French and American Experiences

[David Spencer]

Hi All

 

I'm looking for decent books on the above (in English, as my French isn't up to reading anything more detailed than museum interp. panels).

Have a small, but interesting library on the French army, but nothing on the Americans.

 

Have seen 'Pershing's Crusaders: The American Soldier in World War I' by Richard Faulkner, and would appreciate readers' opinions on that one.

 

Any suggestions appreciated, on either topic.

 

Thanks

DS

[Uncle George]

The only book on the American experience that I have is William March’s autobiographical novel ‘Company K’ (1933).  You will see on the attached link that it has been highly praised. I found it a little odd - but well worth a read.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_K

[David Spencer]

Thanks very much for that. I'll take a look.

[David Spencer]

Ordered Company K just now. Looks like an interesting read.

Thanks for the recommendation Uncle George.

 

Further suggestions welcomed.

[Martin Bennitt]

‘The Doughboys’ by Gary Mead was published 20 years ago now but is a good general history.

 

For the French try ‘Paths of Glory, the French Army 1914-18’ by Anthony Clayton, or ‘Pyrrhic  Victory: French Strategy and Operations in the Great War’ by Robert Doughty.

 

 

Cheers Martin B

[4thGordons]

On the American experience do you want general histories, or first hand memoirs, tactical assessments or a mix?

I grabbed a few that I have read relatively recently (there was a big spate of publications in the past 5 years) off the shelf and snapped a picture as it was quicker than typing out lots of titles

These are more general accounts, you will see Mead's is there as is Laurence Stallings older classic -- more recent and well received was Ed Lengel's "To Conquer Hell" (which is about Meuse-Argonne) - Paul Braim's "Test of Battle" is I think very good and is a critical evaluation of the performance of the AEF and was one of the first scholarly books to challenge the Pershing mythology. I cheated a bit, You will see that Pershing's Crusaders is at the bottom - I have not finished it yet! It is very comprehensive and detailed and might be the most comprehensive single volume on the experience of American soldiers (there is some interesting stuff on attitudes to allies and other less studied areas) I stopped trying to read it cover to cover and have been reading chapters that catch my interest as I find time. I have found that it fills in some glaring gaps in my knowledge.

Chris

[seaJane]

Cushing, Harvey. From a surgeon's journal, 1915-1918. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1936 [UK ed.: London: Constable, 1936].

[David Spencer]

Thanks very much! I really appreciate the suggestions and will make notes of the titles above.

Cheers

DS

[David Spencer]

By way of return, if medical experiences are of interest, try:

The Forbidden Zone, by Mary Borden