Great War (1914-1918): The Society and Culture of the First World War discussion

America declared to enter the Great War (WWI) 95 years ago today on April 6, 1917. Congressman Royal C. Johnson of South Dakota was driven to serve his country and took a leave of absence entering the Army in the 313 Infantry as a private and through leadership rose to become a 1st lieutenant. Wounded in action he received our nation’s second highest award the Distinguished Service Cross along with the French Croix de Guerre. He returned to Congress after the war serving as chairman of the House War Investigation Committee No. 3 questioning American deaths on Armistice Day.

Historically June 6th is a very important day in 20th Century military history. Two battles spaced 26 years apart took place on French soil with the common goal to destroy and push back entrenched German military forces. Through courage and determination along with sacrifice and loss of life, came success to the American and Allied Forces in both encounters.

On June 6, 1918 the famous WWI battle to save Paris, known as Belleau Wood began at 3:50 AM. The setting was around a beautiful hunting lodge surrounded by woods and wheat fields, only a three day march from the French capital. The Marine Corps casualties on that single day surpassed the entire accumulated total of their entire years of service.

On June 6, 1944, D-Day, the Allied invasion known as the Normandy Campaign, began around 12:15 AM with amphibious landings at 6:30 AM along a 50 mile stretch of the French coast. The coordinated sea, land and air Allied effort culminated with fighting at several beaches. The fiercest fighting took place at Omaha Beach where the 29th Infantry Division along with U.S. Army Rangers gained a foothold and moved forward.

Through the Wheat is a classic fictional novel, while Miracle at Belleau Wood: The Birth of the Modern U.S. Marine Corps covers the historical battle. Devil Dogs contains a very detailed 160 page chapter on Belleau Wood.

Through the Wheat

Thomas Boyd

Synopsis
U.S. Marine participation in World War I is known as a defining moment in the Marine Corps' great history. It is a story of exceptional heroism and significant operational achievements, along with lessons learned the hard way. The Marines entered World War I as a small force of seagoing light infantry that had rarely faced a well-armed enemy. On a single June day, in their initial assault 'through the wheat' on Belleau Wood against German machine-guns and poison gas shells, the Marines suffered more casualties than they had experienced in all their previous 142 years. Yet at Belleau Wood, Soissons, Blanc Mont, St. Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne the Marines proved themselves to be hard-nosed diehards with an affinity for close combat. Nearly a century later Belleau Wood still resonates as a touchstone battle of the Corps.

Miracle at Belleau Wood: The Birth of the Modern U.S. Marine Corps

Alan Axelrod

Synopsis
“Come on, you sons of bitches!
Do you want to live forever?”
—First Sergeant Dan Daly, USMC,leading an assault against German machine guns in Belleau Wood

Even before it was over at the end of June 1918, Americans were hailing the Battle of Belleau Wood as “the Gettysburg of the Great War”—World War I. U.S. Army general Robert L. Bullard put it this way: “The marines didn't ‘win the war’ here, but they saved the Allies from defeat. Had they arrived a few hours later, I think that would have been the beginning of the end.”
Gettysburg? It was more like Thermopylae, 480 BC, when three hundred Spartans held back some say as many as a half million Persians. In 1918, throughout the nearly month-long struggle for a twisted patch of French woodland half the size of New York City’s Central Park, the U.S. Marines were always outnumbered by the Germans, but, at the very start of the battle, overwhelmingly so. Just two hundred of them held off the leading edge of Crown Prince Rupprecht's entire army.
Stunned by the casualties this tiny band inflicted on them, the German soldiers branded the marines Teufelhunden, and the men of the Marine Corps have proudly called themselves Devil Dogs ever since.
Belleau Wood, the former hunting preserve of a Parisian aristocrat, lay little more than thirty miles northeast of Paris. Had the Germans broken through it in June 1918, they would almost surely have captured the French capital, and, with its fall, have knocked France out of the war, leaving the British and the newly arrived Americans little alternative but to surrender on the best terms they could get.
In this, their maiden battle of World War I, the United States Marines made sure that the German army was stopped in Belleau Wood—before it could get to Paris.
The victory was won at the terrible cost of about 40 percent marine casualties overall, with some companies being virtually wiped out. But the Battle of Belleau Wood burned the marines into the American imagination, instantly elevating the Corps to legendary status and forever transforming American military doctrine itself by demonstrating how the bold and efficient use of small, highly trained, utterly committed units could make the difference even in wars fought on the most massive of scales, bringing the battle to the enemy no matter how overwhelming the odds. This is the story of the epoch-making battle, the battle that made the modern Marine Corps, the battle that would form the heritage behind so many marine victories in later wars, at Tarawa and Iwo Jima, Pork Chop Hill, Khe Sanh, and at Fallujah.

Devil Dogs Fighting Marines of World War I

George B. Clark

Synopsis
Writing in a chatty, sometimes anecdotal style, Clark gives us the most detailed popular history available of the U.S. Marines in World War I. With a maximum strength of 75,000, the corps sent only two brigades to France. Only the Fourth Marine Brigade saw combat, and in France the "Devil Dogs," as the Germans nicknamed them, were a long way from their parent organization, the navy, and close to the army, which did not like marines. Clark includes a thorough account of the marines' most famous action, in the battle of Belleau Wood, as well as of the other six major battles in which they fought, including the bloody and botched, not to mention largely unknown, assault on Blanc Mont. Although rather free with his opinions, Clark has mined every available source and discovered new ones to back himself up. The final product is a collective portrait of men who, though initially unfamiliar with the Western Front and often poorly led by senior officers, prevailed with sheer courage and determination.

Francis Philip Woodruff (1883-1961) was prominently known by many as author Frank Richards, and at times Charles Hamilton, hence the potential confusion with the visual post below. He is well remembered for creating the fictional character Billy Bunter that appeared in many of his youth stories. As an English orphan he entered the Great War when it broke out in 1914 and served as a distinguished and decorated private to the end of the war with Armistice. I have read one piece by the British fellow and he certainly could write. I look forward to reading his World War I classic book.

“Old Soldiers Never Die”

by Charles Hamilton

Synopsis
One of the finest of all published memoirs of the Great War, truly a classic of its kind . A tribute to the army that died on the Western Front in 1914.

Mark wrote: "Francis Philip Woodruff (1883-1961) was prominently known by many as author Frank Richards, and at times Charles Hamilton, hence the potential confusion with the visual post below. He is well remem..."

I've got that one lined up for reading, received it last week. Now I'm quite primed.

Free ebook The Old Contemptibles: The British Expeditionary Force, 1914 by Robin Neillands

UK link http://amzn.to/1hKMb1e
US Link http://www.amazon.com/The-Old-Contemp...

There are so many books published on Gallapoli, which is the best?
Can anyone recommend them?

Thank you.

I recently read Peter Hart's


and thought it was really good - slightly revisionist
He writes in a style that reminded me of Lyn Macdonald

Alan Moorehead's

is also very good.

Mcrmilhist wrote: "Free ebook The Old Contemptibles: The British Expeditionary Force, 1914 by Robin Neillands

UK link http://amzn.to/1hKMb1e
US Link http://www.amazon.com/The-Old-Contemp......"

got it - thanks

Now I've got to find time to read it :)

Mcrmilhist wrote: "Free ebook The Old Contemptibles: The British Expeditionary Force, 1914 by Robin Neillands

UK link http://amzn.to/1hKMb1e
US Link http://www.amazon.com/The-Old-Contemp......"

Now you tell me. After I bought it last week. Looking forward to it.

Happy:

thank you I will look into these titles.

Several weeks ago, I bought the following book:

1914: Fight the Good Fight: Britain, the Army and the Coming of the First World War by Allan Mallinson, a former British Army cavalry officer (now writer-historian).

As we approach the 95th anniversary of the Armistice, this is a book you may want to check out.

I also have a copy of "1914", I will try and squeeze it in to read soon I think as it looks pretty good.

I thought this was an interesting article in Slate about the archeology currently being done at Gallipoli

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_an...

Can anyone suggest some good books on the Battle of the Marne? I'm looking for a general overview as well as personal accounts.
Also, can anyone suggest good books on early trench warfare, as in the last months of 1914? I'm interested in studying how trench warfare evolved over time. Eye-Deep In Hell: Trench Warfare In World War I is a good start but it's a bit once-over-lightly.

Hi Sean,

I have read these two accounts on the Battle of the Marne:

by Holger H. Herwig

by Georges Blond

Sean wrote: "...Also, can anyone suggest good books on early trench warfare, as in the last months of 1914?"

The last months of trench warfare 1914 bring to mind the book “Silent Night” about the December 1914 Christmas truce among the trenches on both sides. The vision of such lads sharing a mutual enjoyment of life is often on my mind. It’s a must read especially for the 100th Anniversary.

by Stanley Weintraub

Thanks for your suggestions! As for the Christmas truce and Christmas in WWI in general, I read and enjoyed

I agree about "Silent Night." Forgive me if I'm saying the obvious, but John Keegan's "The First World War" and Martin Gilbert's "The First World War: A Complete History" are two excellent general histories of the war with good discussions of the beginnings of trench warfare. A look at their bibliographies--especially Keegan's--should give you some fruitful leads. Good luck!

Frank Baldwin, who I met on my trip to the Marne, could. I'm sure, recommend some good books: http://www.judithjohnson.co.uk/1/post...

Two classic books on WW1 there Marilyn, good general starters on the Great War.

Judith wrote: "Frank Baldwin, who I met on my trip to the Marne, could. I'm sure, recommend some good books: http://www.judithjohnson.co.uk/1/post..."

Nice web page Judith, thanks for the link!

Thanks, Rick. Are you watching the tennis matches?

Has anyone read Aisne 1914: The Dawn of Trench Warfare? Sounds like just what I need for my early trench warfare research. The Amazon reviews are good but I'd love to get your two cents.

Among my various writing gigs, I was a travel blogger for Gadling for more than four years. One of my more recent trips was to Italy, where I got to see the Kobarid Museum on the Isonzo battlefield. You might be interested in this post and its accompanying photos:

http://www.gadling.com/2013/05/30/tou...

You can see all my WWI posts for Gadling here:

http://www.gadling.com/tag/wwi

These look wonderful - have book-marked! Couple of Southborough men buried in Italy, and also saw an exhibition in Riva del Garda on Italian Front, so very interested to read them.

Readers might be interested in the 2013 list of favourite historical fiction authors. Some like Ken Follett and Anne Perry have written about WWI. Details at http://wp.me/p29Qar-vf. This year's survey reached more than 2400 participants.
M.K. Tod

A photo album of a German soldier has been published for the first time, and the article about it has some interesting images.

http://www.thelocal.de/20140203/life-...

Sean wrote: "A photo album of a German soldier has been published for the first time, and the article about it has some interesting images.

http://www.thelocal.de/20140203/life-......"

Those are amazing photos, Sean. Thanks for sharing.

Ooh thanks Sean, rushing out now but bookmarked for weekend viewing.

Sean wrote: "A photo album of a German soldier has been published for the first time, and the article about it has some interesting images.

http://www.thelocal.de/20140203/life-......"

Thanks for the link, Sean. Amazing to see life close up a hundred years later. They were just fascinating.

One of T.E. Lawrence's camps found in Jordan

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/artic...

Great find Sean :)

Very interesting to see that camp way out in the desert.

Very interesting story, thanks for the link Sean.

That was interesting.

Thanks Sean. You keep finding these great little tidbits.

I just got back from a press trip to Belgium, where we visited several Great War sights as well as Bastogne and Waterloo, so you'll be getting some tidbits from yours truly soon!

anxiously awaiting :)

Jealous!!

Sounds great.

Years ago my parents went to Europe with another couple. Their trip included Bastogne. They went to a restaurant and were heard speaking English/American and the waiter plopped down a bottle of ketchup, under the impression that all Americans want ketchup. But they were subsequently heard to be discussing the Battle of the Bulge and when the people heard that the friend had been there, they couldn't do enough for them.

Garbage man saves 5,000 rare First World War photos that were thrown away
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/10...

And tragically, a piece of old ordnance at Ypres blew up and killed two workmen.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-...

Our press trip was at Ypres that day, and only a few kilometers from the explosion. That's putting WWI way to close. Sobering.

I'm in library school, and for a recent project I had to create a wordpress blog about any subject. I chose World War I. You can see it here:

http://wwilibrarian.wordpress.com/

I'd love some feedback if you guys have any: what I should change, what I should add, etc. I've already turned the project in, but I think I may continue it, as I've found it so interesting so far.

Sean wrote: "Garbage man saves 5,000 rare First World War photos that were thrown away
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/10...

And tra..."

That was a tragic reminder of the dangers of WW1 still laying about!

Sarah wrote: "I'm in library school, and for a recent project I had to create a wordpress blog about any subject. I chose World War I. You can see it here:

http://wwilibrarian.wordpress.com/

I'd love some feed..."

Hi Sarah, I've just had a quick look but so far very impressive, well done!

Sean wrote: "Garbage man saves 5,000 rare First World War photos that were thrown away
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/10...

And tra..."

That's wonderful about the garbageman. I heard about that explosion. How near and yet how far at the same time.

Sarah wrote: "I'm in library school, and for a recent project I had to create a wordpress blog about any subject. I chose World War I. You can see it here:

http://wwilibrarian.wordpress.com/

I'd love some feed..."

Looks interesting. I liked your map of "civilization" with the cannons going off.

I'm looking for public domain images of the BEF from 1914. Can anyone suggest a good site?

Some good photo of WW I from the Atlantic's web site

http://www.theatlantic.com/static/inf...

Thanks. That's great.

Here is a link to some very graphic WWI photos. It is beyond my comprehension how the First World War could be so forgotten. I like the final slide # 45 in “The Western Front, Part II, and Armistice” portraying the Marine Corps homecoming gathering likely taken before or after the NYC parade up Fifth Avenue on 8/8/1919 or the Washington, D.C. parade down Pennsylvania Ave. in front of President Wilson on 8/12/1919. My paternal grandfather would have been in the mix.

http://www.theatlantic.com/static/inf...

For every member of the Group, I highly recommend "The World War I Memoirs of Don V. Paradis, Gunnery Sergeant, USMC". Paradis, a fellow Michigander, served in France and later was part of the Occupation forces in Germany before returning to the U.S. in 1919. This was one of the best war memoirs that I've yet read. (Paradis gives it straight with no chaser!)



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As an aside, now that Europe is into the upcoming observance of the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, perhaps we, too, in the United States will begin to seriously re-examine our brief involvement (19 months) in that conflict.