World War One – Page 17 – Old Magazine Articles

Remembering the American Dead
(The Atlantic Monthly, 1923)

Always stationed to the most forward field hospitals during America’s five major campaigns, a former W.W. I nurse penned this moving reminiscence that recalled her experiences tending to the soldiers who slowly died in the army hospitals. Haunted by the memories of these dying boys, she asked her readers as to whether they feel the world has kept the promises made to those who sacrificed so much: is the France they died to protect a better place? is the country that demanded they fight a better place?

Click here for clip art depicting the nurses of World War One.

Segregated Infantry Divisions in France
(The Independent, 1919)

A spirited commentary concerning how the African-American Doughboys came to see France, rather than their own homeland, as the land of equality and liberty. It was written by Oscelo E. McKaine, who was serving as a second lieutenant in the all-black 92nd Division. In later life he would play an important roll in the South Carolina civil rights movement.

Read an article about racial integration in the U.S. military.

Yip! Yip! Yaphank!
(NY Times, 1918)

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.

The Popularity of War Movies
(Literary Digest, 1915)

Not surprisingly, special effects were an important box office draw during the Silent Era. This article reports on the popularity of war movies in 1915 and explains how some of the effects were created.

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

Elsie Janis Entertained the Doughboys
(American Legion Monthly, 1936)

The Americans who fought in the Second World War had Bob Hope to entertain them, and their fathers who fought in the First had Elsie Janis (1889 – 1956). Like Hope, Janis traveled close to the front lines and told the troops jokes, and sang them songs – making it clear all the while that her sympathies and affections for the Doughboys were strong – and they, in turn, loved her right back. In the attached 1936 reminiscence Janis recalls some of her experiences from the six months in which she entertained the American Army in France; she also speaks of her roll entertaining the volunteer American Army of the 1930s, as well.

Click here to read about the U.S.O. entertainers…

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.

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.

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.

The Collapse of the European Aristocracy
(NY Times, 1919)

The three great military monarchies which have lately fallen to pieces – Russian, Austro-Hungarian and German – were all based upon an aristocracy of large landed properties, whereas the other European countries had become parliamentary and democratic states. Europe was thus divided between two political orders, founded on two social orders, in fact, into two different worlds between which the river Elbe was approximately the boundary…

The war proved a decisive test of the stability of the two social orders; the democratic states went through it without flinching, the monarchies which had which had engendered the war in the hope of strengthening their position have gone under; from their defeat has sprung the revolution, which is overthrowing all aristocracies.

Click here to read a 1916 VANITY FAIR article about how the war had affected the British upper class.

The Effects of War on Character
(NY Times, 1915)

The attached W.W. I letter is a reflection on the effects of war upon character written by a British officer on the western front to his wife.

You need not fear for a ‘disgraceful peace’ coming from fatigue on the part of the fighting men. It is the resolution of the talking men you will need to look to.

No truer words…

American Blacks Under French Command
(NY Times, 1919)

This article in a 1919 issue of THE NEW YORK TIMES that told the history of Negro infantry units during the First World War. It concerns the combat record of the American 92nd and 93rd Divisions – units that were dubbed ‘Schwartz Teufel’ (black devils) by the luckless Germans who stood in the opposite trenches.

The negro soldiers of the United States arrived late on the field of battle, but in more than sufficient time to make Germany feel the strength of their arm. In all 83,000 Negroes were drafted for service in the National Army sent overseas. More than 626 of the 1,250 colored men who completed their course of training were commissioned as officers in the United States Army; nearly 100 negro physicians and surgeons received commissions as officers in the Medical Reserve Corps and a full 30,000 men constituted the 92nd Division detailed for duty in France under General Pershing. The total number of Negro combat troops was 42,000.

Click here to read an article about the African soldiers of the French Colonial Army.

Letter from a Veteran
(NY Times, 1916)

An experienced Canadian trench fighter gives some tips to an American Guardsman.

Men enthuse over descriptions of bayonet charges. They are no idle pastimes, so it behooves all soldiers not only to become absolutely perfect in bayonet exercises, but to practice getting under way, keeping abreast with your mates and having a firm hold on your rifle. The soldier may say, ‘Oh, that bayonet exercise isn’t practical in a charge. No? Very well, that may appear right to some, but I should advise every one knowing every parry, thrust and counter so thoroughly that after they become second nature you can then do whatever your intuition at the moment directs.

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 Letter from One Who Saw the First German Prisoners
(NY Times, 1915)

This W.W. I letter was written by a French infantryman who had participated in one the earliest battles of 1914. In this letter, that managed to make it into the French, British and American papers, the Frenchman took a good deal of time to describe his impressions of the first German prisoners to be taken in the war:

Their appetite is so great that, though in [the] presence of a French officer they will click their heels together properly, they never cease at the same time to munch noisily and to fill out their hollow cheeks.

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.

Poilu’ is not the Right Word!
(NY Times, 1916)

The novelist, journalist, anti-Semite and French Academy member Maurice Barres (1862 – 1923) had some opinions regarding the word Poilu (the popular and affectionate slang term for the French front line soldier, which translates into English as hairy guy). In the following one page essay he presented a history of the word and continued with an explanation as to why it bugged him:

It lacks dignity. To my taste it belittles those whom it is meant to laud and serve. A hero can hardly be expressed by this brazen-faced and slanderous epithet. And yet, since it has taken root in our battlefields now for more than a year, one hesitates to speak ill of this word, in which so many admirable acts are somehow visible. It is winning it’s historic titles.

In the end, no one really cared what Maurice Barres had to say on this topic and the sobriquet poilu remained in place.