Pershing's Crusaders: The American Soldier in World War I

Modern War Studies

by Richard S. Faulkner

The Great War caught a generation of American soldiers at a turning point in the nation's history. At the moment of the Republic's emergence as a key player on the world stage, these were the first Americans to endure mass machine warfare, and the first to come into close contact with foreign peoples and cultures in large numbers. What was it like, Richard S. Faulkner asks, to be one of these foot soldiers at the dawn of the American century? How did the doughboy experience the rigors of training and military life, interact with different cultures, and endure the shock and chaos of combat? The answer can be found in Pershing's Crusaders, the most comprehensive, and intimate, account ever given of the day-to-day lives and attitudes of the nearly 4.2 million American soldiers mobilized for service in World War I.

Pershing's Crusaders offers a clear, close-up picture of the doughboys in all of their vibrant diversity, shared purpose, and unmistakably American character. It encompasses an array of subjects from the food they ate, the clothes they wore, their view of the Allied and German soldiers and civilians they encountered, their sexual and spiritual lives, their reasons for serving, and how they lived and fought, to what they thought about their service along every step of the way. Faulkner's vast yet finely detailed portrait draws upon a wealth of sources--thousands of soldiers' letters and diaries, surveys and memoirs, and a host of period documents and reports generated by various staff agencies of the American Expeditionary Forces. Animated by the voices of soldiers and civilians in the midst of unprecedented events, these primary sources afford an immediacy rarely found in historical records. Pershing's Crusaders is, finally, a work that uniquely and vividly captures the reality of the American soldier in WWI for all time.

Genres: World War I, Military History, History

784 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 17, 2017

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an encyclopedic book in the best sense of the term. Richard S. Faulkner's goal is to provide readers with a comprehensive social history of the men who served with the American Expeditionary Forces in the First World War, one that covers everything from their enlistment to their discharge. To address their service in all their particulars is a daunting task requiring mastering an enormous body of material, yet Faulkner succeeds admirably in addressing nearly every imaginable aspect of it. The result serves not only as a wide-ranging account of the varied experiences of the "doughboys" but as a reference that readers will be able to turn to for an introduction to various details they might want to learn. For these reasons, it is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the U.S. military or the First World War, one that is unlikely to be bettered in terms of its thoroughness and insights on its subject.

[Don Heiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Faulkner, with the University of Kansas Press, published "Pershing's Crusaders" in 2017. The book is well documented with over 100 pages of notes and bibliographic references. Faulkner's focus is on the individual soldier --his war experiences from the time of enlistment; through training, combat, r&r; and ending with his discharge. The book presents comprehensive research about the harsh realities of trench warfare, military logistics, and disease; and their impact on soldiers' moral behavior, health, religious thought, sexual proclivities, and esprit de corps. It is an important read for students of "The Great War".

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Faulkner has written the most thorough social history of the Americans, or "doughboys," who served in World War I. As a history professor, I would like my students to understand the value of social history: that it allows scholars to understand the lived experiences of those who did not necessarily have special titles next to their names but who worked together to bring about an accomplishment. Faulkner takes this approach with the doughboys, so that his focus is not on John Pershing but on all that animated the lives of the more than four million Americans who made the journey to Europe. After examining more than five thousand letters, he understands the training they underwent before their journey overseas, the foods they ate, the uniforms they wore, the shelters that housed them, the weapons they fired, their relations with their French and British allies as well as the Germans they opposed, the unsavory activities they undertook, their experiences in battles, and more. What especially stands out to me is the level of advance in weaponry from the Civil War era to 1917. Whereas Civil War soldiers could fire only a few rounds per minute, the doughboys could fire close to twenty from their rifles or hundreds from machine guns. This placed a premium on fielding determined and well-trained soldiers, who ultimately succeeded in aiding the Allied cause against Germany. But Faulkner is also quick to note some of the shortcomings of the Army, such as the rudimentary level of training for some of the units and the segregation that marred the service of African-Americans. The book thus allows readers to imagine themselves undergoing the common hardships of war while also pointing to the lessons learned from the experience. Faulker does leave out some important details from the war that future historians would be wise to study: the experiences of the pilots and the sailors, as well as the postwar experiences of those who suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder and other ailments. But I believe he has authored the most thorough study yet of what it was like to serve in the Great War.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a thorough review of the experiences of US Army servicemen in WW1 - Faulkner goes into detail into issues such as training, officer and NCO training, equipment, experiences of soldiers in support role, combat, experiences of engineers and artillerymen, mixing with and impressions of the French, mixing with and impressions of the Germans, the wounded, the dead, and demobilization.
It is quite a book, and it covers a lot of ground. It is an interesting book - Faulkner mixes in individual stories to provide context and also has some subtle humor mixed in - but its comprehensive nature (clocking in at 600+ pages of text) means it is likely not for everyone.

[Dave Hoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very complete history of what our fathers faced when drafted, trained, shipped over, time in France, and then returning home, sometimes months after the Armistice. Every moment of the doughboy's life detailed. Uniform, rations, training, combat, medical, Chaplains, the Hen-Flew-End-Ways. (read the book, or say it fast) the spiritual and personal care by the YMCA. My dad used their facilities, (as I did, the Salvation Army's Red Shield Club and the USO). and the return home. 100 yrs ago.

[Leslie Eichhorn]

Doughboys every day life beginning of WWI to returning home.

Very comprehensive book on the doughboys lives in WWI. Very good book giving great insight on what two of my Uncles and a family friend went through.