Five Lieutenants: The Heartbreaking Story of Five Harvard Men Who Led America to Victory in World War I

by James Carl Nelson

James Carl Nelson tells the dramatic true story of five brilliant young soldiers from Harvard, a thrilling tale of combat and heroism Five Lieutenants tells the story of five young Harvard men who took up the call to arms in the spring of 1917 and met differing fates in the maelstrom of battle on the Western Front in 1918. Delving deep into the motivations, horrific experiences, and ultimate fates of this Harvard-educated quintet―and by extension of the brilliant young officer class that left its collegiate and post-collegiate pursuits to enlist in the Army and lead America's rough-and-ready doughboys― Five Lieutenants presents a unique, timeless, and fascinating account of citizen soldiers at war, and of the price these extraordinary men paid while earnestly giving all they had in an effort to end "the war to end all wars." Drawing upon the subjects' intimate, eloquent, and uncensored letters and memoirs, this is a fascinating microcosm of the American experience in the First World War, and of the horrific experiences and hardships of the educated class of young men who were relied upon to lead doughboys in the trenches and, ultimately, in open battle.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, World War I, Biography, Military Fiction, Military History

384 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2012

Reviews

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartbreaking tale indeed to see so much youthful potential squandered by the Great War, yet that pretty much sums up most war books where the author deals with individual stories like this. The book is well researched and uses a lot of letters, diaries and memoirs by the men and their comrades in the first US Army units that crossed Atlantic in 1917 to join the fight in Europe. Unfortunately all these snippets out of the material used becomes a bit of drag to read and keeps interrupting the flow of the book.

What makes the book interesting for me personally is that it is the first one I have read from the viewpoint of the US Army junior officers and their experiences going to war, knowing full well what horrors await them after reading and hearing about it for 3 years in the USA. Yet it is not as good as the books I have read of their counterparts in the British Army. Like another reviewers said, " it is a better concept than it is a narrative".

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot, but I think to be fair, it is a better concept than it is a narrative. The author weaves together the story of five young men, all Harvard men in one way or another and all Lieutenants in the American army in World War 1. They do not all know each other though several meet in and around Paris. All participate in an important offensive that will help turn the tide of the war in 1918. I felt that the book really hit its stride when all the men got to Europe and even more when he starts to narrate the events of the battle. That was riveting. I sometimes got the characters confused and early parts of the book dragged. At times it seemed the author did not know if he was telling a fictionalized account of these men based on fact or if he were doing popular history. The latter style suits him and that is the voice he settles into in the second half of the book. This is a good read for those who like WW1 history, social history of the early 20th century or people connected to Harvard.

[Lane Willson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m quite grateful to Andrew, who a little over a year ago, challenged the review I wrote for Five Lieutenants: The Heartbreaking Story of Five Harvard Men who Led America to Victory in World War I, by James Carl Nelson. It wasn’t really a review, but rather a rant about stereotyping of the south and Southerners that was in my mind happening at that time. Five Lieutenants made a great anvil for that purpose.

Having now read the entire book, I was glad I stayed open to it, even if reluctantly so. I found the story riveting, and the esteem felt for these gentlemen in the hearts of the men who served with them made it a very poignant story as well. To read about men fighting a war with 20th century technology, and a 19th century mindset was truly horrifying. That any culture could accept carnage on that scale is beyond understanding.

I found myself embarrassed by how little I know about the First World War. The players I can name occupies less than one hand. Anger quickly followed as I thought about the world’s leaders doing so little to make that war what was claimed at the time – a war to end all wars. Two decades latter an even bloodier battle raged, and this time it consumed soldiers and citizens alike. The war’s destruction to bodies and property were eclipsed towards the book’s conclusion, when craters in the minds and souls of the survivors became visible. Thank God the term “shell shocked”, and shame it carried have been replaced with an understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and treatment. Though, as we now know, we are still falling short in helping the men and women returning from today’s war.

Today’s war is now being fought for over a decade, and by volunteers no less. Sadly, our society has in many respects advanced very little, if at all, when we think about our willingness to allow the continued sacrifice of so many. Memorial Day weekend is a great time to ask ourselves if we can truly say we've honored the lives of these five men, as well as the thousands who perished with them, if we have allowed millions to follow them in the century since “the great war”?

First Review (March 2013)
Admittedly, my dislike of this book could be a simple case of historical transference.

Any implication, inference, or suggestion that because of their education and life potential the sacrifice of five Harvard graduates were somehow more honorable or significant than others who served is offensive. Pall Mall, Tennessee rests just on the horizon of where I work and live, and is the birth place of Alvin C. York, a Medal of Honor recipient and arguably the most storied American soldier of World War I. Though a smart, devote, and earnest man, Sgt. York was virtually uneducated even by the standards of his day. Yet what he accomplished with his life during the war, and most especially after the war, is inspirational on any level. His glory on the battle field was exceeded by his humility and concern for others, especially the children of his rural Tennessee valley, throughout the remainder of his life.

I feel better now.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Nonfiction History covering WWI. I loved the history and the personal stories. It had some Americana charm and I loved the way France and the French people were described.

What I struggled with was the over use of the words and phrases "Harvard men," "Harvard man," Harvard chap," and let's not forget the phrase "manly man." If they only used those phases 75 times and eliminated all the rest, this book could have been 42 pages shorter.

I listened to the audio and the narrator had a pleasant voice, but the mispronunciations were a little irritating. Seriously.....NO. So 3 stars.

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the perspective of this book from the wealthy graduates of Harvard becoming officers leading their men into battle. It was depressing AF, which is hardly surprising. However, it didn’t do justice to a lot of the class disparity issues that impacted their trajectory in the war. It did detail how they did still fight and die alongside their men, which is, of course, accurate. It was tragic, but did provide a variety of perspectives among the children of the Guilded age.

[Karin Mika]

Hard to rate this book because the historical narrative is pretty dry. Nonetheless, it tells an interesting tale of the way the world was in the late 1800s and early 1900s in terms of elitism, wealth, educations, and how young men perceived war as being something heroic. Perhaps all young feel the same way, but for those who went off to World War I, what they suffered was a horrific reminder that death in war is not all that glorious. World War I is often forgotten because it is now so far in our pasts, so relating to the material was sometimes tough. But all knowledge is useful, and understanding the climate of the country at the time in relation to what was going on in Europe is important to understanding what followed. It is unfortunate that what occurred during World War I was forgotten so quickly such that there was another world war so soon after that.

[James Redwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is from: Five Lieutenants: The Heartbreaking Story of Five Harvard Men Who Led America to Victory in World War I (Hardcover)
What James Carl Nelson has done in brilliant fashion in "Five Lieutenants" is to remind us that when it comes to war, the title "Greatest" can and should be applied to more than one generation. Each epoch has its own set of heroes and saints, just as it has its own contingent of rogues and scoundrels. (In the interest of full disclosure, I should point out that I am a descendant of one of the subjects of the book). Mr. Nelson's minutely researched and well-crafted volume does not treat of the ordinary men of war, or at least to no greater extent than Leo Tolstoy depicted the ordinary man of war when he gave us the likes of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. That much is clear from the book's poignant subtitle. But there are at least two great advantages to be derived from that fact, for both of which Mr. Nelson deserves our gratitude and esteem. The first is that, as he points out right from the beginning, his five Harvard lieutenants serve as articulate spokesmen for thousands of other American veterans of the Great War who, until now, have remained largely unappreciated as mute participants in a conflict which was every bit as deadly as those which came before and after it. The second is that he has convincingly portrayed, at least to this reader, what it truly means to be among the "Greatest." Here are five talented and privileged young men who could have chosen a path far different from that of stern duty and necessity, and who would not have been excoriated, indeed might well have been lionized instead, had they done so. That they felt compelled to put the interests of their country above their own may today seem quaint, but that in no way diminishes what they did or eclipses the sacrifices which they willingly underwent in the service of a cause that was larger than themselves. As a result, through the mediation of Mr. Nelson and his fine handiwork, we have been given a rare opportunity, nearly a century later, to glimpse to the full the noble response of five of the "Greatest" of that earlier and undervalued generation when their nation called upon them to take up arms on its behalf.

[Brian Eshleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always drawn to the transition between civilian and soldier, and, as a college counselor, to the transition between boy and man. Put those ingredients in this text alongside what many have seen in World War I as the transition between 19th century traditionalism and the harshness of the 20th, and you have a powerful text.

The author does a real service in allowing the participants to speak for themselves. This is not a nostalgic remembrance of a bygone age, instead it is real upheaval in perspective. Readers in every variety of trauma and transition can benefit from it.

[Daniel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This 12 hour read is organized strangely — perhaps made unavoidable by the title, and so divided by 5 men? It is out of joint, and out of proportion. It is repetitive, and disorderly. The narrator in this case reads all a rah rah. And I don’t know what the author could have been thinking (going back to the foreword, i found out: he had written another book, without enough rich notes from the men, given they were censored, and not much for writing emotion. But these officers were not censored and more richly emotional in their words. So in a way this book is the left overs of that other book).

There are parts I could crit at greater length. But I’m annoyed at this late date. If I were rating based on tragedy, or the men’s efforts, or it drawing on original sources, I suppose it would be a 5 for 5. But I’m reading it the week after I read the WWI book the road less travelled.

And instead of building on those 5 star insights, this book is just making a hash of it. The fact that 5 men of different ages are all from Harvard and write letters home is hardly the basis of a book about war at the front. It may be means of writing 5 sketches of 5 different men. But to try and intermesh these when they are not naturally intermeshed at the start, or most of the time (two men become close while they are there. So maybe that’s the book. But not these 5 plus two or so other great heroes tossed in, but even so)?

There is no narrative flow that does not stop and start like a big truck with a failing clutch going in and out of gear. It grinds and re-starts, and stalls as yt.

The author wrecks the attempt at recollection of the contributions of 5 brave men, and makes a 12 hour hash of it, all bc they are from Harvard and Lieutenants? Nuts, and annoying. An editor is needed badly to re-organize it. Or to separate it. I wish I had not picked it up. I wish having picked it up, I cut it loose after the first third.

That having been said, the men were something. Adding to the tragedy already known. And in passing I must note the last survivor among them Newhall has a dream reminiscent of the dream I had of my brother. Of one turning off and the other going on. I do not mean that it is so profound. But that it is somehow may be common to us all.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though interesting, I found the basic premise of this book from the beginning a little disappointing.
It was implied that only Harvard boys could write descriptive enough to convey the war from the view of the men that were there. I am fine with the point of view, it is an interesting view, but I found no reason to insult others that fought and died in WW I, This may come as some sort of a shock, but there are many people that are great and descriptive writers that did not have the money or family ties to let them go to Harvard. but enough said, the book was still good after I got over that early slight. This was a good read.

[Elizabeth Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for collecting such a high relief portrait of brave men now held in my own heart. I appreciate the effort to capture not just the events but the emotions and inner workings of their minds. As always, reading books of history renews my mind to the sacrifices of soldiers who have preserved American freedom.

[Steve Ponedal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book for those interested in WWI history

Great job by author to piece together memoirs to tell this story. I thought this was a mix of heartbreak and valor by volunteer soldiers.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

[Audiobook Accomplice (Gillian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iffy narration and production problems can’t mar a good story
My Full Review

[Vicki Klemm · Rating 3 out of 5]

WWI. Terrible. Personal accounts.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is a great story is detracted by the chaotic writing and inconsistent editing. Worth the read for those interested in the social history of WWI, but it is difficult to follow at times.

[Michael Sobkow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional... Amazing how the author is capable of making people alive again who've been dead for a hundred years.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recounts the lives of 5 young men who faced disability & death on the Western Front during World
War I.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good, except for slow first half, much improved 2nd. Unique story for unique circumstance.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to it on audio. Very good intro into WWI.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intimate look at the build-up and horrors of the first World War, primarily through the correspondence of the namesake "Five Lieutenants," young men from Harvard who were trained to lead troops into battle.

We start with them as they muster with their peers in voluntary camps before the U.S. officially entered the war. They then enter the army, make the trip to Europe and spend months waiting and drilling away from the front, struggling with the army's strictures and wondering, in cases, if they have what it takes to lead enlisted men.

When they're called to the front, the action is sudden, brutal, and in some cases breathtakingly short. They walk into artillery bombardment and machine gun fire, and most don't return. Some don't seem to want to; they recklessly chase death until they catch it. Others who come back are broken by the experience, falling into the void of what they recognized as "shell shock" and what we would now categorize as post-traumatic stress disorder.

It's amazing what these soldiers are asked to do, to basically leave cover and jog forward to be cut down. But while the book is strongest capturing the horrors of their trial by fire, it spends too much of its page count building toward it. To much detail is given to farmhouse lodging and endless maneuvers in the mud. That's undoubtedly the nature of life in the army, but the point could have been gained without quite so much repetition.

Beyond that, the main cast of characters is hard to keep straight. When you add in all the friends and commanding officers that surround them, it's especially difficult to keep track of who interacted with who and why certain officers were disliked by their men. Perhaps visuals or charts could have helped, but the grand arc of the story can be derailed by digressions and asides, compounding anecdotes from the author's trove of original letters. We know very much about our lieutenants' day-to-day inconveniences but less about the larger path of the war.

Still, "Five Lieutenants" offers an interesting look into the mindset of the times, both the forging of the working officers of that war and the senseless loss of so many of them.

[Skylar Hatfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another Wall Street Journal recommendation. I found the first half of this book tedious and slow going, but the second half was well worth the slog. Though this book is said to be about five Harvard young men who joined who went to battle with the American forces during World War 1, there is a long cast of characters. Sometimes, the shifting and sorting of these people made comprehension of the story challenging at the beginning. My intent in reading the book was to connect with the emotions of the characters, so I was frustrated with all the war set up that was needed. I learned quite a bit about World War 1, never having read a non-fiction book about the war. I was glad that I understood somewhat the philosophy of Woodrow Wilson, so I could read between some lines in this book. It is interesting to read this book at this time in the American history when we are facing the decision to go to war yet again. A great deal of naiveté and idealism are required to stir a young person to look away from life and run into the maw of death. I see that our idealism is lost. The young men in this story felt that winning World War 1 would truly put an end to all wars and that socialism would save all people. One small paragraph in this book was particularly interesting to me. In it, a scholar describes three beliefs that must be assaulted to catapult a soldier into post traumatic stress disorder. His points seemed very true, and I wonder why I have never heard them made before. I don't know how any human can fight a war in the manor that WWI was fought and remain spiritually and psychologically intact. One of the five who survived muses on it somewhat, and probably hits the nail on the head.

[Jan Polep · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking story of the WWI Battle of Cantigny, May 28, 1918... and the personal stories of 5 Harvard grads who were there. Not being a WWI military history buff, I chose to read this book because one of the 5 was from my hometown and another was from a neighboring town. Because of their rank, the 5 Lieutenants, who censored their platoon's letters but not their own, were able to get their letters home and in so doing, give a true picture of their training, waiting, spying, fighting, and sadly, dying. Their attitudes about war, leadership, and friendship, framed by information on training, trench warfare,& military artillery makes for an introspective/horrific account of the day 1600+ Americans were injured/killed proving the AEF was worthy of fighting next to the British and the French.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

While researching another book, Nelson discovered the letters home from five Harvard lieutenants. This book is the story of these five men and there families as they experienced and recorded World War I.

Why I started this book: Cool title.

Why I finished it: The book was a little confusing in audio, it was difficult to keep track of who was who. But on the whole it was interesting. My main insight was that historically World War I is seen as the sinkhole of hope, a pointless war that led to the wildness of the roaring 20s. On the other hand World War II was the righteous war, the war to conqueror evil. Ironically that was ideals of the beginning of WWI, while the beginning of WWII was that it was just another war, same old same old. History has an imperfect memory and we often remember the outcome not the start...

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A peek into turn of the century society. Over time since the USA society has descended into a tragically secular nation.These soldiers believed the crossed over to life with Jesus Christ. Our secular society seeks to exclude Jesus society. The boredom followed by sheer terror is so typical of combat in the military. If you have not been there, it will give you some rare insight to the military. The first greatest generation. The second greatest generation will come in 20 years. This is because the politicians sold out the soldiers sacrifice, which has happened every war since.

[ladywallingford · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book just did not hold my interest. I think it would be a great resource for someone studying World War I, especially for those wanting to focus on the American experience entering into the war. For me, it was a bit agonizing finishing it and I have no idea why. Maybe it just didn't interest me as much as I thought it would? I did not find many flaws with the way it was written or how the author presented his information. Read it if you find such things interesting. If not, skip it.

[Brad Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The majority of the book reads not so much as a narrative but as a series of quotations roughly stitched together. Although the first-person voices do add authenticity to the content, the author's style makes it difficult to sort through all of the characters and events described. For me, it was only in the closing chapters where the "five lieutenants" began to emerge as distinct individuals and where the book successfully redeemed itself.

[Lisa Dornell · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read about average men thrown into an unreal situation. But I didn't find it particularly "heartbreaking" as mentioned in the subtitle. No doubt due to incomplete biographical information on his subjects, the author wasn't able to really capture the characters of these men in a way that made them feel "real." Yes, they were, but I was never able to connect with them emotionally so didn't have an investment in them.

[Dustan Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to hear about men who, even with an elevated station in life, were willing to go and die for their country. While this doesn't make them any more heroic than any others who went to war, it is certainly not something that we see today. The well educated / high society seem to seek not to be in the military rather than volunteer.

[Noel Burke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look at the men who served in World War I. This focused mostly on officers who came to the Army to serve. I found it interesting to see the "Army way" has not changed much since that time. Listened to this on my iPod.