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Palgrave Macmillan

Optimism at Armageddon

Voices of American Participants in the First World War

  • Book
  • © 1997

Overview

Authors:
  1. Mark Meigs
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Part of the book series: Studies in Military and Strategic History (SMSH)

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-ix
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  2. Introduction

    • Mark Meigs
    Pages 1-7

  3. “It’s a great life if you don’t weaken:” American Participants’ Understanding of their Involvement in World War I

    • Mark Meigs
    Pages 8-35

  4. “It’s a great life if you don’t weaken, but believe me there are few who don’t:” The Meaning Americans Gave to Action at the Front in World War I

    • Mark Meigs
    Pages 36-68

  5. “From a hayloft to a hotel where kings have spent their summers:” Americans’ Encounter with French Culture

    • Mark Meigs
    Pages 69-106

  6. “Mad’moiselle from Armentières, Parlez-vous?” Sexual Attitudes of Americans in World War I

    • Mark Meigs
    Pages 107-142

  7. “A Grave Diggin’ Feelin’ in my Heart:” American War Dead of World War I

    • Mark Meigs
    Pages 143-187

  8. “The best place to live on Earth:” Lessons for the Doughboys’ Return

    • Mark Meigs
    Pages 188-220

  9. Conclusion

    • Mark Meigs
    Pages 221-226

  10. Back Matter

    Pages 227-269
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Keywords

About this book

An analytical account of the experiences of American soldiers in World War 1 drawing on a wide range of sources in France and the United States. Since American forces did not appear on the Western Front in substantial numbers until the summer of 1918, their experiences of the war were short and less devastating than those of their Allied comrades. Thus surviving American troops emerged from the experience in a rather more upbeat mood about the war than the Allies. This is a fascinating and ground-breaking work as few other military historians have attempted to deal with the US army of 1918 in depth.

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