Featured Articles
The Gluten-Free WWI Trend That Asked Americans: ‘Are You Eating Your 5 Bushels?’
Turns out that eating gluten-free was also popular during World War I. Wartime in the United States meant that certain supplies, including food, were temporarily in short order. For instance, the origins of canned [...]
What Vehicles Did The Army Use Before The Jeep?
Think of the U.S. Army, and you think of Jeep. While the small 4x4 might be seen as the archetype when it comes to military transport, the U.S. Army had been experimenting with various [...]
Who Was Belle Skinner?
Ruth Isabelle (Belle) Skinner was a businesswoman and philanthropist, who in the aftermath of the war helped rebuild the small French town of Hattonchatel. Descendant of a highly successful silk manufacturer in Holyoke, Massachusetts, [...]
The Army’s ‘Hello Girls’ of World War I waited 60 years for veteran status
When we think of deployments these days, we think of long separations and physical distance. We don’t think of a total lack of communication. Between video calls, internet messages, texts, emails, and care packages, [...]
“Hello Girls”: Edith Dodson and the forgotten heroes of the Great War
(Author's note: With special thanks to Ann Dodson, a second cousin of Edith Dodson, who told me of this fascinating story and provided me with some texts and visual material.) When we speak of [...]
Financial Facts about the U.S. (and UK) War Bonds in World War I
Shortly after declaring war in 1917, the Wilson Administration was faced with the reality of having to pay for the massive military build-up that would be required. Both tax increases and monetary expansion were [...]
Mislearning from War: The Case of U.S. Coastal Artillery
Editor's Note: The U.S. entered the war largely unprepared for industrial-scale manufacturing. Consequently, U.S. Coastal Artillery Corps (CAC) units deployed to Europe were primarily equipped with British and French weaponry. The CAC converted older coastal guns [...]
“If now we forget…”
"If now we allow places and things that were named to honor veterans from over a century ago to be retooled as memorials to others, how can we expect today’s soldiers to hope their [...]
Decades after his death, World War I veteran finally laid to rest in Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A war veteran, who passed away nearly 40 years ago, was formally laid to rest in a Nashville cemetery Tuesday morning. John Repka served in the U.S. Navy during World [...]
