Flight Clothing for Aviators (Sears and Roebuck, 1918)The inability of the Sears & Roebuck Company to understand the nature of early aviation was made manifest by the fact that the first pilots used to wear horse-back riding clothes before taking to the skies.
Attached, you will find two pages from the Sears Military Equipment Catalog of 1918, pictured are flight-clothing items offered for military or private purchase.
Trench Coats on Madison Avenue (Magazine Advertisement. 1918)The trench coat has become such a mainstay in the male wardrobe throughout the years it is difficult to imagine a time when the great shopping boulevards were without them. Perhaps the first men's shops to offer them in the U.S. were on New York's Madison Avenue: F.R. Tripler and Brooks Brothers, where the garments can still be purchased to this day. The attached vintage print ad was commissioned by F.R. Trippler for a gabardine trench coat as well as the sale of private-purchase "flexible protective body armor". The body armor appears to have been modeled after a German design. The reader may be disappointed to learn that the Madison Avenue boutiques no longer offer body armor. Flag Day in Germany (Punch, 1918)A cartoonist at PUNCH MAGAZINE had a laugh at the expense of Germany and it's humiliation during the first few days of the Armistice. The Hastening of Prohibition (The Literary Digest, 1918)The "Dry" forces in Washington, who vigorously patted themselves on the back for having been able to get the Eighteenth Amendment through Congress in December of 1917, wanted the law to take effect sooner than the amendment had mandated. Shortly after the signing of the Armistice, they rallied their members on the Hill and launched a piece of legislation through Congress called the Emergency Agricultural Appropriations Bill:
"President Wilson signs the Emergency Agricultural Appropriations Bill, whose rider provides for national prohibition from July 1 next until the American Army is demobilized."
Lt. Colonel Charles Whittelesey in the Vanity Fair Hall of Fame (December, 1918)Unlike the Vanity Fair magazine that we find on our newsstands, the Vanity Fair published under the steady hand of it's first editor, Frank Crowninshield (1872 – 1947), was able to recognize that military heroes are a rare, three-dimensional breed, composed of an uncommon variety of testicular fortitude. Indeed, some years back, Israel went to the effort of giving IQ tests to the heroes of the Six Day War (1967) and they were not surprised to find that all of them tested in the higher ranges of their populations. The W.W. I U.S. Army hero Crowninshield saluted on the attached page was the commanding officer of a brave group of men called "the Lost Battalion".
Click here to read more about the heroism of Major Whittelesey.
''When Women Rule''(Vanity Fair, 1918)Some well-chosen words by L.L. Jones, one of the many forgotten Suffragettes of yore, who looked longingly to new day:
"So far as political equality is concerned I believe I could adjust myself quite readily to a society governed by United States presidentesses, State governesses, and city mayorines, alderwomen, chairwomen, directrices, senatresses, and congresswomen, and I believe I should be just as happy if clergywomen preached to me, doctrices prescribed for me, and policewomen helped me across the street, and chuffeuresses ran the taxis which on rare occasions I can afford to take."
Read a 1918 article about the women's city.
Trench Coat by Tunmer (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The raglan sleeve, gaberdine trench coat made by Tunmer was yet another of the many choices made available to the officers of the Entent Cordiale. ''Our Special Reporter at the Armistice Table'' (The B.E.F. Times, 1918)From our humor department came this submission that first appeared in a British Army Trench magazine. Night Patrol in the Toul Sector (Stars and Stripes, 1918)"Mr. Junius B. Wood, correspondent of the CHICAGO DAILY NEWS with the A.E.F. recently spent a week in the sector held by the American Army Northwest of Toul. He lived the life of a Doughboy, slept a little and saw a lot. He spent his days in and near the front line and some of his nights in No Man's Land. Here is the second and concluding installment of his story, depicting life at the front as it actually is..."
Click here to read an article about the German veterans of W.W. I.
The Shirt (Sears and Roebuck, 1918)This illustration depicts the U.S. Army olive drab flannel pull-over shirt that was first issued to U.S. enlisted men in 1912. This pull-over shirt was was produced for the Army up until 1934, when the full button-front shirt was issued. Trench Coat by Barker (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Yet another action-posed advertisement for an officer's private purchase trench coat. "The Great Military Outfitter", John Barker and Company, stepped up to the plate during the crises of 1914 and began to produce the "famous" 'Kenbar' trench coat: "Every detail so necessary for the most strenuous wear in the trenches is embodied in this excellent coat. The collar can be worn in four positions. The sleeves are made with reinforced elbows, and the skirt is cut full and fitted with cavalry gusset". Something Was Lacking in the Slang of the Doughboys (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The American poet Carl Sandburg once wrote words to the effect that "Slang is language that takes off its coat, spits on its hands, and goes to work" - a very soldierly description it was, too. That said, an anonymous Journalist from The Stars and Stripes examined the casual lingo muttered by the Doughboys in France and surmised that a
"universal slang in this man's army is as hard to find as universal peace in this man's world."
Perhaps it was all due to the fact that we weren't in that war long enough to make it our own.
The Scotch Oxford Golf Shoe (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)The preferred golf shoe of Presidents Wilson, Harding and Coolidge - or so our crack team of post-debutante archivists have told us. Cockpit of the Giant Goltha Bomber (j'ai vu Magazine, 1918)In the spring of 1917, the German Air Corps developed a squadron of large aircraft capable of dropping 660-pound bombs on London -and drop them they did, killing as many as 788 human beings between May of 1917 and May of 1918. The Giant Goltha Bombers conducted these raids primarily at night and utterly terrified the East End of London. Eventually, German losses escalated and the London raids were canceled in favor of Paris and various other French targets. In 1917 this image of a Goltha cockpit appeared in the French press.
Trench Coat by Sears (Sears and Roebuck Catalog, 1918)Strikingly similar to the American Army officer's 1912 great coat, Sears manufactured this cotton khaki trench coat in the same olive drab shade as the enlisted man's slicker. The Well-Born Officer (Vanity Fair, 1918)For it's October issue, the editors of VANITY FAIR magazine stepped up to the plate and did their bit with this splendid review of all the finest uniform apparel that New York City offered it's "silk stocking" officers. The article is nicely illustrated with photographs of a double-breasted mackinaw coat, two officer blouses (one of a wool-silk blend), a classic silk knit service tie as well as a very fine trench boot.
New From Amazon: Doughboys on the Great War:
How American Soldiers Viewed Their Military Experience
Christmas Shopping for the Doughboys (Vogue, 1918)These three pages were from the last of the two wartime Christmas issues American Vogue had managed to produce prior to the Armistice. Featured are some fashionable accessory items sold on New York's Fifth Avenue that the Vogue editors deemed suitable for industrial warfare.
Click here to read about the Sam Brown Belt. Dogfight Over Hunland (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)British fighter pilot in the Great War, Lieutenant E.M. Roberts, gave this account of the deadly game of "Boche-hunting above the clouds":
"I noticed he was going down a little, evidently for the purpose of shooting me from underneath. I was not quite sure as yet that such was really his intention; but the man was quick...he put five shots into my machine. But all of them missed me."
"I maneuvered into an offensive position as Quickly as I could, and I had my machine gun pelting him...The Hun began to spin earthward."
Clothing for Aviators (Sears and Roebuck, 1918)Two pages from the Sears Military Equipment catalog of 1918; these were flight-clothing items offered for military or private purchase during a time when aviation was oddly saturated with equestrian pretensions. The Famous One: The Burberry Trench Coat (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The trench coat, the submarine and the machine-gun were just a few of the innovations bequeathed to the modern world following the bloody brawl of 1914-1918. All three are still with us today, and one could even argue that, given the bitter peace that followed, these three were the only victors that emerged from that war. If that is the case, three cheers for "Field Marshal Burberry" and his legion of trench coats that have marched on every capitol city since that first autumn on the Marne! A Diagram of a French WW I Grenade (NY Times, 1918)A black and white mechanical drawing of a World War One French grenade with all parts labeled. In 1918, the New York Times wrote:
"The "pine-apple grenade", or as the French are wont to call it, the "citron" grenade (lemon) is charged with a powerful explosion called shedite, which when exploded on open ground is said to cause injuries at 250 yards. Primed with a sensitive detonator, the grenade is caused to explode when it strikes the ground. Very often the grenade is not thrown far enough, so the that the explosion is likely to cause casualties among one's own troops. Apart from these disadvantages, the grenade is an excellent weapon for hand to hand fighting. Night Patrol in the Trenches (Stars and Stripes, 1918)"Mr. Junius B. Wood, correspondent of the CHICAGO DAILY NEWS with the A.E.F. recently spent a week in the sector held by the American Army Northwest of Toul. He lived the life of a Doughboy, slept a little and saw a lot. He spent his days in and near the front line and some of his nights in No Man's Land. Here is the second and concluding installment of his story, depicting life at the front as it actually is..."
Wet vs. Dry (Vanity Fair, 1918)If you are looking for a serious report concerning the political battles fought in Congress regarding Prohibition (1919 - 1933), you can keep looking. The attached essay is a humorous parody of that dispute between the Drys and Wets as it existed just months before the 'Noble Experiment' began in earnest. By November of 1918, the American newspaper readers had simply overdosed on the redundant writings of assorted war correspondents - and so, with a bit of whimsy, the VANITY FAIR writer George S. Chappell sat down to write about the political war between these two groups using the same journalistic affectations everyone was so heartily sick of. You will also find a mock military map depicting the faux topography in dispute. How American Fighter Pilots Were Credited For Wins (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Here is an explanation from the official newspaper of the A.E.F. as to how World War I American fighter pilots were credited for their victories in the war against Germany. Click here to read an article about the development of aerial reconnaissance during W.W. I.
The Navy Call to Arms (Sea Power Magazine, 1918)Attached are a few words on the W.W. I naval recruiting poster To Arms by illustrator Milton Bancroft.
The article primarily describes what the duties of a ship's bugler are, what this position represents and why this was such an suitable graphic image for recruiting sailors for the war. The Working-Class Golfer (A and N Catalog, 1918)The 1920s editors of VANITY FAIR MAGAZINE would never have endorsed this ready-wear golfing jacket, nor would they have thought much of the country club that would permit such togs; but by today's barbarian standards which decide what passes for acceptable golf apparel, we think it's pretty nice. The Fifth Avenue Soldier (Advertisement, 1918)The haberdashers of the Franklin Simon Company of Fifth Avenue, New York City, simply must not have been reading the many news reports regarding the horrors of industrial warfare. Indeed, their concept of coping with such carnage involved offering such sale items as silk handkerchiefs, cashmere socks and a dashing bathrobe for tooling around the barracks. Click here to see what Brooks Brothers was selling During World War One. The Tailoring System for U.S. Officers (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)This U.S. Army uniform regulation announced in the September 13th, 1918 issue of THE STARS and STRIPES helped to put British, French (and later German) tailors to work on the uniforms of U.S. officers:
"According to this plan, each Quartermaster depot will have a tailoring system through which the officer can buy his cloth and then be fitted and outfitted on the spot. At each depot, civilian labor will be contracted and the officer need pay for only his share of the labor cost."
The Collar Accessory That Time Forgot... (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)One of the unsung heroes of men's fashions from the early part of the Twentieth century had to be the "Triangle Hook". A nifty device, it was designed "to fit the soft collar for more fastidious wear; to make it fit the neck snugly, show the tie gracefully, and stay stylish..." Various Articles on the Overseas Cap (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)For those who think a good deal about American military uniforms in the Great War, the overseas cap was just as unique to that war as the the Brody helmet, the trench coat and the gas mask. The American Quartermaster Corps liked the hat but they were terribly confused as to what to do with it: can we put insignia on it? Yes. No. Yes. Should it be worn back home? Click here to read a Stars & Stripes article about American W.W. I helmets. Changing the Uniforms to Fit the Climate (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)A short notice printed in May of 1918 which intended to let the Doughboys know that the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps was well aware that changes needed to be made in the American uniform in response to the damp French climate. The additional uniform items never went into production in light of the fact that the war ended six months later. The Power of Positive Thought in Military Training (Outing Magazine, 1918)The power of positive thinking is one of the necessary elements that has been ingrained within the psyche of every U.S. Army recruit for at least the past 100 years. Positive thought is the topic of this 1918 article about the wartime training of U.S. Army officer cadets at Camp Grant, Illinois, by Major Herman J. Koehler (1859 – 1927), who believed deeply that "there is no limit to human endurance".
Read what the U.S. Army psychologists had to say about courage. Sight-Seeing at the Front (Vanity Fair, 1918)Written during the closing weeks of the war, this Vanity Fair article was penned by a rather sly, witty scribe who was astounded to find that those areas closest to the front, yet just outside the entrances to the reserve trenches, were jam-packed with all manner of civilian tourist groups (ie. The American Woman's Bouillon Cube Fund, The Overseas Committee of the New and Enlarged Encyclopedia, The National Mushroom Association of the United States); an exercise in creative writing? You tell us.
The Dummy Horse Observation Post (Popular Mechanics, 1918)History's ancient example of camouflage, the Trojan horse, has a modern twist in this illustrated article. The journalist reported that at some undated point earlier in the war the French had a chance to set a mock horse-carcass between the opposing trenches and use it as an observation post.
The Case for Leonard Wood (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)Major General Leonard Wood (1860 - 1927) served as the U.S. Army Chief of Staff between the years 1910 through 1914 and was relieved of that office by President Wilson, who was unnerved by his wariness concerning America's inability to wage a modern war. Having alienated the president and other prominent generals in Washington, he continued on this path by launching the "Preparedness Movement" a year later in which he established four volunteer army training camps across the country.
Wood's admirer's were legion, and this article opines that his finely tuned military mind was not being put to proper use:
"General Wood has committed the sin of having been right from the very start. He has always been right. He has been right when Washington has been wrong. It is upon the heads of the entire pacifist crew who sold their shriveled souls and their country's safety to the devil of German propaganda, that is falling the blame for the blood of those who are dying on the hills of Picardy and the plains of Flanders."
Reminiscences of August Rodin (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)Not long after the death of Auguste Rodin (1840 - 1917) Paris-based artist Stephen Haweis (1878 - 1969) remembered his friendship with the French sculptor: "He loved flattery, as all human beings do, and would listen attentively to rhapsodies from almost anybody, though they do say that a pretty lady got more attention from him than a half-starved journalist."
"Rodin proclaimed himself the culminator of one era of sculpture, the inspirer, and nearly the author of another. He was the father of various schools which are lumped under the title of Modern Art." Greewich Village (Vanity Fair, 1918)A whimsical article about the topography of New York's Greenwich Village and the migratory habits of all it's assorted bohemians, vagrants, spinsters and vegetarians during the Prohibition era.
Click here to read some high praise for Greenwich Village from a French film star.
The Recycling of Doughboy Uniforms (Stars and Stripes, 1918)In 1918 the U.S. Army Service of Supply instituted a salvaging unit near the French city of Tours which employed hundreds of French women and a number of idle "Sammies" in order to eradicate Army waste. It was there that the millions of discarded uniform elements were re-fashioned into other useful items:
"At Tours they evolved a hospital slipper with a sole made from a torn and discarded campaign hat and an upper of O.D cloth cut from anywhere. It was such a good slipper, and easy to make that St. Pierre-des-Corps soon reached quantity production on it." The Cockpit of the Giant Goltha Bomber (j'ai vu..., 1918)During the spring of 1917 the Germans developed a squadron of large aircraft capable of dropping 660-pound bombs on London -and drop them they did, killing as many as 788 human beings between May of 1917 and May of 1918. The Giant Goltha Bombers conducted these raids primarily at night and utterly terrified the East End of London. Eventually, German losses escalated and the London raids were canceled in favor of Paris and various other French targets. In 1917 this image of a Goltha cockpit appeared in the French press. Click here to read an article about the development of aerial reconnaissance during W.W. I.
New York City During World War One (Vanity Fair, 1918)Delightfully illustrated with seven period photographs, this is a high-spirited read from VANITY FAIR titled "New York's Unceasing Pageantry": "From the First Liberty Loan to the Draft, from the Draft to the period of heatless days and meatless days, New York has showed good temper which used to be considered as but an indication of incorrigible lightness of mind. And as the months have gone by New York's interest in herself as a military center has grown and deepened, with the growing consciousness of the high part she was to play in an adventure that has done more for her as a social organism than anything else in her history."
Click here to read about the welcome New York gave Sergeant York. The Uniform of German POWs in World War I (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)This small notice appeared in The Stars & Stripes at the very end of the war and described how German Prisoners of War, while in the care of the American Army, would be clothed.
After the Armistice a minority of German prisoners would remain in U.S. hands to dig the graves of American soldiers and Marines.
 The Great War and It's Influence on Feminine Fashion (Vanity Fair, 1918)The military influence on feminine fashion predates the conflict of 1914-1918 by a long shot and the evidence of this is undeniable. These 1918 fashion illustrations show the influence that the war was having on American designers during the final year of W.W. I.
Click here to read about the fashion legacy of W.W. I...
To read about one of the fashion legacies of W.W. II, click here...
Click here to read about the origins of the T-shirt.
In Praise of Tennis Flannels (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)"For tennis, of course, the conventional flannel trousers will continue their popularity this season. But many men will also wear white duck or twill trousers, which has the advantage of great coolness and comparatively easy to launder..." -but wait! the excitement does not stop with such trilling prose! The reader will also find a lovely fashion drawing of some awfully mannly tennis players as well as photographs of the fashions being praised. Muirhead Bone at the Front (Times Literary Supplement, 1918)A book review covering a collection of drawings by one of the Official War Artists, Muirhead Bone (1873 - 1953). The book was titled, and it is not surprising to read that it was published by Country Life. The reviewer was not at all impressed with the artist's renderings of, what was at that time, the most dangerous place on planet earth: "In these drawings Mr. Muirhead Bone has resolutely refused to become a journalist. He has not allowed the novelty of his subject-matter to affect his treatment. There he differs from Mr. Nevinson. Mr. Nevinson in his pictures of the war is not a journalist but at least an illustrator." Nonetheless, Sir Douglas Haig wrote a supportive introduction to the book. Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) found his drawings to be highly inaccurate at best.
Yip! Yip! Yaphank! (NY Times, 1918) Edgar Degas: R.I.P. (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)Some interesting postmortem thoughts and seldom heard facts concerning the life and times of Impressionist painter Edgar Degas (1834 – 1917); of particular interest was the enormous amount of money fetched at auction for the assorted content of his studio during a time of national crises in France. *Watch a Clip from the Documentary About Edgar Edgas* The Winter Trench Coat (Thresher and Glenny Catalog, 1918)Illustrated pages from the Thresher and Glenny catalog showing how a blanket lining could be added to the trench coat in order to make the garment more suitable for winter campaigns. Also included in the advertisement were three glowing testimonials written by British officers who were simply bubbling over with excitement for their Thresher and Glenny trench coats.
Trench Coats for Women (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The Donut Dollies, Nurses and Hello Girls needed trench coats, too. This link will display the printable image of a 1918 advertisement for one of the first American trench coats made for women. Three New Medals Were Proposed During the First World War (Vanity Fair, 1918)Secretary of War, Newton Baker, introduced a bill before Congrees which proposed three new decorations: the Distinguished Service Cross (First Class), the Distinguished Service Cross (Second Class) and the Distinguished Service Medal. No less distuinguished was the Congressional Medal of Honor, which was re-fashioned (illustrations). A Wartime Footing for the USMC (Sea Power Magazine, 1918)The ranks of the United States Marine Corps began to swell in the early March of 1917, shortly after the Kaiser launched his campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare. When Congress declared war the following April, the expansion began is earnest:
"The Act of Congress making naval appropriations for the present fiscal year carries a proviso increasing the Marine Corps from its permanent legal enlisted strength of seventeen thousand and four hundred to a temporary war strength of seventy-five thousand and five hundred with a proportional increase in commissioned and warrant officers and the addition of two major generals and six brigadier generals."
This article is illustrated with 12 photographs. Click here to read about the African-American soldiers who served in France.
An Advertisement for W.W. I Officer Boots (Stars and Stripes, 1918)A black and white illustration showing the sort of British made boot favored by American officers during World War One. A look at the many pictures which depicted the officers of the A.E.F. and it is clear to see that the lace-to-the-knee style of trench boot was much preferred over other varieties. However, many pictures from the closing days of the war tend to also indicate the line officer's preference for ankle-boots with puttees. A Brief History of Drinking in America (The Nation, 1918)When only a few "wet" months were left before all alcohol was banned from the United States, THE NATION reviewed the 1918 "Anti-Prohibition Manual" and the "Year Book of the United States Brewers Association" (1917) and came away with this brief, but amusing and informative history of drinking. ''The Horrors of Peace'' (The Better Days, 1918) The 'Christy Girl' at War (Sea Power Magazine, 1918)When the songwriter Irving Berlin sat down in 1915 to write his well-loved ditty "I love the Girl on the Magazine Cover", we have no doubt that it was the Christy Girl who inspired him. The Christy-Girl, so-called, was the creation of the American commercial illustrator Howard Chandler Christy (1873 – 1952) who placed her famous mug on thousands of magazine covers, newspaper ads and billboards.
The attached file consists of two articles, both pertaining to recruiting posters; one for the U.S. Navy and the other for the Marines. In the interest of national security, the Christy-Girl is depicted as a cross-dressing patriot in both of them, and the sailors loved it; they preferred to call her "Honey Girl", and as far as they were concerned, that name fit her just fine. The New Thing for 1919: Water-Proof Footwear and Long Trousers (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Around the middle of 1918, the American Quartermasters began to think that their supply depots should actually be stocked with uniform items that were capable of providing some degree of warmth and comfort in the French winters, and so they dreamed-up the uniform elements described herein. For those who have some knowledge of American WW I uniforms it will be easy to recognize upon reading this article that most of these items were never made (except for the long pants). 'Men in War by Andreas Latzko (Current Opinion, 1918)In the bad-old days of World War I, author Andreas Latzko (1876 - 1943) served as a line officer in the Austro-Hungarian Army. While at the front he was affected by the horrors of combat until he found that he had seen enough and chose to desert. Even before the war had ended he managed to create an anti-war novel and get it to press before the Armistice. Digitized here is the 1918 review of his book, Men In War
"Disillusionment and an almost morbid sympathy with mental and physical suffering are outstanding features of the book." C.R.W. Nevinson: Futurist on the Front (The Great War, 1918)Attached you will find a segment from a longer article reviewing the W.W. I paintings of C.R.W. Nevinson (1889 - 1946). Trained by the Italian Futurist Severini, Nevinson made some of the most modern images of all the World War One artists: "C.R.W. Nevinson with unerring eye penetrated to the man behind the khaki and deliberately unveiled the son of toil. The hands of the foremost figures may be exaggerated (but probably not), and in any case they emphasize the essential truth that these men belong to the horny-handed class. They may not be beautiful, but they are strong..." Click here if you would like to read a 1922 article about C.R.W. Nevinson. The Uniforms of Women War Workers (Touchstone Magazine, 1918)Well-over 30,000 women participated in the United States war effort during World War One. The majority served as nurses, but there were also impressive numbers who volunteered to "do their bit" as drivers and telephone operators. Many chose to serve in the religious organizations, such as the Y.M.C.A., the Knights of Columbus or the Jewish Welfare Board. They all needed uniforms and that is what this well-illustrated article addresses. Never before had there been such a conflict requiring uniforms be cut in women's sizes, and this matter was not simply new to American women, it was a new day in human history as well.
"The background of women's service uniforms is war, war of the most terrible kind.
How unseemly any attempt to make the costume pleasing to the eye." Click here to visit an interesting site dealing with the history of American servicewomen.
If you would like to read about the U.S. Army uniforms for women during W.W. II, click here...
Dressed for Duty: America's Women in Uniform, 1898-1973
Hindenburg's Day by Gluyas Williams (Life Magazine, 1918)With his characteristic wit and economy of line, the American cartoonist Gluyas Williams once again sticks it to the Kaiser!
In the Doughboy Trenches (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)"Mr. Junius B Wood, correspondent of the CHICAGO DAILY NEWS with the A.E.F. recently spent a week in the sector held by the American Army Northwest of Toul. He lived the life of a Doughboy, slept a little and saw a lot. He spent his days in and near the front line and some of his nights in No Man's Land. Here is the second and concluding installment of his story, depicting life at the front as it actually is..."
The U.S. Army Assault on November 11, 1918 (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)This uncredited "Stars & Stripes" article dwells on the same topic as the well-researched book by Joseph Persico, Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918 (2003, Random House). For those who are curious about the violent climax of the war, this two page article will help you to understand which A.E.F. units were still attacking along what front at 10:59 a.m. on November 11, 1918. "Then a quite startling thing occurred. The skyline of the crest ahead of them grew suddenly populous with dancing soldiers...The Germans came with outstretched hands, ear-to-ear grins and souvenirs to swap for cigarettes." "So came to an end the 11th of November, 1918; the 585th day since America entered the war." There is no reference made to Sergeant Henry Gunther, of Baltimore, who was shot through the chest by German machine gun bullets at 10:59 outside the sleepy hamlet of Ville-devant-Chaumont. Signal Corps Movie Men of W.W. I (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Appearing in The Stars and Stripes in mid-February of 1918 was this column about one of the newest disciplines to be introduced to the photographic section of the U.S. Army Signal Corps: the motion picture branch.
"There is one movie-officer at present assigned to every division in the A.E.F.; one might call him the camera battery, if one wanted to get really military about it. Under him is a squad of expert photographers, some movie men, some 'still' snappers.
"From the time when the sun finally decides that he might as well hobble up in the sky and do part of a day's work, which isn't often in this region, until the time that the aged, decrepit old solar luminary decides again, about the middle of the afternoon, that he's done all he's going to do while the calender is fixed the way it is, the camera battery is up and around taking pot-shots at everything in sight... They may be 'covering' a review, a series of field maneuvers 'up front' or merely Blank Company's wash day at the village fountain. But always when the sun is shining, they are at it."
Click here to read a YANK MAGAZINE article about the Signal Corps films in the Second World War
Introducing the Overseas Cap (Stars and Stripes, 1918)The writer who toiled over the attached STARS and STRIPES article worked very hard to convince his Doughboy readership that the latest piece of U.S. Army headgear was "made on a scientific plan", terribly stylish and well-worth having around: "It has neither brim nor visor...It is better made than the old cap. It fits more neatly, looks more chic, adapts itself far more genteelly to the average Doughboy braincase." "To put it in a word, the new cap is natty. And the old cap was not even hatty." W.W. I Poster Artists Criticized (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)VANITY FAIR's art critic, James Frederick Gregg, had a good deal to say concerning the art of the World War One American poster campaign: "...Indeed, so ineffective have most of the posters been as art, that it is ridiculous to imagine that they have had any effect whatever in stimulating in us the spiritual side of our share in the war." Christmas Shopping for Women in Service (Harper's Bazaar, 1918)Contrary to those trust-fund babies who lord over the Harper's Bazaar of today, the editors and stylists of that magazine during World War I understood quite well the vital rolls American women were needed to fill while their country was struggling to attain proper footing in a state of total war. The attached file will show you seven photographs of various accessories recommended for W.W. I women war volunteers as well as two illustrations of various practical coats for winter.
From Amazon: Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War
A New Uniform Regulation for the NCOs of the A.E.F. (Stars and Stripes, 1918)In an attempt to save money, the U.S. Army issued an order that N.C.O.s were to wear chevrons on one arm only. Feminine Hats from a War-Weary France (Harper's Bazaar, 1918)Six fashionable illustrations from Harper's Bazaar of the Fall hats for 1918:
"Paris is exceedingly critical in regard to hats even in wartime, and the new ones are most interesting. Black velvet of course is rampant, and Marie Louise especially is using much much black panne velvet..." This wartime fashion review makes one passing reference to the millinery efforts of Coco Channel.
The Evolution of the U.S. Army Web Belt (Outing Magazine, 1918)The attached article, "How Our Soldiers Carry Their Ammunition", was originally published in a 1918 sporting magazine and gives an account as to how one uniform element unique to the U.S. and British military establishments came into prominence during the earliest years of the Twentieth Century. Written by Paul A Curtis, Jr., the essay describes the difficulties inherit with leather belting, the British need for an alternate material in order to maintain colonial regiments in India and the father of the American web belt, General Anson Mills (1834 - 1924).
When the Doughboys complained, they complained heavily about their uniforms; read about it here. •• A Film Clip that Explains the Problems Inherit with the W.W. I U.S. Army Back Pack •• Anticipating New Equipment (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Three notices appeared in the fall of 1918 announcing changes in design for three items issued to American troops: the 1918 combat knife, a.k.a. 'the Knuckle-Duster", the mess kit and the canteen. Interestingly, the notice pertaining to the canteen states that Doughboys had been carrying both French canteens and American canteens by the end of the war.
Click here to read magazine articles from the Second World War. Artist Jacob Epstein Drafted... (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)In 1918, the London-based American expatriot sculptor Jacob Epstein was living life to the fullest and enjoying all the benefits his talents had provided him. He had no intention of joining the army of his adopted country and had successfully avoided the draft since the outbreak of the war. However in 1918, conscription caught up with him. Epstein hated the idea of joining the colors, believing that the military would kill his creative soul, but this article puts a nice spin on all that. The News of the W.W. I Armistice (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)By the time this news column was read by the American Doughboys the truce was old news, however it makes for an interesting read as it is able to impart much of the Armistice excitement that filled the streets of Paris when the news of the surrender hit the boulevards. This front-page column makes clear that many of the rumors pertaining to the German collapse could not be verified, yet affirms reports concerning the revolution in Germany, it's food shortages and the Kaiser's exile to Holland. Click here to read World War II articles from YANK MAGAZINE. What Stake Did the Common Man Have in the European War? (Liberator Magazine, 1918)The Greenwhich Village cartoonist Art Young and his anarchist editors at The Masses, Liberator and The New Masses recognized all too well that the average Joe did not have a dog in that fight that was raging on across the sea. Baseball as Metaphor for War (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)In one of the first issues of the Stars & Stripes, it was decided to mark the historic occasion of the American arrival on the World War One front line with the always reliable baseball comparison. Printed beneath a headline that clearly implied that the war itself was actually "the World Series" sat one of the worst poems to ever appear on the front page of any newspaper:
"The Boches claim the Umpire is a sidin' with their nine,
But we are not the boobs to fall for such a phony line;
We know the game is fair and square, decision on the level;
The only boost the Kaiser gets is from his pal the Devil..."
From Amazon:
Sniper Mask (The Great War, 1918)As if simply having to be mindful of wind velocity and camouflage was not enough to occupy the thoughts of your average World War I German sniper, some were burdened to a further degree by having to affix this half-inch steel sniper mask to their faces...
Yanks on the Marne: The Battle of Chateau-Thierry (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The American performance at the battle of Chateau-Thierry proved to General Foche that the Americans had the necessary stuff, and it was widely recognized that the Doughboys played the key roll in keeping the Germans out of Paris. The attached STARS AND STRIPES article is extremely detailed as to the individual units (both French and American) that participated in rolling back the Germans along the Marne. "On June 4, the best information available indicated that the enemy was employing not less than 33 divisions, about 3000,000 men...But like the defenders of Verdun, the American machine gunners set their teeth and said, 'They shall not pass.'" Odd-Shaped Propeller More Efficient (Popular Mechanics, 1918)For at least one week in 1918, the slide-rule jockeys lounging about in the faculty watering holes at the aeronautical engineering brain-trusts believed that the propeller illustrated herein was pretty slick, and bound to bring greater speed to the aircraft of the day. But the bright lads at OldMagazineArticles.com couldn't help but notice that this propeller design was never seen any time after this issue of POPULAR MECHANICS was on the stand, so we have our doubts concerning the "increased efficiency" that the propeller was credited in creating...
What do you think? How the Furnace of War Made the Wrist Watch a Musculine Fashion Accessory (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The following article must have been penned as a result of some sort of creative writing project for one of the many bored World War One Doughboys waiting for the boat home. The article spells out how the necessities of modern war demanded that the wrist watch no longer be thought of as a piece of jewelery adorned only by fops and fems and evolved into a useful tool for soldiers on the field. The column makes clear that prior the Great War, any man who dared to accessorize themselves with a watch was immediately suspect and likely to have their noses broken. The T-shirt also had a military origin. Click here to read the article •Read an article about the history of Brooks Brothers• The U.S. Fires Her First Mustard Gas Shell (Observer, 1918)A cartoon by Alban B. Butler illustrating the overwhelming sense of glee that overcame American 1st Division artillerymen of World War I when they were charged with the task of firing the very first mustard gas shells ever to be fired by U.S. forces: "For months Americans had suffered from repeated concentrations of German mustard gas without the chance to retaliate in kind. (No date was given) U.S. Naval Officers Insignia (Vanity Fair, 1918)Yet another examination of U.S. Navy officer insignia with additional illustrations of American naval rating patches. Face Masks Will Fight Influenza (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The influenza of 1918 took a large bite out of the American Army, both at home and abroad. The military and civilian medical authorities were at a loss as to what actions should be taken to contain the disease, and as they paused to plan, thousands died. The attached article describes one step that provided some measure of success in the short term.
A more thorough article about Influenza can be read here.
Click here to read more about Influenza. A Great Paris Couturier Lends Her Talent to American Uniforms (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)One year prior to her retirement, Madame Paquin (1869 - 1936) was asked by the U.S Army to help with a particular element of uniform design. The World War One Trench Coat (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)The fashion designers of the past ninety-four years all seem to be of one mind when it comes to the subject of the trench coat: it needs to be re-designed every four months. Years have passed, but still the garment has not reached a final state; meanwhile the rest of us only get one shot at a first impression. It is no matter whether the one who wears the trench coat is an actual trench-dweller or simply one who Tweets all day; the designers all have their opinions regarding the fluctuating number of straps and 'D' rings. There has been no end to the amount of cleverness applied to the re-treading of the garment and through the years we have been treated to doggy trench coats and lady's evening gowns cut to resemble trench coats. Yet in the dark days of 1917, when the United States entered the fray, it was not lost on those who glanced at the attached column that too many of these raincoats were already buried in the damp grave yards of France and Belgium.
Click here to read about the fashion legacy of W.W. II: the t-shirt...
The Battle of Chateau-Thierry (Stars and Stripes, 1918)The American performance at the battle of Chateau-Thierry proved to General Foche that the Americans had the necessary stuff, and it was widely recognized that the Doughboys played the key roll in keeping the Germans out of Paris.
The attached STARS AND STRIPES article is extremely detailed as to the individual units (both French and American) that participated in rolling back the Germans along the Marne.
The Battle of the Cooties (NY Times, 1918)"Cooties", in the World War One sense of the word, were tiny little bugs that lived in the seams of uniforms for that unlucky multitude who lived in the trenches. Being an equal-opportunity sort of parasite, they plagued all combatants alike, regardless of one's opinions concerning Belgian neutrality, and were cause for much complaining, scratching, discomfort and the creation of way too much juvenile verse. The attached article from 1917 tells the tale of some fortunate Doughboys and their encounter with a U.S. Army "Cootie Graveyard" (read: delousing station): "They entered a bedraggled, dirty, grouchy lot of sorry-looking Doughboys. They came out with faces shinning and spirits new. They knew they had before them the first good night's rest in some time and sans scratching." As far as cooties were concerned, the American infantrymen of the Great War had it far easier than his European comrades and counter-parts, for he only had to contend with them for the mere six month time that he lived in the trenches, rather than the full four years. ''Black Mammy'' (Confederate Veteran Magazine, 1918)Those sensitive beta-males in the editorial offices of Confederate Veteran were teary-eyed and waxing winsome that day in 1918 when they saw fit to recall one particular long-standing Southern institution that was gone with the wind:
"The most unique character connected with the days of slavery was the old black mammy, who held a position of and confidence in nearly every white family of importance in the South... She was an important member of the household, and for her faithfulness and devotion she has been immortalized in the literature of the South." Man and Horse and Equestrian Clothing (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)A smartly illustrated review of the the equestrian fashions for the year 1918. Various illustrated equestrian profiles are provided and brief attention is paid to the newest boots available at that time. If you would like to read another article about men's equestrian attire, please click here.
Why The Rebels Fought (Confederate Veteran Magazine, 1918)Fed-up with decades of articles and editorials declaring that he and his Confederate comrades fought tirelessly for four years in order to preserve and advance the cause of slavery, elderly Southern veteran, James Callaway, put pen to paper in order explain that this was not the case. Equipped with numerous passages from A Soldier's Recollections and an artificial Lincoln quote, Calloway argued that it was Northern aggression that swelled the Confederate ranks. Over-Seas Chevrons (Stars and Stripes, 1918) Paris Furlough (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)A cartoon by C. LeRoy Baldridge (1889 – 1977) which depicted the streets of Paris in a way that only the A.E.F. could have witnessed it. A Yank-heavy Place de l'Opera is overwhelmed by sight-seeing Doughboys (note the Y.M.C.A. patch on the tour guide) and loitering officers lounging about over-priced cafes. In the foreground stands a bewildered Doughboy, dumb-struck by the passing gaze of an appreciative Parisienne while a few steps away a four-gold-chevroned private gets reamed for failing to salute the single-chevron looey. The stage is shared by bickering cabees, melancholy widows, wandering sailors, unforgiving MPs and a hard-charging, over-weight uniformed woman. Click here to read about W.W. I art.
Click here to read the observations of U.S. Army lieutenant Louis L'Amour concerning 1946 Paris. The Spirit of the War at Eton (Cornhill Magazine, 1918)Published during the closing months of the war, the following five page article is a beautifully written account, by an Old Etonian illustrating the strange atmosphere felt on the Eton campus as a result of the Great War with all it's sadness and uncertainty.
Click here if you would like to read a magazine article about World War I as it was experienced on the Harrow campus. Invented for Sharp Shooters in the Trenches (The Great War, 1918)The German slide-rule jockeys of World War I burned the midnight oil well into the early hours coming up with this weird steel mask for their sharp-shooters... Click here to learn more about W.W. I snipers. Paris, 1918: La Guerre Fini! (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)"Yank and Aussie and Jock, Italian, Portuguese, Greek, Pole, Checko-Slovak, Tommy, Indian, all from the newly arrived Brazilians to the wizened and and weather-beaten poilus wearing the seven brisques denoting four years in the furnace, knew no nationality, no difference of tongues or even of uniform."
Click here to read another article about the 1918 Armistice.
- from Amazon:
The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914
THE BETTER 'OLE On The London Stage (Touchstone Magazine, 1918)Before there was Sad Sack, there was Old Bill , Bert and Alf -the later three being the creation of World War One British cartoonist Bruce Bairnsfather (1888-1959; and the former was the brainchild of World War Two Army Sergeant George Baker, 1915 - 1975). Bairnsfather was the creator of a popular cartoon called "Old Bill" which was widely believed by the "Tommies" to accurately depict the hardships on the Western Front.
This illustrated article is a theater review of The Better 'Ole; a funny, well received play written by the cartoonist and staged in London during the closing weeks of the war. Trench Coat by Thresher and Glenny (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)This ad proudly announces that the Thresher and Glenny trench coat pictured is like the one worn during "the first winter of the war" -those first brisk days along the river Marne when the Hun finaly understood that he would have to wait a bit longer for that Paris dinner. Out Go the Men - In Come the Women (McCall's Magazine, 1918)In 1918 the small town of Umatilla, Oregon held their elections. There was one ticket composed entirely of men and another entirely of women: every man lost. The Mayor of Umatilla was soundly defeated by his wife.
Attached herein is the story of that unique contest from a time when women were denied the vote. Secretary of War Newton Baker Visits the Front Trenches (NY Times, 1918)Attached is a front page story from a 1918 NEW YORK TIMES that covered the important visit Secretary of War Newton Baker (1871 – 1937) had made to the American front line trenches during his World War I tenure at the Department of War. During this trip the former Ohio Governor donned trench coat, helmet and gas-mask while chatting it up with the Doughboys.
Click here to read an article from 1927 by General Pershing regarding the American cemeteries in Europe. Britain's King Welcomes the Doughboys (April, 1918)A colored scan of the widely distributed seventy-word letter that Britain's King George V wrote to all members of the American military who had stepped on British soil. The letter is dated April, 1918 and was made to appear as though it was from the King's private stationery; the Windsor Castle letterhead is engraved in scarlet while the cursive body of the letter (in dark gray ink) is beautifully printed below in the conventional manner. It would seem that the California Doughboy who received this particular letter was not impressed; he simply turned it over and addressed a letter to his parents. *A Quick Film Clip Regarding George V* A British Tommy to the Mother of his Victim (True Stories of the Great War, 1918)One of the most moving letters included in the the 1918 book True Stories of the Great War
was the pair that we have attached herein: a British soldier, heartily sickened by war, composed a letter to the mother of the German he had killed, pleading for her forgiveness. The mother wrote back and her response was unpredictable.
This exchange was first published in a Geneva newspaper.
Click here to read about compassion on the battlefield. A Puttee Advertisement (Stars and Stripes, 1918)The canvas leggings worn by the A.E.F. (as ordered in the American Army Uniform Regulations of 1912) were simply dandy for duties on the dry prairies of the United States, but soon proved impractical in the damp and rainy climate of France and Belgium. Shortly after their arrival in France the U.S. Army replaced their leggings with the wool puttees worn by their European Allies. In May of 1919 they were adopted for use by the entire Army. Paris Exults After Four Years of War (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)A very moving column from the front page of the November 15, 1918 Stars and Stripes describing the joyous pandemonium that characterized the city of Paris when World War I came to a close:
"And all Paris laughed the laugh of happy children after a day's glad play. And the next day, and the next night, Paris sallied forth to romp and play again."
Click here to read about the W.W. II liberation of Paris. The American Army Occupies Coblenz, Germany (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)"On the afternoon of December 8, 1918, the troops of the Third American Army entered Koblenz. This was the goal of the occupation. The Yankees had reached the Rhine." "Probably never in all its stressful history did enemy troops enter it so in quite the matter-of-fact manner which marked the American entry last Sunday. There was no band. There were no colors. 'We're just going in sort of casual like,' one of our generals had said the day before, and he was right." Men's Summer Golf Apparel (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)Attached you will find some kind words promoting brown linen as the preferred fabric for summer golf, yet what is most striking is the accompanying photo of a young rake in his period golf apparel sporting a pair of putees for his time upon the links. It is rare that one finds a photograph of a golfer in putees and one might get the sense that the look never really caught on. The Blouse That Never Was... (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The First World War introduced "firsts" in so many categories, but this one item of military apparel has yet to be issued to any combatant in any war. KEY WORDS: Make-Believe Clothing, Un-Issued Uniform Items of World War One, Dreamers and the Clothes they Design, American Uniforms of World War One, Articles About Uniforms, Articles About Modern War, American Insignia, Articles About Industrial Wafare. U.S. Military Uniforms, Custom-Tailored Uniform Ad (Cambridge Magazine, 1918)An advertisement promoting the abilities of Dunhills, Ltd.. All officers were expected to wear tailor made uniforms. A British Officer's Private Purchase Raincoat (Thresher and Glenny Catalog, 1918) A Puttee Cartoon (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The Doughboys were grateful to be issued European spiral-puttees in place of their canvas gaiters -which did them no good whatever in the dampness of Northern Europe; however, as the attached W.W. I photographs so clearly indicate (as does this cartoon by Walgren), not many Yanks were as proficient at wrapping them as the upper brass had hoped. Enrico Forlanini and His Dirigible (New York Times, 1918)A New York Times photograph and report on the military dirigible designed by Italian Senator Enrico Forlanini (1848 - 1930). A concise account of the differences between Forlanini's dirigible and the German Zeppelin are listed as well as the speed, altitude and various offensive capabilities. Enrico Forlanini is is best remembered today for his ground breaking work on steam-powered helicopters, hydrofoils and various other aircrafts, such as his 1909 dirigible, Leonardo Da Vinci<\i>.
America's First Trench Raid (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)An action-packed account of the first all-American trench raid of the World War I. The Stars and Stripes reported that the raid set in the Loraine Sector in March of 1918 and the entire affair was said to have lasted forty-seven minuites from start to finish. The participating unit was not named. The 1918 New York Elections (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)By the time this short notice was seen on page one of THE STARS and STRIPES during the Spring of 1918, the political momentum was clearly on the side of the Prohibition advocates and the voters of many states had elected to go dry long before the Congress had decided to amend the Constitution. The 1918 election in New York between Wets and Drys was a close one and the eyes of the nation were watching. The headline read:
"PROHIBITION RACE NOW NECK AND NECK: TWENTY NEW YORK CITIES DRY AND NINETEEN WET..." The deciding and unknown factor was the women of New York, who were permitted to vote in municipal elections. Suffragettes Attack President Wilson (NY Times, 1918)Here are two remarkably brief letters that were addressed to the editors of THE NEW YORK TIMES commenting on a seldom remembered assault that was launched on President Wilson during the Summer of 1918 by a group of Washington, D.C. suffragettes. Click here to read about the WAC truck drivers of W.W. II. Corn on the March (Confederate Veteran Magazine, 1918)Forty-three years after the bloody end of the American Civil War, this reminiscence by a Southern officer appeared in print recalling the important roll that corn played during those days as it had throughout all American history: "During the war I commanded the 1st Arkansas Regiment, consisting of twelve hundred men, and during the four years we never saw a piece of bread that contained a grain of wheat flower. We lived entirely on plain corn bread, and my men were strong and kept the best of health...." The Well Dressed Man Confronts Bad Taste (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)On page one of this three page guide, you will find some essential notes and illustrations from the editors of Vanity Fair regarding the good taste of 1918 (as well as the simply awful). Officer's Dress Regulations & the Trench Coat (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Instructions as to how American insignia was to be worn on the trench coat as well as the officer's raincoat. An additional notice can be read concerning the Army's wish that all Doughboys maintain a good, soldierly appearance while not serving in the zone of advance.
Click here to read about W.W. I trench coats...
'Over There' by Albert Sterner (Sea Power Magazine, 1918)"An American sailor in white uniform stands in the center bearing the Stars and Stripes, and at his side stands Columbia, in shining armor and with a drawn sword, pointing across the sea to direct the gaze of the sailor Over There to the battlefield of the nations, where he must carry his flag to victory for the sake of the free country whose uniform he wears. In the background beneath the flag is shown the battle fleet steaming out to sea."
- so wrote the editors of Sea Power Magazine who were so moved by the W.W. I U.S. Navy recruiting poster Over There by Albert Sterner (1863 - 1946) that all they could do was describe it's powerful lines and overall design.
A.E.F. Knit Uniform Accessories (Fleisher's Catalog, 1918)Photographs from the W.W. I era Fleisher's Knitting & Crochet Manual that depicted the variety of Quartermaster approved scarves, wristlets, "helmets", sweaters and watch caps that were available to the Doughboys for service "Over There". In some cases the knitting instructions are intact.
Some might be amused to see that the photographer's stylist had used the 1902 blouse rather than the more suitable 1912 issue.
From Amazon: Fleisher's Knitting & Crochet Manual
Doughboy Gripes (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Attached is a list of the twelve inconveniences that W.W. I American soldiers hated the most about their lives over there (well over 50% of them had to do with certain elements of their uniforms). Trench Coat by Hitchinbrook (Army and Navy Stores, 1918)"Similar to the coat worn by English officers. Cut very full presenting an unusual swagger effect. Made of double texture, tan cashmere with twill lining. An extra, detachable, fleece interlining affords further protection against the cold... Full belt with slide buckle, and belt rings to which accessories may be attached. Absolutely waterproof. 48 inches in length." Mustard Gas Warfare (NY Times, 1918)A 1918 NEW YORK TIMES article that reported on the expectations among the French and British for the United States to both use and manufacture mustard gas now that they have joined the war against Imperial Germany. The reporter went to some length elucidating as to the nasty, obscene and vile nature of mustard gas: "Several months ago when I was making an experiment, some mustard gas got between two of my fingers. It was so little that it escaped notice. It was not until 9 o'clock that night that my hand began to look puffy. The next morning it was badly blistered."
A Trench Coat for the Fashionable Ladies (Harper's Bazaar, 1918)Attached, you will find one of the first elegant, elongated fashion figure drawings to depict the trench coat as an element of feminine mode. Although this drawing first appeared in a Harper's Bazaar fashion editorial recommending the coat as one of the better private purchase uniform items that could be worn by an American woman in one of the auxiliary units, it is clear that the fashion potential of the garment was not lost on the magazine's editors or anyone else on this side of the Atlantic. This particular one was produced in far nicer fabric than was made available for the men. The acquaintance between the trench coat and American fashion designers has remained a strong one ever since.
To see other examples of war's influence on fashion, click here.
Lincoln and Lee in 1918 (The Nation, 1918)On the first anniversary marking the American intervention into the First World War Charles Payne of Grenell College, Iowa, wrote to the editors at The Nation and cautioned his fellow-Americans to remember the conduct and humility of Civil War General Robert E. Lee.
Click here to read about the heavy influence religion had in the Rebel states during the American Civil War.
Paris Hats by Marie Louise, Lucie Hamar and Lanvin (Harper's Bazaar, 1918)Six fashion illustrations concerning the autumn hats of 1918: "Paris is exceedingly critical in regard to hats even in wartime, and the new ones are most interesting. Black velvet of course is rampant, and Marie Louise especially is using much much black panne velvet..."
Douglas Fairbanks on Hollywood (Vanity Fair, 1918)Attached is a very funny article written by the great matinee idol Douglas Fairbanks (1883 – 1939) concerning the predictability of silent films: "Whether eastern or western, the villain is never without a big black cigar. On the screen a big black cigar represents villainy; on the stage it represents General Grant."
Click here to read magazine articles about D.W. Griffith. *Watch Douglas Fairbanks in 'Robin Hood'* Behind the Scenes at the Doughboy Training Camps (Leslie's Weekly, 1918)This article written by Edwin A. Goewey and illustrated by C. Leroy Baldridge (1889 - 1977) reported on how America's "granite youth" was chiseled into fighting trim at the Long Island training camps at Upton and Mineola. Reference is made to the contributions made by Father Francis Duffy and Major-General J. Franklin Bell. Click here to read about the AEF officer training at Plattsburg, New York. Click here to read some statistical data about the American Doughboys of the First World War. Essential Elements in Golf (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)Throughout the fall of 1918, American golf enthusiast H.B. Martin (Harry Brownlow Martin, 1873 - 1965), who was not one to dally on the links when there are hard questions to be asked, approached the champions of the game with one query in mind:
"What is the ONE essential thing in golf?"
As you will read for yourself, he came away with many different responses. Plundered: The Grave of Joyce Kilmer (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Best known for his 1913 poem, "Trees", Joyce Kilmer (1886 - 1918) served as a Sergeant in the 69th Infantry Regiment (Forty Second Division). On July 30, 1918, he took a German bullet in the head and was buried not far from where he fell.
This short piece reported of the despoiling of that grave by his fellow Americans. *Joyce Kilmer is Burried at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery: Watch this Film Clip About It * An Interview With Mary Pickford (Current Opinion, 1918)When this two page profile appeared in print Pickford was world famous, married to the handsomest actor in Hollywood, adored by all - she could do no wrong. Just fourteen years later, the respected New York playwright Clara Boothe Brokaw would ridicule her in the pages of Vanity Fair (August, 1932: p. 18) as a sad symbol representing a vulgar era.
As if that wasn't bad enough, today few people know who she was - although she does get twice as many Google searches than Lillian Gish (but whose counting).
Amazon offers a PBS salute to the actress on a DVD that is strangely titled Mary Pickford .
The First Automotive Brake Lights (Popular Mechanics, 1918)Many dented fenders later, the first signal indicators show up. This article makes clear that both the Brake light and the turning signal indicator are both the same color (red) but they are an improvement on what was sporadically used in a few circles: the "Illuminated Glove" (a fingerless mit intended for the left-hand that was supposedly easier to see when making stop or turning gestures). Supplying the A.E.F. in Siberia (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)"Special woolen coats and breeches and underwear, long mufflers, worsted socks and long stockings, gloves and gauntlets are other things which are being issued to the Doughboys in Russia. Alaska Yanks are said to be right at home in their new surroundings, although they complain sometimes of the heat."
An additional article is attached concerning the supply of medals that had to be shipped North; reading between the lines, you will get a sense that much gallantry was expected...
When the Doughboys complained, they complained heavily about their uniforms; read about it here. Christianity vs. Prohibition (The North American Review, 1918)Seeing that much of the momentum to prohibit the national sale, distribution and consumption of wine and spirits originated with a hardy chunk of the observant Christian community, the Reverend John Cole McKim decided to weigh in on the topic. McKim tended to believe that: "Christ, being divine and consequently infallible, could not have erred. Since it is well known that Christ used wine Himself and gave it to others..." He further opined: "But to vote what one regards as a natural right shall be declared forever illegal, is cowardly, un-American, and un-Christian." The Battle at Cantigny (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The battle of Cantigny (May 28 - 31, 1918) was America's first division sized engagement during the First World War; George Marshall would later opine that the objective was "of no strategic importance and of small tactical value". General Pershing was hellbent on eradicating from the popular memory any mention of the A.E.F.'s poor performance at Seicheprey some weeks earlier, and Cantigny was as good a battleground in which to do it as any. Assessing the battle two weeks after the Armistice, Pershing's "yes men" at the Stars & Stripes wrote:
"But at Cantigny it had been taught to the world the significant lesson that the American soldier was fully equal to the soldier of any other nation on the field of battle."
Click here to read about the foreign-born soldiers who served in the American Army of the First World War.
Click here to read a STARS & STRIPES article about the sexually-transmitted diseases among the American Army of W.W. I...
Camouflage: An Invention from Ancient Warfare (The Nation, 1918)One of the most curious aspects of the Great War that generated a good deal of conversation among the civilian populations was camouflage. Many people believed that camouflage was one of many elements that made that war so terribly different from all other wars. One well-read reader from a respectable American magazine would have non of it: she composed a well researched letter explaining that the need for camouflage preceded the era of industrial warfare and was practiced by the ancient combatants of Greece and Rome as well. The Battle of Henry Johnson (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The courageous acts of white soldiers were not so easily demeaned in other STARS & STRIPES features as were the heroics performed by Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts in this piece from the Spring of 1918. For those who have, through the years, read the history of the New York 369th Regiment of Infantry this article will leave you a little sadder for the racial stereotyping and cheekiness so clearly enjoyed by the journalist and his editors.
On June 2, 2015 Henry Johnson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony.
Click here to read about the American invalids of W.W. I.
The Doughboy Helmet: the Press Release (Stars and Stripes, 1918)Unlike those Poilu who rushed manfully to the recruiting stations in 1914 expecting some sartorial glory in the form of a shiny cavalry breast plate or stylish bright red pantaloons, only to find that the constraints of modern warfare would only provide him with a filthy rat-infested trench and a poor-man's concept of a camouflage uniform (light-blue wool); the American Doughboy at least had some time to figure out that he would not be as nicely turned out as his uncle was during the Spanish-American War. This odd notice was printed on the front page of The Stars and Stripes while most of the A.E.F. was still in training. The word was out by this time that the Campaign Hats they were issued back home were out -and so to counter the gripes, the army printed this balderdash to put a 'nice spin' on the "tin pot" . It's not a helmet -- it's "a Steel Stetson"! To read more about the old campaign hats of the A.E.F. click here. The Doughboys in Paris (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Attached is a 1918 cartoon by THE STARS & STRIPES illustrator, C. LeRoy Baldridge depicting Paris in a way that only the A.E.F. could have witnessed it.
Read about the Doughboy who loved Paris D.W. Griffith in the 'Vanity Fair Hall of Fame' (Vanity Fair, 1918)Sweet words of praise were heaped high for the silent film director D.W. Griffith when he was selected by VANITY FAIR magazine to be one of their anointed ones: "Because he was for many years an excellent actor and a leading man on Broadway; because he went into moving pictures as a an actor and emerged from them as a producer;because the greater the magnitude of the task ahead of him the more the prospect pleases him; because he invented the high-priced movies; because he has employed upwards of 5,000 people in a single scene; because he is an excellent musician and wrote the orchestral music for 'Hearts of the World', the most sensational moving picture of recent years."film production
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America's First Trench Raid (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)An account of the first all-American trench raid of the First World War. The correspondent noted that the raid, which took place in the Loraine Sector, spanned forty-seven minutes from start to finish. The participating unit was not named. The Uniform Changes for 1919 (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Brief, understated descriptions of Army issued uniform items; such as the new blouses, slickers, gloves, mittens, breeches and mufflers. Trench Coat by Gamage (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)"Comprising the latest improvements for overseas -The Trench Coat 'De Luxe'! Excursions Into Hunland (Vanity Fair, 1918)An American fighter pilot of the R.F.C., Lieutenant E.M. Roberts, gave this account of the deadly game of "Boche-hunting above the clouds":
"I noticed he was going down a little, evidently for the purpose of shooting me from underneath. I was not quite sure as yet that such was really his intention; but the man was quick...he put five shots into my machine. But all of them missed me."
"I maneuvered into an offensive position as Quickly as I could, and I had my machine gun pelting him...The Hun began to spin earthward." The Demands of the 1918 Armistice (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Attached herein are the terms of the 1918 Armistice as they appeared in the official newspaper of the American Expeditionary Forces:
"The complete official translated text of the Armistice conditions to which the German plenipotentiaries set their signature is herewith reproduced: 1.) Cessations of operations by land and in air six hours after the signature of armistice.
II.)Immediate evacuation of the invaded countries... etc, etc, etc...
There Are Additional Magazine
Articles About W.W. I
Patriotic Verse by Gertrude Stein (Vanity Fair, 1918)When you stop to think of patriotic poetry, Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) is not one of the word-smiths whose name comes to mind. Yet she, too, applied her talents to the genre after having labored many moons as an ambulance driver in France on behalf of the American Fund for the French Wounded. She had joined this group in 1916 and in 1922 was awarded the Medaille de la Reconnaissance Française for all her good work. This poem, in praise of the U.S. Army, appeared in a 1918 VANITY FAIR. Jascha Heifetz' First New York Recital (Vanity Fair, 1918)Here is an enthusiastic review of Jascha Heifetz' (1900 - 1987) first Carnegie Hall performance. The journalist relays how fully loaded the concert hall seemed to be with the finest violinists in the Western world all sitting in rapt attention; and how joyously they all applauded following his first number: "Here, mark you, were the masters of the guild giving an ovation to a slim, eighteen year-old boy and acknowledging him as one of the master violinists of the world." ''Patriotism'' (The Crisis, 1918)An interesting editorial from World War I in which the writer (possibly W.E.B. Duboise) expressed that an African-American's sense of patriotism in that era was based on the nation's potential to be judicious and fair.
The article is a fine example illustrating the influence that George Creel and his Committee on Public Information had strong-arming the American magazine editors during the period of World War One. Trench Coat by Junior (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Laboring under the most intense preasure, the harried ad man of 1918 enthused about the Junior Store's latest trench coat just so: "This coat meets every specification of what a trench coat should be. The collar, when turned up, forms a Storm Proof Collar and has an extra wrap fixed to the shoulder to cover the fastening and make it waterproof." The Decorated Marines from Belleau Wood (NY Times, 1918)An eyewitness account of the decoration ceremony that took place on a lawn of an unnamed French chateau in the Marne Valley on July 11, 1918. The ceremony was presided over by U.S. Army General James Harbord (1866 – 1947) and well over 100 Marines of the U.S. Second Division were cited for their "deeds in the fighting North-West of Chateau-Thierry".
The U.S. First Division at Cantigny (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The battle of Cantigny (May 28 - 31, 1918) was America's first division sized engagement during the First World War; George Marshall would later opine that the objective was "of no strategic importance and of small tactical value". General Pershing was hellbent on eradicating from the popular memory any mention of the A.E.F.'s poor performance at Seicheprey some weeks earlier, and Cantigny was as good a battleground in which to do it as any. Assessing the battle two weeks after the Armistice, Pershing's "yes men" at The Stars and Stripes wrote: "But at Cantigny it had been taught to the world the significant lesson that the American soldier was fully equal to the soldier of any other nation on the field of battle."
An article from THE NEW REPUBLIC recognizing that 1914 marked the end of an era. Thanksgiving and Football (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Peace was eleven days old when this column first appeared.
Anticipating Thanksgiving, 1918, The Stars & Stripes announced that football games, movies and assorted other forms of entertainment had been arranged by the American Red Cross in order to placate the eager American survivors of the First World War who simply wanted to get on those big boats and sail home.
As an expression of gratitude, numerous French families had volunteered to invite American soldiers and sailors to their homes to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. An Advertisement for Officer's Ankle Boots (Stars and Stripes, 1918)Some A.E.F. officers realized that industrial war would not provide them with an opportunity for horseback riding and they wisely chose alternative footwear more suited to the discomfort of living in the damp trenches of France. Allied Aerial Reconnaissance During World War I (Vanity Fair, 1918)This article,"Photography's Notable Part in the War" was written by an active participant in the aerial reconnaissance arm of the Royal Flying Corps, Captain Henry A. Wildon. He reported that both sides in the conflict recognized early on that intelligence gathering by way of camera and aircraft was a real possibility: "Our first airplanes in France were not supplied with photographic equipment. It was not until the beginning of 1915 that the importance of of photography became apparent, and was made possible by improvements in the type and general stability of the airplane." *Silent Footage of an Aerial Reconnaissance Kite Being Launched* Heroism on the Western Front (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)"It was the Prussian Guard against the American Indian on the morning of October 8 in the hills of Champagne". Tested in War: the Wrist Watch Becomes Fashionable (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The following must have been some sort of creative writing project for one of the many bored World War One Doughboys, however it clearly spells out how the necessities of modern war demanded that the wrist watch no longer be thought of as a piece of jewelry adorned only by fops and fems and evolved into a useful tool for soldiers on the field and men with masculine responsibilities. The column makes it quite clear that prior to the Great War, a good many wrist watch enthusiasts would have had their noses broken if they had worn the 'gimmick' into certain neighborhoods.
Summer Fashions (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)Six very fine fashion drawings illustrate what was generally perceived to be the chic silhouette during the August of 1918. "There may be some women who can get along without satin frocks, but it is exceedingly doubtful.."
Click here to read about military influeneces of feminine fashions.
The U.S. Marines Land ''Over There'' (The Spectator, 1918)A British journalist encountered the United States Marine Corps and found them to be an impressive curiosity that spoke an odd, nautical language. One Marine in particular was singled out and, although anonymous some of you will recognize right away that he could only be one man: Sergeant Dan Daily of the Fifth Marines.
Click here to read about the high desertion rate within the U.S. Army of 1910.
A Swipe at Pacifism (Life Magazine, 1918)It always seems like a good time to diss a pacifist or two; and this cartoon is good for all conflicts. *Click Here to Watch an W.W. I Animated Short Film* How Yank Aviators Were Credited For Wins (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)An explanation from the official newspaper of the A.E.F. as to how the First World War American fighter pilots were credited for their victories in the war against Germany. Firing from the Rails (Sea Power Magazine, 1918)Illustrated with six photographs, this 1918 article is one of the first pieces of journalism to document the planning, construction, testing and deployment of the Railway Batteries that were manned by the U.S. Navy in W.W. I France.
"They dreamed a dream wherein a squadron of colossal trains, sheltered in armor plate, cruised constantly on dry land behind the battle lines. On each train a hundred bluejackets and their officers lived, ate, slept and worked the giant guns that rested upon mechanically perfect mounts and hurled explosive shells to the limit of their extreme ranges. In short, they dreamed the United States Naval Railway Batteries just as complete to the firing lines a few months later." Trench Mortar (The Great War, 1918)The attached is a photo from a 1918 issue of GREAT WAR MAGAZINE and pictures the Brandt Grenade-Thrower - designed in 1916 by the Frenchman Edgar William Brandt (1880 - 1960). A commonly used piece of trench artillery that was most often found in the French sectors, it is easily recognized by it's highly pronounced barrel that narrowed at the muzzle. An air operated mortar of 75mm caliber, this piece was one of several compressed air projectors deployed by the French Army. The U.S. Army Assault on November 11, 1918 (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)This uncredited STARS and STRIPES article dwells on the same topic as the well-researched book by Joseph Persico, Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918 (2003, Random House). For those who are curious about the violent climax of the war, this two page article will help you to understand which A.E.F. units were still attacking along what front at 10:59 a.m. on November 11, 1918.
"Then a quite startling thing occurred. The skyline of the crest ahead of them grew suddenly populous with dancing soldiers... The Germans came with outstretched hands, ear-to-ear grins and souvenirs to swap for cigarettes." The Women's Overseas Corps (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)"Five thousand women are to be brought from the United States to be a part of the American Expeditionary Forces...The Women's Overseas Corps (WOCS) will consist of companies of 50 women each. The members of the WOC will be under soldierly discipline and wear uniforms...It is not expected that they will march in formation or observe the formalities of the salute." These women were recruited by Miss Elsie Gunther of the Labor Bureau in order to relieve the men posted to the Service of Supply of their clerical duties for service at the front; in light of the fact that the war ended six weeks later it is unlikely that the these women ever arrived. Christianity Versus Prohibition (The North American Review, 1918)Seeing that much of the momentum to prohibit the national sale, distribution and consumption of wine and spirits originated with a hardy chunk of the observant Christian community, the Reverend John Cole McKim decided to weigh in on the topic. McKim tended to believe that: "Christ, being divine and consequently infallible, could not have erred. Since it is well known that Christ used wine Himself and gave it to others..." He further opined: "But to vote what one regards as a natural right shall be declared forever illegal, is cowardly, un-American, and un-Christian."
Out of the Mouths of Babes: Girl Evangelists in the Flapper Era
The Lewis Gun (The Great War Monthly, 1918)"The Lewis gun was, in the circumstances, a weapon of very considerable value. It helped the British infantry to hold back masses of the enemy in the opening phase of the war, and became one of the most important instruments of attack and defense during the long period of trench warfare."
"The light Lewis gun became the favourite weapon of the British airman, against the Parabellum gun of German pilots and fighting observers."
Click here if you wish to read about the American inventor of the Lewis Gun. The News of the Armistice (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)By the time this column was read by the American Doughboys, the truce was old news and this STARS AND STRIPES article makes for an interesting read as it imparts much of the November, 1918 excitement that filled the streets of Paris when the news of the Armistice hit the previously gloomy boulevards. This front-page article makes clear that many of the rumors pertaining to the German collapse could not be verified, yet affirms reports concerning the revolution in Germany, it's food shortages and the Kaiser's exile to Holland. • Watch A Film Clip About The Armistice • The Wartime Leadership of Woodrow Wilson (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)"There are various reasons for Woodrow Wilson's present preëminence. For one thing he represented, for years, the rights, under International Law, of the nations which were not in the war, and whatever his private opinions may have been as to an attitude of strict legality....Then, further, he is at the head of a nation which had no selfish motives in coming in. America wants for herself no new territory, no new spheres of influence. France wants Alsace and Lorraine. Italy wants 'Italia Irridenta'. England, though she declared war to save France from being overrun through losing the channel ports, has gained incidentally all German Africa and the German islands of the South Seas..."
Click here to read a 1913 article about Woodrow Wilson's Under Secretary of the Navy: Franklin Delano Roosevelt... An Underwear Advertisement (Stars and Stripes, 1918)The attached ad makes it quite clear that the American Army was not without its innovators: the Germans may have introduced poison gas, the British may have introduced the tank but it was the Americans who added "Chamois Leather Underwear" to the arsenal of industrial warfare.
Douglas Fairbanks on the Writers of Silent Movies... (Vanity Fair, 1918)Yet another article from the dusty, moldy magazines of yore that illustrate how the silent film actor Douglas Fairbanks (1883 – 1939) would, time and again, bite that hand that fed him so generously: this is one more example in which Fairbanks points out the all-too predictable story lines of American silent movies. Manhattan Servant Problems (Vanity Fair, 1918)The attached cartoon depicted one of the unintended consequences of German aggression during the First World War: the creation of what was known as "the servant problem". It should be understood that the difficulty in question caused no particular hardship for those who were supposed to be the servants; they were simply delighted to vacate the collective domiciles of Mr. & Mrs. Got-Rocks in order to pull down a living wage in a nice, cozy smoke-spewing armament factory some place - leaving their former employers to fix their own meals and diaper junior.
Click here to read about the New York fashions of 1916.
•The Group Portrait Posted Above is One of the Most Famous NY Pictures: This Documentary Tells the Story of that Image• Fashions from the Last Summer of the War (Vanity Fair Magazine, 1918)Six very fine fashion drawings illustrate what was generally perceived to be the chic silhouette during the August of 1918.
"There may be some women who can get along without satin frocks, but it is exceedingly doubtful.."
A Trench Coat by Thresher and Glenny (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Let the word go out here and now to all "stylists" and "fashion journalists" as well as all the other assorted fops who like to play fast and loose with the language; we know who you are and we know your game. The term "trench coat" will not suffer the same abuse as the word "Martini". Both have clear, lucid definitions; there can be no such thing as a "chocolate Martini" and those actors in the movie "The Matrix" were not wearing trench coats (they were wearing frocks). A quick waltz through this section illustrates well the characteristics shared by all Great War trench coats: they were double-breasted (although it is said single-breasted did exist), they must be belted, and they must be cut like a sac, and they must have wrist-straps. Raglan sleeves, storm patches and billows pockets were all optional -and most important: there were NO D rings, those were added later. ''Tell That To The Marines'' (Sea Power Magazine, 1918)The W.W. I poster campaign was a vast undertaking that was new in the annals of warfare. Never before had government locked arms with the newly created forces of mass-media (such as it was) in an effort to instill some sense of patriotism in the hearts of so many. The old salts who edited Sea Power Magazine recognized this and so they documented as many of the posters dealing with the US. Navy as they could find.
The attached single page article explains the origins and development of the famed Tell That To The Marines poster that was painted by James Montgomery Flagg in 1918. The First of Many Inaccurate War Movies Reviewed (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)The production of inaccurate war flicks with unlikely plots is a proud tradition that is alive and well in every film capitol around the globe and not likely to vanish any time soon. Today's film critics seem to have a good deal more patience when reviewing the genre -as compared to the jaded, old ink-slinger who was charged with the task of summing up this silent film from 1918: "On to Berlin".
"The American-made war dramas must be giving the folks back home a swell idea of what The War isn't like...William Fox is accused of producing "On to Berlin"
The Spirit of the War at Harrow (Cornhill Magazines, 1918)Written as a companion piece for "The Spirit of the War at Eton", the article gives an moving account as to how the war affected life on campus while Britain was taking such tremendous losses. The Rebel Conscription Problem (Confederate Veteran Magazine, 1918)"It has been said that the Confederate States passed the most drastic conscript law on record, which may be true; but it is a mistake to suppose that this law was successfully executed."
"The [Conscription] act, April 16, 1862, embraced men between eighteen and thirty-five years; the second, of September 27 1862, men between eighteen and forty-five; the third and last, of February 17, 1864, men between seventeen and fifty."
Click here to read about the American South during the Great Depression.
British Officer's Rucksack (Thresher and Glenny, 1918) How Tennis Should Be Played (Outing Magazine, 1918)These twelve black and white photographs depicting the tennis Guru George Agutter, in full court attire, are accompanied by short, pithy instructions as to how the racquet should be held and the feet positioned in order to play the game as they did in 1918. Understanding Erik Satie (Vanity Fair, 1918)"...But Satie's music is not difficult to play. Almost all the notes in many of his compositions are all the same or a related value. Appogiatura, syncopation, bravura, he is not friendly with. The pieces are written in facile keys for pianists..."
The Introduction of the U.S Army Overseas Cap (New York Times, 1918)A NEW YORK TIMES correspondent reported from Washington what the official line was as to why the U.S. Army had seen fit to toss out the campaign hat in preference to the European-style Overseas cap:
"When the Americans entered the trenches," said an official statement today, "it was found that the brim of their campaign hat interfered with sighting through the trench periscopes and that the high crown, in the case of tall men, could be seen above the parapets. The new cap is so low that it permits the men to move with the same freedom as when they are hatless." Two Khaki Shirt Advertisements (The Stars and Stripes, 1918)Black and white illustrations showing the types of private purchase shirting available to the members of the A.E.F. who were willing to pay for such foppery.
These particular items were British made and the ads depict two jocular Tommies.
Corn and the 1st Arkansas Regiment (Confederate Veteran Magazine, 1918)Appearing in the pages of Confederate Veteran Magazine some forty-three years after the bloody end of the American Civil War was this reminiscence by a Confederate veteran recalling the important roll that corn played during the war and throughout American history:
"I am an old Southern planter, past eighty-five years of age, in perfect condition as to mind and health, have lived on cornbread all my life, and feel that I can speak intelligently on the much-mooted cornbread question."
"During the war I commanded the 1st Arkansas Regiment, consisting of twelve hundred men, and during the four years we never saw a piece of bread that contained a grain of wheat flower. We lived entirely on plain corn bread, and my men were strong and kept the best of health..."
Relief Agency Structures on U.S. Army Camp Grounds (Architectural Record, 1918)Illustrated with as many as twelve pictures, this article from Architectural Record The Atmosphere of W.W. I Paris (Atlantic Monthly, 1918) William Beebe is best remembered for his exploration of the oceans in a submersible craft called a "Bathysphere", however, as a younger man his study of nature brought him to war-weary Paris.
"Four devastating years of war had altered the city and made quite an affect on the young naturalist. His astute and very moving observations were recorded in this essay, "A Naturalist in Paris".
This link displays the first six pages; the remaining seven pages are available upon request.
Click here to read about the day when the Nazis took Paris.
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