World War One

Find old World War 1 articles here. Find information on uniforms, women, gas warfare, prisoners of war and more.

French Amazement at American Esteem of Lafayette (Current Opinion Magazine, 1922)

France has discovered Lafayette in this age only because America never forgot him


The attached article reported that the Marquis de Lafayette (Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, 1757 – 1834), who seemed heaven-sent when he appeared in Philadelphia in order to aid the Americans in their revolt against the British, had been largely forgotten by the French in the Twentieth Century. Indeed, the French were baffled to hear his name invoked as often as it was during the period of America’s participation in the World War One.
It was said that during the war some disgruntled wit in the American Army woke up one morning in the trenches and grumbled: Alright, we paid Lafayette back; now what other Frog son-of-a-bitch do we owe?
Oddly, there is no mention made whatever of that unique trait so common to the Homo Americanus- selective memory: during the 1870 German invasion of France there seemed to have been no one who recalled Lafayette’s name at all.

French Amazement at American Esteem of Lafayette (Current Opinion Magazine, 1922) Read More »

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.

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The A.E.F. Tank Corps (The Stars and Stripes, 1919)

This article appeared some seven months after the war, and it presents an interesting account of the first American tank units that ever existed.


The preferred tank of the American Army of World War I was a light tank made by the French called a Renault. It had a crew of two, measured 13 feet (4 meters) in length and weighed 6.5 tons. The tank’s 35 hp. engine moved it along at a top speed of 6 miles per hour. This article outlines where the American tanks fought, which units they supported and who commanded them; some readers may be interested to know that reference is made to the First American Tank Brigade and the officer in charge: Lieutenant Colonel George S. Patton (1885 – 1945).

During the course of the Meuse-Argonne battles, the tank units of the 1st Brigade had lost 3 officers and 16 enlisted men killed, and 21 officers and 131 enlisted men were wounded. These losses were suffered in 18 separate engagements…


Read about General Patton, Click here


Read other articles from 1919.

The A.E.F. Tank Corps (The Stars and Stripes, 1919) Read More »

The A.E.F. Tank Corps (The Stars and Stripes, 1919)

This article appeared some seven months after the war, and it presents an interesting account of the first American tank units that ever existed.


The preferred tank of the American Army of World War I was a light tank made by the French called a Renault. It had a crew of two, measured 13 feet (4 meters) in length and weighed 6.5 tons. The tank’s 35 hp. engine moved it along at a top speed of 6 miles per hour. This article outlines where the American tanks fought, which units they supported and who commanded them; some readers may be interested to know that reference is made to the First American Tank Brigade and the officer in charge: Lieutenant Colonel George S. Patton (1885 – 1945).

During the course of the Meuse-Argonne battles, the tank units of the 1st Brigade had lost 3 officers and 16 enlisted men killed, and 21 officers and 131 enlisted men were wounded. These losses were suffered in 18 separate engagements…


Read about General Patton, Click here


Read other articles from 1919.

The A.E.F. Tank Corps (The Stars and Stripes, 1919) Read More »

The A.E.F. Tank Corps (The Stars and Stripes, 1919)

This article appeared some seven months after the war, and it presents an interesting account of the first American tank units that ever existed.


The preferred tank of the American Army of World War I was a light tank made by the French called a Renault. It had a crew of two, measured 13 feet (4 meters) in length and weighed 6.5 tons. The tank’s 35 hp. engine moved it along at a top speed of 6 miles per hour. This article outlines where the American tanks fought, which units they supported and who commanded them; some readers may be interested to know that reference is made to the First American Tank Brigade and the officer in charge: Lieutenant Colonel George S. Patton (1885 – 1945).

During the course of the Meuse-Argonne battles, the tank units of the 1st Brigade had lost 3 officers and 16 enlisted men killed, and 21 officers and 131 enlisted men were wounded. These losses were suffered in 18 separate engagements…


Read about General Patton, Click here


Read other articles from 1919.

The A.E.F. Tank Corps (The Stars and Stripes, 1919) Read More »

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.’

Yanks on the Marne: The Battle of Chateau-Thierry (The Stars and Stripes, 1918) Read More »

Stars and Stripes Folds it’s Tent (American Legion Weekly, 1919)

An article by The American Legion Weekly correspondent Rex Lapham about the last issue (until the next war) of The Stars and Stripes. The article recorded many sentimental remarks, words of praise and seldom heard facts about the history of the Doughboy newspaper.

If the paper found it’s way across, as it surely did, into the hands of the German intelligence officers – if that’s what they could be called – it must have given them something to ponder about. How could they have reported anything favorable to the ears of the German high command after having perused this defiant and determined manifestation of Doughboy psychology?

Click here to read how the newspaper was staffed and managed in 1918 Paris.

Stars and Stripes Folds it’s Tent (American Legion Weekly, 1919) Read More »

W.W. I and British Women (Collier’s Magazine, 1916)

Woman’s hour has come! One of the splendid things that have come out of the bloody carnage of war to challenge the admiration of the world is the heroic exhibition of physical strength and courage shown by the women of the belligerent countries. They are doing more than merely substituting at men’s work. In England they are winning their struggle for equality with men.


Click here to read about the lot of French women during the First World War.

W.W. I and British Women (Collier’s Magazine, 1916) Read More »