Instructions for American Servicemen in Britain, 1942

by U.S. Department of War

In 1942, the United States War Department distributed a handbook to American servicemen that advised them on the peculiarities of the "British, their country, and their ways." Over sixty years later, this newly published reproduction from the rich archives of the Bodleian Library offers a fascinating glimpse into American military preparations for World War II.

The guide was intended to alleviate the culture shock for soldiers taking their first trip to Great Britain, or, for that matter, abroad. The handbook is punctuated with endearingly nostalgic advice and refreshingly candid quips such as: "The British don't know how to make a good cup of coffee. You don't know how to make a good cup of tea. It's an even swap." By turns hilarious and poignant, many observations featured in the handbook remain relevant even today.

Reproduced in a style reminiscent of the era, Instructions for American Servicemen in Britain is a powerfully evocative war-time memento that offers a unique perspective on the longstanding American-British relationship and reveals amusingly incisive American perceptions of the British character and country.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, World War II, Military Fiction, Historical, American History

39 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

The U.S. Department of War was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, also bearing responsibility for naval affairs until the establishment of the Navy Department in 1798, and for most land-based air forces until the creation of the Department of the Air Force on September 18, 1947.

Reviews

[Courtney Umlauf · Rating 4 out of 5]

The British don't know how to make a good cup of coffee, you don't know how to make a good cup of tea. It's an even swap.

This was hilarious and so interesting. One of the first sections is titled "British Reserved Not Unfriendly".

In general, more people play games in Britain than in America and they play the game even if they are not good at it.
...
You will find that English crowds at football or cricket matches are more orderly and polite to the players than American crowds. If a fielder misses a catch at cricket, the crowd will probably take a sympathetic attitude. They will shout "good try" even if it looks to you like a bad fumble. In America the crowd would probably shout "take him out." This contrast should be remembered.
...
British churches, particularly the little village churches, are often very beautiful inside and out. Most of them are always open and if you feel like it, do not hesitate to walk in. But do not walk around if a service is going on.

On a more serious note:

The British will welcome you as friends and allies. But remember that crossing the ocean doesn't automatically make you a hero. There are housewives in aprons and youngsters in knee pants in Britain who have lived through more high explosives in air raids than many soldiers saw in first class barrages in the last war.
...
When you see a girl in khaki or air-force blue with a bit of ribbon on her tunic - remember, she didn't get it for knitting more socks than anyone else in Ipswich.

I need to read the rest of these pamphlets, they're hilarious and informative.

[Davit Akelyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

1942 թվականի գարնանը ԱՄՆ պատերազմի դեպարտամենտը թողարկում է "Instructions for American Servicemen in Britain, 1942" վերտառությամբ մի ձեռնարկ, որը որպես ուղեցույց բաժանվում էր Մեծ Բրիտանիա մեկնող ամերիկացի զինվորներին։ Ժամանակի հետ ձեռնարկն էնքան հայտնի դարձավ, որ շատ բրիտանացիներ ստեղից-էնտեղից փորձում էին ճարել ու կարդալ՝ հասկանալու համար, թե ամերիկացու ու, ընդհանրապես, դրսի աչքով իրենց ինչպես են պատկերացնում ու նկարագրում։

Էս ձեռնարկը սիրելու ու հաճախ կարդալու երկու հիմնական պատճառ կարելի է առանձնացնել՝
(1) Սա առաջին հերթին մշակութային ուղեցույց է՝ բրիտանական բարքերի, սովորույթների, տեղացիների սոցիալական վարքի, կենսակերպի, արժեքային համակարգի յուրատեսակ շերտագրություն ու լայնակի կրտվածք, որը քեզ տալիս է սոլիդ ելակետ անծանոթ մշակույթի ու հասարակության հետ հարաբերվելու համար։

(2) Ձեռնարկը «պետություն-քաղաքացի» կոմունիկացիայի լավագույն օրինակներից է, որտեղ 30 էջի ծավալում Ամերիկյան պետությունը կարողացել է Միացյալ Նահանգներից երբեք դուրս չեկած տակավին երիտասարդին հակիրճ, հասկանալի ու ըմբռնելի ձևով կոմունիկացնել իր առաքելության, դրա կարևորության, սպասվելիք դժվարությունների, «Բրիտանիա» ու «Եվրոպա» կոչվող նոր աշխարհների մշակութային առաձնահատկության ու շատ այլ կոմպլեքս հարցերի մասին այնպիսի լեզվով, որն Ատլանտյան օվկիանոսը հատող կամայական/պայմանական շարքայինին աներկբա վստահություն է հաղորդում թիկունքում պետության ներկայության ու ձեռնարկը սերտելու դեպքում առջևում լուսավոր ճանապարհ ունենալու վերաբերյալ։

[Ramón Nogueras Pérez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Una curiosa ventana a la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Es un muy breve documento que explicaba a los soldados cómo comportarse en Reino Unido sin convertir a los ingleses en enemigos.

Muchas de las cosas nos da la risa leerlas, pero hay que recordar el contexto y las personas a las que se dirigía: muchos de ellos jóvenes que nunca habían salido de su pueblo, con una educación muy baja. Debían tener una auténtica preocupación con que hubiera problemas con la población.

Las dos estrellas no es tanto que esté mal sino que, por su brevedad y sencillez, no es un libro que vayas a releer. Curioso, sin duda.

[Megan Schaedel · Rating 5 out of 5]

My neighbours gave this to me, and even though it was written 80 years ago, weirdly a lot of it still checks out.

[Angie Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting little piece of history. Some useful observation on British character and culture, especially during the war years. I thought the reminders that our own country/countrymen can be just as different as someone from another country particularly apt. Have to wonder how many American soldiers actually took the message to heart. :)

[Derek Osbourne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is not a long read, for sure. Ideal when you have a couple of coterminous book challenges.

Sound advice for GIs coming to Britain in 1942 on the similarities and differences between the British and Americans. And I do have to say that my father always thought that an American fighter bombing the hospital tent he was standing next to 6 miles behind the lines in Normandy in June 1944, was a bit rude.

[Tiago]

A short and sweet wartime instruction booklet. Surprisingly fun! The point was to get American GIs to behave well and respect the British while in Britain. Much of it still applies, like the norm of being reserved and, less amusingly, pay gaps between the US and UK. The lesson is clear: respect your allies, especially the ones who've been fighting for years.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this little book so interesting. Only 31 pages long.
A guide for American soldiers on how to conduct themselves when in Great Britain. Full of fascinating do’s and don’t’s. A little piece of history. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Farthings, thruppence, florins and crowns!

[Carl Palmateer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little piece of history with an interesting look at the differences between the US and UK at the time.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"they belong to england just as jazz, baseball and coca-cola belong to us."

"The evolution of baseball from older bat-and-ball games is difficult to trace with precision. A French manuscript from 1344 contains an illustration of clerics playing a game, possibly la soule, with similarities to baseball.[1] Other old French games such as théque, la balle au bâton, and la balle empoisonée also appear to be related.[2] Consensus once held that today's baseball is a North American development from the older game rounders, popular in Great Britain and Ireland"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball...


"Actions on your part will slow up the friendship--swiping his girl."

I learned from this book that god save the queen, is also god save the king.

"When you see a girl in khaki or air force blue with a bit of ribbon on her tunic-- remember she didn't get it for knitting more socks than anyone else in ipswich"
TWSS

and I learn:
"Guinea. It is worth 21 shillings, or one pound plus one shilling. there is no actual coin or bill of this value in use"

"In the Great Recoinage of 1816, the guinea was replaced as the major unit of currency by the pound and in coinage with a sovereign."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea_(...

"It is always impolite to criticize your hosts; it is militarily stupid to criticize your allies."

also british currency is not base 10...

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looked like a fun read which I found at the Churchill War Museum in London, quick and easy; WW2 history buffs may enjoy this one. Definitely an interesting read and great to see an outsiders perspective on war time Britain in 1942

[Ostap Bender · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just what the title says, this is a booklet that was distributed to American GI’s before they went to England in 1942 to brace them for what to expect once over there, and to provide guidelines for how to behave. It turns out it’s good advice for anyone visiting a foreign country, essentially a reminder to be polite and respectful of the host’s culture that the stereotypical “ugly American” tourist of today would do well to heed. The book is a reflection of both British culture and America’s, as the image formed comes from both the object under study and the lens through which it’s viewed. The language from the time is also sometimes cute.

Quotes:
“Don’t be misled by the British tendency to be soft-spoken and polite. If they need to be, they can be plenty tough. The English language didn’t spread across the ocean and over the mountains and jungles and swamps of the world because these people were panty-waists.”

“You can understand that two actions on your part will slow up the friendship – swiping his girl, and not appreciating what his army has been up against.”

“In the pubs you will hear a lot of Britons openly criticizing their government and the conduct of the war. That isn’t an occasion for you to put in your two-cents worth. It’s their business, not yours.”

“The British don’t know how to make a good cup of coffee. You don’t know how to make a good cup of tea. It’s an even swap.”

“It is always impolite to criticize your hosts. It is militarily stupid to insult your allies. So stop and think before you sound off about lukewarm beer, or cold boiled potatoes, or the way English cigarettes taste.”

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating (and a bit funny) to read as an American currently visiting Britain. Some of the advice is sound even in today's time (don't be bragging about one country being better than the other, understand you will find you have things in common and things that are different, ect.) and some of it has a propaganda slant to it for the war- all Britains are fiercely holding down their fort and keeping calm and carrying on and they are facing the Blitz with courage and stoicism to a man! Obviously, that didn't apply to every single Britain, and things like the Black Market did pop up, but that was the image that needed to be projected as a united front and so it was. I imagine some of the original pamphlet was left behind in this reproduction (the intro makes mention of the pamphlet originally touching on lack of racial segregation on things like trams), but it's still something fascinating to read through and get another historical piece to add to the puzzle.

[Mark Mears · Rating 4 out of 5]

Instructions for American Servicemen in Britain, 1942

US Department of War

Listened to this on audio. A quick 40 minute listen, an interesting snapshot of US/British relations during the war. It attempts to prepare American servicemen for cultural and language differences. Some advice given was to remind troops they are paid significantly more than their British counterparts, who already think you’re spoiled. So don’t prove them right. Also that the entire British isles would fit inside Minnesota and all of it was a war zone.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great bit of archival material that not only is elucidating, but is hilarious in the over-the-top patriotic propagandist style one would expect from a US War Dept document from 1942. It purports to be an American soldiers' primer on what to expect and how to behave while in wartime Britain - and thus teaches all kinds of things I never knew before, like wtf a "guinea" is - but for the historian it also reveals much about American perceptions and attitudes towards the British at the time.

[Lucia Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something appalling and reassuring at the same time in this audiobook version of a guide given to American soldiers heading to Britain in 1942. Americans were just as dumb, presumptive and entitled in the greatest generation as they are now, while the US Government can be incredibly patronizing to the British at the same time.

The book itself is a great short read giving insight into a small slice of life. It is worth the time to just read or listen to it.

[Benedict · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another republishing of a wartime pamphlet, this time one that was issued to American servicemen who were headed to Britain ahead of D-Day.

The main emphasis on this one is to be respectful and courteous, and to not look down upon their British hosts. Britain has been at war for 3 years, and suffered many hardships, but the people are still a proud and capable sort.

Interesting, as all of these have been.

[LibraryKath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing little book. A 1994 bound reproduction of a 1942 foolscap pamphlet that American servicemen were given as they were heading to the UK to join the British allies in WWII. It's a fabulous window into how Americans saw Brits at the time, and how to behave in a way that would not be offensive to the locals. Some of it is delightfully funny, other parts sad and poignant. What a wee treasure this book is.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad this was free on Audible or I may never have even noticed it. In giving cultural insights into the British people, it also gives cultural insights into Americans. It's funny, particularly because it isn't trying to be, and informative about the times. I highly recommend!

[Rory L'Estrange · Rating 4 out of 5]

In some places humourous (although not intended to be), though also quite humbling. There was a lot that Britain did not have, but we did have hope and it is clearly reflected in the text of this pamphlet.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this book up in The Slaughters (Cotswold) and read it on a flight from Bristol to Cork. Entertaining read!

[Aaron Mcilhenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

17/5, good show gents

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, charming, historical lesson in civility

[AttackGirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

How real life is efficiently communicated, yes repeated at least 3 times in short bursts.

[M.Elizabeth Rival · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good primer on how not to be a douchebag. Well done war dept.

[Vale Manzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0/5

[Jessica Bellas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cultural guide for Americans going to the UK 🇬🇧 was both enlightening and hilarious.

[Vicky Chochorowska · Rating 4 out of 5]

“When you see a girl in khaki or air-force blue with a bit of ribbon on her tunic - remember she didn’t get it for knitting more socks than anyone else in Ipswich.”

[N Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting insight into wartime relations between the United States and Great Britain.