AEF in France

[Dikke Bertha]

Hello

Can anybody recommend a good book on the AEF.

I would like more details on the military operations rather than American politics from 1914 onwards which seems to be what some books concentrate on.

Thank you

[CROONAERT]

Depends how detailed you are looking for. The easily available ones that are pretty good,easy reads (though none are completely error free) that I can think of are:

"The Doughboys" by Gary Mead.

"Retreat, Hell! We just got here" by Martin Marix Evans

and

"The USA in World War 1" by Douglas Welsh.

There are several others detailing the uniforms, equipment and organisation of the AEF and some of the "official histories" are now available in re-print.

Dave.

[paul guthrie]

The best ever account is an old one, Doughboys by Lawrence Stallings a marine who lost a foot at Belleau Wood.

The best by far over all history of US effort and not just AEF is The War To End All Wars by my friend Edward Coffman, written 50 years ago when many were alive, one of Pershing's staff, fighter aces , lots of folks including MacArthur who gave few interviews.

For strictly the military bit, dry but most thorough semi official history by American Battle Monuments Commission in 1938 is American Armies & Battlefields In Europe with 3 beautiful fold out maps, huge scale to make it look like US took lots of ground.

EC book in print paperback from University Press of Kentucky, other 2 readily available reasonable price used, lots of both printed. MIght try Tommy's Books.

[Dikke Bertha]

Hello

I have seen "Retreat, Hell we just got here" but only in a large format whcih makes it difficult to read. The Doughboys sounds interesting. Iwill try all suggestions in Abebooks.

DB

[tamos123]

Hi

I am in middle of Yanks by John S D Eisenhower published by Free Press which is a well written overview of how the AEF got to France and Pershing's relationship with the French and British. Just got to the start of the Michael offensive so can't comment on the combat positioning yet.

Would recommend

regards

Nick

[Dikke Bertha]

Thanks Nick,

I thought this thread was dead so I appreciate your suggestion which I will follow up.

[andigger]

The threads not dead!!! Just hibernating....

Honestly I know little about the American contribution to the military effort, but I find Eisenhower's book covers alot, though not to very specific detail. It certainly gives me the high level and I can research/read up on more specific engagements or units later.

The only quirks I've found is that he jumps back and forth between dates pretty quickly. Meaning, he deals with one unit from X date to Y date, then the next few pages are the next unit from M date to O date. Being out of sequence does get confusing.

The only other issue was Eisenhower misidentifying a land mark in Washington. It wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't been Lafayette Sq - directly across from the White House where the authors dad lived for 8 years! Also, the Washington Times provided the bold faced quote on the back cover talking about Eisenhower's accuracy. Again, a bit ironic as the are one of the main newspapers in the city with the misidenitified landmark. Perhaps its just me though, good book otherwise.

Andy

[David Filsell]

I will give you one to avoid "The Second Infantry Division in World War I by George B Clarke, apparently an ex US marine and author of a number of books on the subject. Newly published by McFarland it is £22 paperback. It takes more than a minute to read and contains hesitation, deviation and duplication. It is appallingly written and edited. Whilst his acount of the division may (or on the evidence of his overall knowledge of the Great War may not) be sound. Over all his knowledge of the war is worryingly outdated, second hand and downright depressingly inaccurate. Dismissal of the Brits is clearly second nature, although the French fare a little better. IE "Pershing was more forward thinking than Haig or Foch, and later, in 1918 both allied nations began to see the light and also began to change their tactics". Apparently 2nd Division employed stormtooper tactics (and yet it turns out that at Belleau Wood they attackled in mass (1916 like) ranks! Of the Meuse Argonne November 18 battle he notes that Foch with the "supporting hand of FM Haig convinced Gen Pershing that the Americans should join in the assault of the Hindenburg Line" adding "Haig had finally decided to attack and Foch wasn't about to allow that miraculous event slip away unfullfilled". Having previously noted that "Haig threw a monkey wrench" - a new military term to me - in the Americans own plans to drive hard on Metz, evidently "the bloodshed of the Meuse Argonne Campagn resulted". As they say in the US "Go figure" He made me very, very, cross and is a very, naugty boy!

[bantamforgot]

Be a short book , apart from one or two medical units & the "Escadrille" plus US citizens who enlisted as individuals ,A. Seger" & the little Bantam from N. York to mention two.

The main effort wasn't until Sep't. 18 & then their equipment, artillery/MG's were supplied by the British/French. Not knocking them but sometimes their history makes out they won the war.

Colin

[JMcCulloch]

I would also reccommend the Eisenhower book. It's quite good. Below is a Lt. in Paris. He died on November 9th, 1918.

[Christina Holstein]

For an overall picture I'd recommend "American armies and battlefields in Europe" published by the Center of Military History, US Army, Washington DC. It's available from the Superintendent of Documents, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC 20402, or on the internet. Fantastic book. It will tell you about all the campaigns, give you tours to follow, and provide you with a mass of other informtion.

I personally don't enjoy Stallings. He's too Hollywoodian for my tastes. I didn't get much out of Coffman's book but perhaps I'd already read too much by then. Brain's book on the Meuse-Argonne called "The test of battle" is a dense read but he's got a ton of good information in there.

I'd also recommend "Suddenly we didn't want to die" by Elliot Mackin and "Fix Bayonets" by John Thomasson but they will only give you a bit of the picture.

Christina

[andigger]

Just finished Yanks and think it is a good book. Over all though I wish Eisenhower spent more time on the particulars of the AEF - engineers, logistics, life in the trenches, or even the boats over to Europe. There are enough books out there that cover the demise of Germany politically and militarily in Oct 1918 that I don't think he needed to take a whole chapter to retell that story. All told a good book, but still looking for more.

Andy

[paul guthrie]

I thought Eisenhower made too many errors but it's been a long time since I read it & don't remember what they are; not good enough to read again & see what they are.

[bantamforgot]

Read a book called "The last hundred days" if I remember correctly, very interesting book on the futility of WW1.

Colin

[Halder]

For a good narrative history, I enjoyed The Last Days of Innocence: America at War 1917-1918 by Meiron & Susie Harries. There were plenty of cheap paperbacks of it floating around when I was over in New York last year.

[Gyrene]

I'm eagerly anticipating this book.

Argonne

[Gyrene]

Has anyone read this book? I just discovered it tonight and it looks rather interesting.

http://www.amazon.com/Fraternity-Arms-Amer...3304584-0606453

[paul guthrie]

I'm eagerly anticipating this book.

Argonne

Me too but what garbage in the promo, previously untold story etc. ! Utter nonsense! My late friend Paul Braim, retired Col, PhD, WW2 Korea VN, The Test of Battle, excellent, Robert Ferrell's recent America's deadliest Battle, quite good. The promotion blurb is absolute crap.

[Gyrene]

How do you really feel?

[paul guthrie]

How do you really feel?

PO! But i won't let the nonsense keep me from reading the book. It's hard for me to believe there is much new but another perspective is always interesting and entertaining. You should really read the other 2, you can get Braim cheap used, maybe Ferrell too. I've spent a good deal of time in the Argonne, lots to see there.

[Gyrene]

The other two books seem to be fairly short for such a large battle and the new one is over 500 pages.

[paul guthrie]

The other two books seem to be fairly short for such a large battle and the new one is over 500 pages.

You are not in a position to judge til you read them. I have and I am. They are excellent.

[trenchtrotter]

Braims book is worth a read. Could do with better maps I recall and a little dry but very informative. One of the few books available in the UK. I also recommend Soissons 1918 by Johnson and Hillman on the 2nd Battle of the Marne. Lots on the American contribution. Again if your in the area worth a visit especialy the area around Vierzy.

Reagards

TT

[paul guthrie]

Inadequate maps are so common in WW1 books. Braim used ones from the official American Armies & Battlefields in Europe(1938).

Soissons 1918 is quite good.

[Christina Holstein]

I'd certainly recommend "The Last day's of innocence". I've come to appreciate Braim's book but it took me a long while and it's a very dense read. I think his maps are inadequate. I didn't think anything of Ferrel's book "Collapse at Meuse-Argonne" and I honestly can't think of an book in English on the Meuse-Argonne that has decent maps.

Christin