarkable stories, 2 of whom were decorated with the Medal of Honor, 3 of whom lost their lives.

The book also provides an engrossing look at America itself during the first 2 decades of the 20th century when the country's population was changing at a breathtaking pace due to the arrival of immigrants. When the U.S. entered WWI, fully one-third of the country was either foreign born or the child of a parent born overseas and more than 100 languages and dialects were spoken across the country.

The American attitude toward immigrants remains a searing political question and there are still many who put on a uniform and put their body on the line for the USA, in hopes of being accepted as an American citizen. What that experience does to the immigrant, and how it changes them - and us - is well worth reading about.

[Daniel Connolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This nonfiction book vividly captures the experiences of early 20th century immigrants from Europe who came to America and a few short years later found themselves drafted into the Army and sent back to Europe to fight in the first World War. You get a sense of the helplessness of people living in oppressive conditions in Russia and elsewhere in Europe, the grueling ocean voyages in steerage, the hurly-burly and open ethnic hatred of early 20th century America, the messy process of turning a polyglot group of immigrants into a functioning Army, and the horror of war itself: poison gas attacks, flying shrapnel, commanders sacrificing soldiers' lives by ordering them to run straight into machine-gun fire.
One drawback: the narrative follows 12 men and I had trouble keeping track of who was who. Perhaps this was because I listened to it as a book on CD and couldn't easily flip back to the names and capsule biographies listed at the front of the book, as I could have if I'd read this in print.
Overall, I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in military history or immigration.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure at first that I'd be able to keep the 12+ immigrants profiled in this book all straight, but quickly became so involved in this very well done book that I had no problem keeping track of these amazing men and their stories. What an innovative way to look at the immigrant experience in America. Most of the men profiled here came from Europe--Italy, Russia, Poland, Ireland--lived here for a few years, and shortly found themselves fighting for their new country in a miserable war. While I would never recommend immigration solely for the purposes of "cannon fodder", it is nonetheless interesting to reflect on the stories of these twelve immigrants, and think of what we cost our country when we slammed the doors shut and withdrew the welcome mat from the Statue of Liberty and started chasing immigrants with dogs to keep them out. Riveting, thought-provoking read.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the stories of 12 men who immigrated to America near the beginning of the 20th century, why they came here, the troubles they faced, and how they found themselves soon returning to Europe to fight for America in WW1. Sometimes I got confused about who was who, but, in general, they were all proud that they fought and helped win the war. 90,000 Italians returned to Italy to fight for the American services, 43 languages were represented in the US Army, and 3/4 of the recruits that showed up at Camp Gordon, Georgia spoke no English.
While I was reading this book, history was repeating itself around the world. Syrians by the millions are being forced from their homes and are looking for a safe new home. More than half remain refugees in their own country. Many have fled to nearby countries. How can America help?

[Cindy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes a different perspective of the immigrant experience. The author follows 12 immigrants on their journey from the "old country" (Italy, Norway, Poland, Ireland) and follows them on their journeys to America and then back to Europe as soldiers during WWI. It's a testament to what the human soul can endure for freedom (as immigrants) and what courage they displayed for their adoptive country. Incredible detail of the battles of WWI, often drawing from military excerpts and personal testimony. You cannot help but be in awe of those soldiers who endured so much and went on to live productive lives, for the most part.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have trouble even forming words about this book. What people have endured, throughout history, astounds me but this generation and group of people truly served like none other. The immigrant angle of WWI was new to me but it was fascinating. Laskin's narrative voice and extensive research made for a remarkable, thorough look at the war from many sides. I have a while new reading list I want to go through now, thanks to questions he raised and subjects he touched on.
This is a must read for anyone interested in the various aspects of WWI and the millions it affected. Again, words can't do justice to the way it moved me and things it taught.

[Laura Duggan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fascinating to read about the many immigrants and their stories at the turn of the century. Many of the ideas and feelings toward immigration haven't changed much in the past 100 years - only who the immigrants are. I thought the author tried to cover too many men's stories and should have focused deeper on a smaller number. But he did a great job of telling their reasons for immigrating and then joining the army to fight in and/or against their old countries.

[Brittany LeMoine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because it was assigned for my history class, but found that I actually enjoyed it. It's a nonfiction book about immigrants in World War I. It easily could have been an extremely boring novel, but the author does a fantastic job of making something I normally enjoy interesting with a writing style that I loved. However, I did I have trouble keeping up with all of the men we were following the stories of.

[Donny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Initially it was tough to keep track of the 12 different immigrants Laskin was writing about. However, as the book progressed i figured out who was who. An excellent read and at times very emotional. Laskin descriptions of the WWI battlefield is excellent and in my opinion the some of best parts of the book.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

History of early 20th century and WWI told through the lives of a dozen men who were born in Europe, immigrated to America, and then returned to Europe as soldiers. Very interesting, an enjoyable way to learn history. Also the experience of my great-grandfather.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read. Highly recommend.

[Liz Lenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very timely book to read.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

As much about the immigrant experience circa 1910 as it is about World War I, David Laskin's The Long Way Home: An American Journey from Ellis Island to the Great War offers a unique perspective - or perspectives - on World War I.

Laskin has painstakingly reconstructed the histories of a dozen young, fresh immigrants to the United States, all of whom - by choice or by chance - return to the "Old Country" as soldiers in their adopted country's army to face the horrors of World War I. The men come from Italy and Ireland, Poland and the Pale of Settlement, and from places that have long ceased to exist (Kaszubia, anyone?). They are driven to the U.S. for all the usual reasons, of course, which generally amounts to seeking an escape from bone crushing poverty. Their experiences here are different - from mining in Montana, gardening in Massachusetts, and of course eking out a living on the Lower East Side (population density 1,000 per square block).

Their roles in war vary as well. Sam Goldberg patrolled the desert southwest as part of the cavalry in the aftermath of the Zimmerman Telegram. Most go to Europe, though, where they are deployed along the Western Front to break a four-year-old stalemate. Here Laskin delves into the politics of fighting war: arranging troops, ordering advances, coordinating positions among men who do not speak the same language. All of this, of course, at a time when messages traveled no faster than a good horse and the messenger might be shot en route. (As a sidenote, I remain fascinated by the fact that the All American Division was comprised of men who spoke 43 languages, but frequently almost no English.)

In Europe some men barely see war, but others become heroes. Michael Valente received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions. And some do not come home.

In many ways, given the U.S.'s late entry into the war, The Long Way Home is a bookend to The Guns of August (still one of the finest World War I histories I've read). It is fast paced and, honestly, fascinating, offering insights on the immigrant's experience as well as the soldier's. All told, The Long Way Home: An American Journey from Ellis Island to the Great War is an excellent read.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book to read because this is the story of my grandfather, whom I never met. He died before I was born.

The author followed the lives of 11 immigrants and one child of immigrants, their lives in their countries of origin, the way to America, the prejudice they faced when they came, their contributions to the U.S. effort in World War I, and their lives after the war. Nowadays we don't think much about World War I, so this book is needed so these stories are not forgotten.

The bravery of those men proved to the citizens they fought side by side with that they were worthy and honorable and deserved to become full-fledged Americans. Those who fought for our country were offered a well-deserved fast path to citizenship. I find it terribly sad that today our attitudes to immigrants today has not evolved. They're still viewed suspiciously and denigrated. And just this week, we learned that immigrants who have volunteered to serve in the armed forces will be pushed out for no other reason than they are new to our country.

Although my grandfather was not one of the 12 men whose stories the author followed, he could have been. Like them, conditions in the "old country" (Russo-Poland) were terrible. Like them, he took the perilous trip across the ocean, got processed into this country, and found a back-breaking job in the coal mines. He ended up in the army and became a private in the 320 field artillery. He fought in the the St. Michiel and Meuse Argonne offensives, which were described in the book. Family lore says he was mustard-gassed when he served in World War I, which affected his health. After his honorable discharge, he became a citizen of the country he fought for, married a pretty Polish immigrant, had children, and worked hard to make a good life here.

Thank you, David Laskin, for enriching my family's story with the details of what my grandfather went through in war and in peace. Everyone who had ancestors who came over in the late 1800's through early 1900's should read this book to understand what they had to endure so we could have the good lives we have in this country today.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was better than I hoped! It's written more novel-like so it is really easy to read and the beginning will hook you in. I loved the beginning; but towards the middle, it got a little harder to follow because he was following so many people and trying to talk about the war itself, it lost some of its personal touch.
The story follows 12 (sometimes more, sometimes less) immigrants who came to America before WWI and they ended up serving in WWI. The stories of them coming to American and how they settled into America was really interesting. I like how the author talks about what was going on socially and politically during that time in America and overseas. He does well in making sure he fills in the gaps so the reader is able to follow the timeline. The problem, for me, just came during the war and the author was following certain people and the war itself. So, it tended to get a little confusing at times trying to make sure you knew who was who or where they were at that time. It may have helped to have fewer people to follow, but you can tell he followed that many people to show that the immigrants really had a strong impact on the war. Some maps in the book may have helped too, but I still was able to enjoy the read.
I love that the author did a lot of research for this because you can really tell that he talked to people, researched archives, notes, letters, and just made sure he knew everything that was going on overall. I really appreciated all that this book covered and talked about.
I am glad that I picked this book up (I originally saw this when I visited Ellis Island) and I thoroughly enjoyed the read.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating collection of stories about legal immigrants to the US prior to WWI who came here to escape class, religious, and other oppression in their home countries. Most arrived on ships and passed through Ellis Island where they had to pass immigration and health inspections before being allowed into the US. All dozen of those included here answered the call to fight for their newly adopted country on the battlefields of Europe and, in some cases, back in their home countries. All were exceptionally grateful and proud to be Americans and, for those who survived and became US citizens, it was a very emotional experience. The all had the mindset of succeeding in America and contributing and giving back to their new homeland. Unlike what some in government were predicting, immigrants represented by this sample were as loyal or even more loyal to America as native born citizens. This was an inspirational read for me as a citizen and as a veteran especially in contrast to what we see today with illegal aliens expecting to just walk across our borders and apply for asylum and benefits! Highly recommended for anyone interested in how immigrant expectations have changed over time and how most immigrants viewed America as their dream country.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is about the lives of twelve or so U.S. immigrants that served in World War I. It starts with their lives in their home countries (e.g., Poland, Russia), then their immigration journey, followed by their lives in the U.S., and then their time in the military.

A few of my takeaways after finishing this book around a week ago are as follows:
- The U.S. military during World War I was incredibly diverse, consisting of immigrants of different countries, cultures, and language. One can imagine how difficult it was to organize and train such a military.
- To my surprise, the immigrant soldiers fought with much determination and honor on behalf of U.S. It is not clear to me how much of this can be attributed to the U.S. military's incentive system (e.g., citizenship for U.S. immigrant soldiers, strong punishments for bad behavior), intrinsic motives, some combination of the two, or some other factors.
- It is remarkable what man is capable of doing to his fellow man, as well as what man is capable of enduring.
- War has the ability to break down social barriers, such as class as race. Soldiers have special bonds with those they served with.

[Sarah Bodaly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read Laskin’s book on the Children’s Blizzard, and this book was equally captivating. It follows the stories of a dozen men who came to America through Ellis Island from their European homelands. Jews, Italians, Russians, Irish… they all wanted the fresh start America had to offer. Chronologically, he traces their years. Their times on the ships, their processing through Ellis Island. Their first years in America and integration into society. The War. Ultimately, it was the Great War that made these men Americans. Prior, most had been able to stay within their ethnic social circles, but now they were branching out, having to learn English, and having to interact with people who didn’t necessarily trust folks of different nationalities. Laskin covers their years in the War, and for those who survived, he follows them afterwards as they built families and started a new line of Americans. I really enjoyed this book. At times, it can seem a little disjointed as it jumps from person to person, especially within the months of war, but it’s going chronologically through so many men’s lives, so it’s going to have to jump a bit somewhere. Very interesting and engaging.

[Stephanie Pieck · Rating 4 out of 5]

A meticulously researched and well-written book, this is a group biography of twelve men who immigrated to America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It recounts their lives before, during, and after their service in World War I while chronicling America's fickle responses to foreign-born people. This is a book that should be read widely to remind us that people can appreciate and contribute to America even if they don't all choose to speak English or abandon the customs of their birth countries. These people are what make America the rich, vibrant nation it could be if we were only brave and humane enough to allow it.
We no longer have living veterans of the First World War among us, and often they were reluctant to speak of their experiences. Books like this one that weave written records together with accounts gotten during interviews are so important. They are not quick or easy reads. But patience is rewarded with a deeper, more nuanced, understanding of this complex war, a war whose repercussions continue to shape world politics, economics, and thought.

[Tom Glaser · Rating 4 out of 5]

History lite, a rather clichéd look at the immigrant experience in the US Army during WWI: three Jews, four Italians, two Poles, an Irishman, a Norwegian, and a Slovak. Two of the twelve were Congressional Medal of Honor winners and none were German, Austrian, Mexican or Asian, so the dozen soldiers who are supposed to epitomize the “journey from immigrant to soldier to citizen” constitute only a convenience sample. The author skips any exploration of the experiences of non-immigrant soldiers (80% of recruits) and how they may have been treated differently. To its credit, though, the book includes the experience of four Hutterite conscientious objectors.

Laskin’s writing is crisp and there are quite a few interesting details about pre-war immigration, but this is an unambitious book. Its main thrust is that the war accelerated the acculturation of a lot of poor immigrant men. This should be surprising to exactly no one.

[Paul Pessolano · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of the immigrants to the United States prior to World War I. The United States was maintaining its neutrality but found itself declaring war on Germany. Problem was the United States was basically a wasteland wit few people inhabiting it. Due to religious persecution and economic conditions a flood of immigrants from Italy, Germany, the Slovak Countries, and others started to fill in the empty spaces. Unfortunately, the paradise they were searching for did not materialize. This led many of the to join the Armed Forces, the question now was would they fight for their new country or remain loyal to their former country, many had not yet become citizens of the United States.

The author uses twelve examples of soldiers that faced this dilemma and the outcome.

A very good read for those I tested in immigration and the Second World War.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows 12 men who emigrated to the US prior to World War I, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, who entered the US military either as a way to 'have a job' or, when war broke out, to fight for their new country. The book examines the prejudices they had to overcome and the deep conflicts they faced as they knew they might end up fighting against former countrymen. No matter the horrid, awful, frightening conditions they faced, they did their duty and never shirked. During the time they served, they not only became brothers with their American soldiers but Americans as well.
Laskin follows each of their stories and also includes a follow up on their lives after the war. It is a very interesting book - especially in these times.