Featured Articles
To Be as Young (or as Old) as You Feel
In studying the Hello Girls – the American telephone operators who supported the U.S. soldiers in France during World War I – determining who the oldest and youngest Hello Girls were should be easy. [...]
Shunning the Sword: World War I’s Conscientious Objectors
(Note: This article was originally written during the Spring 2023 for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s “World War I Wisconsin” course, taught by Dr. Leslie Bellais.) Charles Cory frowned. The twenty-two-year-old from Vassalboro, Maine, furrowed his [...]
A World War One Artifact Rescued
Sometimes thrift store shelves hold treasures. Over the years, my research has taken place in archives where I spent untold hours going through boxes after boxes of original documents. These primary sources [...]
Congressman Cleaver’s Bill to Honor WWI “Hello Girls” Passed by House of Representatives
The bipartisan legislation would award a Congressional Gold Medal to more than 220 “Hello Girls,” the first female soldiers to be officially deployed to a combat zone in American history (Washington, D.C.) – This week, [...]
The 110th Anniversary Of The 1914 Christmas Truce
In August 1914, many of the soldiers on frontline service had expected that after achieving a quick and decisive victory on the battlefield they would be home in time for Christmas. As autumn turned to winter, [...]
Letters Home: From William E. Olsen to his wife, Gertrude Christine Sudor, During World War I
In 1918, Will Olsen went off to the Great War, leaving behind his pregnant wife, Gertrude. Fortunately, his letters home were saved. In the early 1990s, I stumbled upon those worn, yellowing letters in [...]
Moving for Education: Living Near WWI Museums and Archives
Relocating for education is an opportunity to enhance your academic and cultural horizons. For history enthusiasts and researchers living near World War I (WWI) museums and archives in the United States offer direct access [...]
Authors, historians, playwrights, and filmmaker urge House Leadership to vote on Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal legislation
Letters call on Speaker, Majority Leader to being Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal bill to a House vote. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Well-known American historians, authors, playwrights, and filmmakers who have published works about the [...]
Why A WWI Time Capsule In Missouri Required A Bomb Squad When It Was Opened
So we all know the idea behind a time capsule, right? You take a bunch of junk, stuff it in a box or whatever, maybe bury it in the backyard. And then after you're dead, [...]